A Wellspring of Hope
Newsletter of The Recovery Group
September 2003
Volume 5, Issue 9
ser*en*dip*i*ty ~ (noun) First appeared 1754:
the faculty or phenomenon of finding
valuable or agreeable things not sought for.
PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO:
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com
with a Subject of 'Letter to the Editor'
From Our Editor
Founder's Corner
From the TRG Administration
From Our ODAT Committee
From Our TRG Sponsor Program
Letters to the Editor
Announcements
Kids' Corner
Teens' Corner
The Twelve Steps of OA - A Teen's Viewpoint
September Loop Spotlights:
Newcomers and Recovery
OA Anon
OA Friends
Pagan and ODAT
From The Recovery Group Members
Recovery Writers' Series
From the Literature
Recovery Meditations Calendar
The Recovery Group Online Meetings
Overeaters Anonymous Contacts
Recovery Group Contacts
Serenity Prayer
Dear Serendipity Readers,
Dear Serendipity Readers ~
Dear Members of The Recovery Group,
The ODAT/Discovery Loops
"Having a sponsor is the best way to learn how to be a sponsor: we
are taught by example. We also learn to sponsor by doing. "(A Guide
for Sponsors, Overeaters Anonymous)
Please see the following web sites for information concerning loops
which exist to help kids with eating problems.
TEENS' CORNER
NEWCOMERS AND RECOVERY
OA FRIENDS
~ FROM OUR EDITOR ~
Welcome to the September 2003 issue of Serendipity, the newsletter of
The Recovery Group. The team of TRG Trusted Servants has come forth
with lots of good information for you this month!
In particular, you will read about a new way to volunteer for service
within TRG, about the different categories of loops within TRG, about
specific loops which are in special need of help to relieve the
current coordinator for other service, about our wonderful TRG Sponsor
Program, and, well, I could go on, but I would prefer that you take
that task on yourself!
One announcement that I have to make is that I've lost my assistant,
Chris, who has had to resign. If you're inclined to help with the
newsletter, please write and I will tell you what's involved with
publishing an issue. It will also be publicised in the Trusted Servant
Pool if you want information that way; more on the Pool in the Founder's
Column.
As you read this issue, pray for what your Higher Power may have
in mind for you to take away from this issue. Perhaps it will be that
you will feel called to serve one of the loops; perhaps it will inspire
you to share in Serendipity (an article, a Letter to the Editor, etc.);
or even, perhaps, you will be inspired to attend an online meeting for
the first time and/or to go to one of the Recovery Talk Happy Hour
sessions. Whatever your Higher Power has in mind for you, stay open
to hear the "word" as you read on.
It is my pleasure to serve The Recovery Group as Editor of this
newsletter. If you haven't already, I hope you find a way to participate,
also.
Love in recovery,
Marty
Editor, SERENDIPITY
Newsletter of The Recovery Group
~ FOUNDER'S CORNER ~ OUR NEW POOL ~
The summer is over, the kids are in school, the leaves will
be turning soon, and food is still the enemy. The good news
is that many of us have more time now and, since working a
good recovery program takes time, it's good to focus on that.
The Recovery Group has started something new that many of you
may want to consider ~ a Trusted Servants Pool.
Often during the year, a Coordinator, Greeter, Web Servant or
"Step Within" Trusted Servant will resign for various reasons.
We need an immediate replacement in many cases and recruiting
works well, but it also leaves a loop uncared for while we
search. We don't have to do that anymore, because we had
approximately three dozen wonderful volunteers to start the
Recovery Trusted Servant's Pool.
Job Openings are advertised to the Pool and the members have
the opportunity of first choice of the job. Giving service
does not take a lot of time, and is one of the best jobs you'll
ever have.
We'd like to invite you to join TRG's T/S Pool by sending a blank
e-mail to:
TrustedServantsPool-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org
The Recovery Group Trusted Servants Pool ~ Come dive right in.
Happy September!
@-}-}-}------
Love in recovery,
Mari
~ FROM OUR TRG ADMINISTRATORS ~
FROM THE TRG ADMINISTRATION
The Recovery Group is made up of a number of different divisions ...
but what they all have in common is that each is for compulsive
eaters and their recovery.
The RECOVERY Loops are 12 Step Loops for general sharing and made
up of loops like Journey to Recovery, OA Friends, Anorexia and
Bulimia, the Recovery Loop, etc.
The ODAT Loops are 12 Step Special Focus Loops, and are for
compulsive eaters who want a support group with others who share
a second issue. Some of those topics are: Abuse, Diabetics, AA,
Religion, Grey Sheet, Anger, Relationships, Kids, etc.
