
~ FROM OUR EDITOR ~
Dear friends in recovery,
Happy 2002, and welcome to the January edition of Serendipity!
In this edition of Serendipity, Mari thanks everyone for their service to The Recovery Group in
2001, and encourages service to the group in 2002. Patt, writing for TRG's Administrators,
expresses appreciation for members' service and emphasizes the importance of unity.
Our loop spotlight of the month is Food for Recovery, which is a loop for those who want
to discuss their abstinent food plans. We have included an invitation to participate in the
Meditations Project, and encourage all of you to contribute at least one meditation to this
wonderful project. Next is an invitation to participate in Working the Steps during January,
February and March with Shlomo as the leader. The Letters to the Editor section is next,
although unfortunately we have none to share this month. In Tools of Recovery, we invite
everyone to attend an on-line meeting through The Recovery Group.
In Danny's Corner, in his conversation with God, Danny writes about not being God, and acceptance.
In shares from TRG members, Jeff submitted an anonymous poem on how to plant a recovery garden,
and Lorraine talks about serendipity! We've also included Mari's advice Before You Take That
First Compulsive Bite! In the Literature section, you will find the first step and the first
tradition, the First Step Prayer, and a quote from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
This month's edition ends with directions to on-line meetings and a current list of the meetings,
as well as contact information for the latest changes to the meetings list, OA and TRG contacts,
and the Serenity Prayer.
I would like to thank all of you who have contributed your shares, and ask all of you to consider
doing service to The Recovery Group and to Serendipity by submitting a share -- because without
your help we can't have this newsletter! So keep those shares coming - send them to
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoogroups.com.
As I have said repeatedly, we have thousands of
members with so much ESH to share - if each of you would send just one share, on a topic of
your choice, we would have enough ESH to last for a long time to come!
Peace, my dear friends.
Love in recovery,
Suzanne, Editor
SERENDIPITY

~ FOUNDERS CORNER ~
Dear Recovery Friends,
As we begin the new year, I want to thank all of you for your support of our recovery community
this year. Whether you gave service by sharing regularly on your loop, leading a meeting,
sponsoring another COE, working on the web, coordinating a loop, leading a BB or Step Study or
being a Trusted Servant .... we couldn't have done it without you. I also want to express deep
appreciation to the Recovery Administrators ~ Cate, Patt and John ~ as well as the General
Coordinators who have worked day in and day out to make our recovery home the best it can be.
The year 2002 holds many good things for us. Significant projects are underway and whether
those projects be web-oriented, have to do with the meetings or the loops or something brand
new as upgrading our list servers everything we do makes our
organization better. I would like to urge each of you to participate in some of these projects.
Write a meditation. Lead a Step Study. Volunteer to do a writing series. Sponsor a COE.
Lead a loop. Work the Steps with WTS. Attend a meeting.
Write a letter to the editor of Serendipity. Make suggestions to the Administrators.
When your coordinator asks for help, raise your hand. Even when you're not asked, let
someone know when you have extra time because there's always something to do in The Recovery Group.
Thanks for being here. It is my hope that 2002 holds many blessings for you and