The DISCOVERY Loops are Special Focus Loops to be used as an adjunct
interest to those working a 12 Step Program. Some of the Discovery
Loops are The Discovery Kitchen, Exercise and Discovery, The Yellow
Brick Road, etc.
The Recovery Group Trusted Servants stay busy constantly by keeping
their loops running smoothly, recruiting and training new Trusted
Servants, doing 12th Step Work by putting their loops on Internet
search engines and sharing regularly with their loops and inspiring
others to share. After a very busy summer, the Administration of
the Recovery Group is ready to greet Fall and Winter with excitement
and hope about new projects, new people and new ideas.
We thank all of you for your support through the years. If we can
ever be of service to you, please write us at:
TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ FROM OUR ODAT ADMINISTRATION ~
Hi, everyone!
It is my pleasure to drop a few lines as Chair of the ODAT
Committee. Sounds important doesn’t it? All it really means
is that I have accepted the job of helping to look after the
ODAT loops and answer questions, do some jobs that need doing,
and be there for you if you need me. I am still learning, so
reporting is still pretty new to me. But I do know that Mari,
Sande and I (as well as your Coordinators) are working very hard
to make the loops as safe as they can be, and look out for
‘spammers’ and inappropriate mailings. We have also been
looking at filling the posts to make sure there are more and
more trusted servants for each loop.
This brings me to a request. I am still Co-Coordinator on
several loops and it would be wonderful if you feel you may
be able to help me so I can eventually let these jobs go to
someone who has more time to participate regularly and give
them the attention they deserve.
These loops are:
We do now have a Trusted Servant Pool and are able to
enlist help there, too. But if you are reading this and
have never tried a hand at service, this is a great
opportunity to start.
Please write to me if you have any questions, at:
dietrich12000@yahoo.com.
I thank you for being patient with me as I stumble and learn
my new job as your Chair.
Love,
Marl
Chair, ODAT Committee
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/odat/index.html
Having a sponsor is an essential part of our recovery from our
disease of compulsive overeating, anorexia, bulimia, binge disorder
(or any of the other descriptions for our disease) which is, for all
intents and purposes, killing us.
Being a sponsor and giving back what we have so generously been given
is just as essential as having a sponsor! It is a spiritual axiom
that we cannot keep what we do not give away. We must give back!
Having confidence as a sponsor is not difficult, because we have a
sponsor ourselves; someone we can emulate in the way that we now
sponsor, and also someone we can go to for help when needed as we
sponsor others.
For both Sponsors and Sponsees there is a loop within The Recovery
Group to join and ask questions, share our experience, strength and
hope as well as any issues that come up as we sponsor or are
sponsored. The loop is "Sponsors and Recovery" at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sponsorsandrecovery/.
If you have questions, suggestions or need the Sponsor Directory and
Biographies for TRG's Sponsor Program, please write the address
below, and don't forget you _must_ include to which Recovery Group
you belong. Write to:
Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org
If you wish to contact all the sponsors at once, and describe the
kind of sponsor you're looking for and a little about yourself,
please write the address below, and (again) don't forget you _must_
include to which Recovery Group you belong:
RecoverySponsors@yahoogroups.com
If you would like to become a Recovery Sponsor and serve The
Recovery Community in this very important way, please let us know
by writing to:
TRGSponsorsAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org.
Thank you.
In service to all,
Dreena, Sponsor Coordinator
The Recovery Group Sponsor Program Trusted Servants
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
www.The RecoveryGroup.org/sponsors.html
I just wanted to pass on a note of appreciation for all that
you do for folks that like additional doses of recovery via the
(Inter)net. I believe that the (Inter)net has become yet another
"tool" and I would not be surprised to find our list of tools
updated by its addition to the list.
Thank you ever so much.
Sincerely,
January K.
Thank you. I can't tell you what a blessing this whole website has
been in my life.
Blessings,
Beckianne
Letters to the Editor are encouraged and welcomed.
Please send your letter to
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com.
Please put 'Letter to the Editor' in the subject line.
POSSIBLE OA REGISTRATION OF ONLINE MEETINGS
Vicki, TRG Meeting Co-coordinator, reports:
"Jan Hannaford, the Region 1 Trustee and chair of the Trustee Sub-
committee on the registration of online meetings, met with persons
interested in seeing online meetings officially registered on Friday,
8 August at 5 pm during the OA Convention.
Vicki, Meeting Co-coordinator, and Sharon, Meeting Leader, represented
The Recovery Group at the meeting.
The Trustee Sub-committee is examining the possible registration of
online meetings as official Overeaters Anonymous meetings. It is
proposing that the Trustees present an amendment to the 1999 policy
defining meetings, allowing registration of online meetings. The
Trustees may or may not choose to propose this amendment. If they
choose to not propose it, the sub-committee will."
THE NEWEST "RECOVERY TALK HAPPY HOUR"
Remember to BYOC: Bring Your Own Coffee!
When: Join us at 1 PM (Eastern Standard Time), right after our
regular noon meeting. In addition, we still have our Happy Hour at
10:30PM, after the 9:30 PM meeting.
Where: In our 24 -hour chat room, called "Recoverytalk".
How to get there:
http://www.starchat.net/chat/?chan=recoverytalk
is a link will take you directly to the Recoverytalk Chat Room.
Please feel free to stay as long as you like.
Please come in and join us for an hour to be with your friends. This
is not a meeting room; it is a room that other compulsive eaters come
together as a group to laugh, cry and share experiences with one
another. It is a place where there will be informal chats, and great
friendships will grow among us.
All are welcome to join us; BYOC!
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
A NEW LOOP: "CREATIVE IN RECOVERY"
Creative in Recovery, although the newest part of The Recovery Group,
is a very special loop. Its members are compulsive eaters who are
creative-types, using the disease as a way to escape the fear and
the rewards of their creativity. Their compulsion robs them of the
gifts their Higher Power has so generously bestowed on them.
This loop is geared to those who need to express themselves
creatively, and yet struggle because of eating compulsions. Leaving
a project or being unable to begin one because food has taken away
the ability to express oneself; having souls hungry for the mere act
of putting pen to paper, brush to canvas, needle and thread to
fabric but hampered by the warped sense of needing to be "perfect";
these are just some examples of how the disease of compulsive eating
can impair ones creativity.
"Creative in Recovery" offers a place to work ones recovery program,
and to carry that message to other creative people who suffer from
compulsive eating. It is a place in which members can build one
another up, accepting and supporting each other; a place where
members are welcomed with open arms and encouraged to share their
paths of recovery, in safety and serenity.
Please visit:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/creative/index.html if
you think this loop might be the place for you; it is open 24/7 and
can be reached from anywhere in the world with Internet access.
What a blessing!
To join Creative In Recovery, plase send an empty email to:
CreativeInRecovery-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
is a loop that offers help with eating disorders; a place where kids
are welcomed with open arms and listened to by other kids with the
same sort of problems. What these kids cannot do alone, they _can_
do together.
To find out more, please visit:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/discovery/kids/index.html
You can also find Kids and Discovery at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KidsAndDiscovery/. You can join from
these pages, too!
is a loop for parents who have children with eating problems.
It is a place for them to share and discuss the problems their
children are experiencing. For more information, please see:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/cokids/index.html.
Hi, everyone!
This month we welcomed Cyndi as a new Co-cordinator to TeensODAT.
Cyndi is only able to be with us until mid-September, but will then
return at the end of November.
We are trying to encourage the teens to share more. Ironically,
just when we think we are talking to ourselves, another teen pops up
and shares, giving us hope and encouragement ~ we know the mail is
being read.
As you see from my letter as ODAT Chair, I am hoping someone will
come along and help out here with Cyndi. That would be really good
news. Cyndi has so much to offer and is a real gift to the loop.
If you are a teen, or if you know one who might have an eating
problem, you are very welcome to come on over and join us!
Love,
Marl
Co-cordinator, TeensODAT
[ Editor's note: For information, please see:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/special/teens.html. To join TeensODAT, send an empty email to:
TeensODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org
]
~ TWELVE STEPS FOR TEENS ~
~ SEPTEMBER LOOP SPOTLIGHTS ~
The Newcomers and Recovery Loop is for people who have started to
realize they have a problem with compulsive eating. They have
started to realize that they need some help. This loop is where
they can 'meet' other people with the same problems, and start to
see that they are not alone. They can share experience, strength
and hope. They can learn about the OA program, and in particular
about the first three Steps. Newcomers and Recovery offers a
gateway into The Recovery Group (TRG) as a whole. It's a place to
ask questions, to learn about some of the other loops, the online
meetings, online sponsors, the tools of recovery.
Newcomers is also for people who are working the program but who
want to be reminded of where they were, and what it was like to be
in the food. Avoiding complacency, sharing about what it was like,
reworking Steps One, Two and Three on a daily basis, helping AND
learning from Newcomers....these are all functions of Newcomers and
Recovery.
To find out more, please visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NewcomersAndRecovery/
To join, please send a blank email to:
NewcomersAndRecovery-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org
The disease of compulsive eating affects not just the compulsive
eater, but also those with whom they must interact each day of their
lives..." OA_Anon ODAT Special Focus Loop is a loop dedicated to
supporting the families of those affected by the disease of
compulsive overeating. It is a place where the families and loved
ones of COE's can share their experiences and find support for those
whom they want so desperately to help and understand. Newcomers are
warmly welcomed!!
To read more, please visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OAAnonODAT/,
or
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/special/oaanon.html.
To join OA_Anon, please send a blank email to:
OAanonODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
OA Friends is an online recovery community, made up of compulsive
overeaters who come together to share their experience, strength and
hope with each other. It is a large, international loop, currently
with about 500 members from around the world. Its name says it all:
it is a group of friends in OA, who are working the program to the
best of their abilities, one day at a time.
OA Friends is a place where members come to share insights, problems
and life experiences, and to ask questions. The only requirement for
membership is the desire to stop eating compulsively. Members of OA
Friends may begin as "strangers", but become friends through
communicating with each other between meetings, through sharing the
day-to-day decisions about overeating or not overeating, and
discussing the stresses we face every day. Ultimately, having made
the decision to not overeat "no matter what"; the members of the OA
Friends loop are support for each other 24/7.
If you would like to communicate with other recovering compulsive
eaters between meetings; if you ever need do something different in
order to avoid eating compulsively, or are having strong feelings
about a person or event in your life and just need to communicate
with other recovering compulsive eaters, then OA Friends might be a
loop for you! If you join us you will receive a warm welcome and
greeting, followed by posts from OA Friends sharing their recover!
You may listen, or introduce yourself and share at whatever level
you are comfortable. You will meet new friends on their own
journey to recovery. The members of OA Friends would love to have
you join them.
To read more, please visit:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/oafriends/index.html
or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OAFriends.
To join, please send a blank email to:
OAFriends-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
PAGAN ODAT
Merry Meet.
Hello! The "Pagan One Day at a Time" loop is a special place where pagans
gather to work a 12- or 16-step recovery program. This is a diverse
group with mutual respect for the many differences and similarities.
The group’s commitment is one of an atmosphere of love, peace,
serenity, compassion and trust. Although many members are also
members of Overeaters Anonymous, this group is not, itself, affiliated
with OA, Inc.
The focus is spirituality, acceptance, healing and recovery. The
purpose is to walk together in this journey of recovery, witnessing
each others' stories, and sharing the strength, hope and experience
that is part of each individual’s pathway to freedom.
If you would like to subscribe, or know someone who would benefit
from this wonderful loop,
simply send a blank e-mail to:
PaganODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
Of course, you can also visit our webpages at:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/pagan/index.html,
or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PaganODAT/.
~ FROM OUR RECOVERY GROUP MEMBERS ~
In this column we bring you shares from Recovery Meditations,
Odyssey, Danny's "Letters To God", Journey to Recovery, Reflections,
The Promises and many others. This is the third month in which we
will highlight the series, "Danny's Letters to God". This month's
letter is called "Step Nine".
~ STEP NINE ~
Dear God,
As you can see, it is pretty late and although my thoughts were with
You since early this morning, it is not the same as sitting here
keyboard resting on my belly.
The woman You sent to run my life had the phone tied up with work
stuff. Some nerve! And I had to listen to all the work talk. This,
of course, brought back some memories. Ugh!!! So my eyes are
watery, my nose is runny, my throat is scratchy and I feel like
someone is sitting on my chest. The woman popped a thermometer in
my kisser and says the instrument read 101.2. Big deal. The numbers
were written so small, I'd need a glass to read them. I do feel hot,
though.
Out of the 36 people in attendance at the face-to-face meeting last
night, a goodly number were men. Nice to see that. Friend and
traveling companion, Bobby J., was the guest speaker, and I enjoyed
annoying him for the fifteen minutes he rambled. I do believe Your
presence was firmly felt, as the sharing all led to the truth that
without reaching a spiritual fitness, and then maintaining that
fitness, we are doomed to failure. It is my belief that eating
compulsively is impossible if spiritual fitness is attained through
living the steps and maintained through living the steps.
I have had many many slips and slides over 25 years but never when
my surrender to Your will was complete and in effect. It is only
when my stinking thinking has started that food becomes my master
again. Before taking any action I need to ask myself three things:
If so, it is a "no go". Simple, if I remember to remember. For every
wrong move I make there is a pound or two hanging on my body. Now,
that is food for thought.
There were some shares last night that left no doubt the person
sharing, although in the rooms for years, had not gotten anywhere
near the 9th step and are wondering why they can't begin to have the
promises come true. Kind of like the kid who wants to score 100 on
his test but will not study for it, but then when he flunks he
blames God. We really are childlike. As I sit here in relative
comfort, decisions are being made for me by You ... just let me know
what they are. One is that there will be no nursing home visits on
Wednesday, as this cold need not be spread.
The rest of this day will be spent resting (I do that so well) and
playing with my toys. A few program calls might elicit some chicken
soup if the right number is dialed. Meanwhile, You are in charge.
Just let me know what to do.
And God ... please watch over my family, friends, fellow loopies,
those who have not completed their 9th step and the folks I don't
like.
And Why Not?
Danny
~ FROM THE LITERATURE ~
Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make
amends to them all.
Overeaters Online Recovery Group, as such, ought never be organized; but we may
create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
"Selfishness--self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our
troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion,
self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and
they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without
provocation, but we invariable find that at some time in the past we
have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position
to be hurt.
Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book, P. 62 (all editions)
So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They
arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic/addict/COE is an example
of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above
everything, we alcoholics/addicts/COES must be rid of this
selfishness. We must, or it kills us! God/HigherPower makes that
possible. And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of
self without His/its aid. Many of us had moral and philosophical
convictions galore, but we could not live up to them even though
we would have liked to. Neither could we reduce our
self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power. We
had to have God's/HP's help."
~ RECOVERY MEDITATIONS ~
~
September Meditations Calendar ~
(http://www.therecoverygroup.org/meditations/september.html)
THE RECOVERY GROUP ONLINE MEETINGS
Telephone 505-891-2664
~~ The Serenity Prayer ~~
What we could never do alone ~
One day at a time, ~ Disclaimer
Volume 5 Issue 9 ©
Copyright 2003 THE RECOVERY GROUP All rights reserved.
~ THE RECOVERY GROUP MEETINGS ~
Recovery Group currently has two blocks of meetings... Noon and
9:30 PM Eastern time. Our meetings are GREAT! Recovery Group has
fantastic, committed leaders! Meetings are well attended, warm, and
welcoming. Recovery is shared. Members feel comfortable sharing,
even at their first meeting.
We have four new Meeting Trusted Servants. Ann is partnering with
Patt for the Thursday Noon meetings. Carolyn is partnering with
Cindy for the Tuesday Noon meetings. Christy is partnering with
Christine for the Saturday 9:30 pm meeting, and Margie is
partnering with Cindy for the Thursday night meetings.
And we are also excited to welcome back Dreena, who is leading the
Sunday noon meetings.
To reach the Recovery Group website:
Or, go
directly to the meeting webpage at:
http://therecoverygroup.org/meetings/index.html.
For AOL members, there is a direct link to #Recovery:
#Recovery on StarChat.Network. AOL users need to first go
to the Meeting website and look at the special instructions
for AOL users before they can fully participate in the
meetings or they can go to:
http://www.starchat.net/aol.php.
#Recovery is the meeting room for Recovery Group. There
is a doorway to #Recovery on the Recovery Group website,
www.therecoverygroup.org. The meeting room can be directly
accessed by going to either of these sites:
http://www.starchat.net/recovery
or
http://www.starchat.net/chat/?chan=recovery.
You can find other helpful information, including on-line
meeting protocols at:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/support/meetings.html.
Thanks,
Vicki and Pat
Meeting Cocoordinators
~ OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS CONTACTS ~
World Service Office (WSO)
6075 Zenith Ct. NE
PO Box 44020
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
USA
Fax: 505-891-4320
http://www.overeatersanonymous.org/index.htm
E-Mail Address ~
info@overeatersanonymous.org
"I put my hand in yours ...
and together we can do what we could never do alone."
~ Rozanne, OA CoFounder ~
Is the realization that recovery begins when we find one another."
Grant us the SERENITY to accept the things we cannot change;
The COURAGE to change the things we can;
And the WISDOM to know the difference.
We can do together.
One step at a time.
The Recovery Group and our newsletter has as its mission and purpose that of carrying
the message of recovery to those who suffer from the disease of compulsive eating.
We are an anonymous organization and follow the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of
Overeaters Anonymous; however, we are not affiliated with that group. Your articles,
announcements and information are welcome. All opinions in this newsletter represent
only the opinions of the writers and not necessarily that of The Recovery Group or OA,
Inc.
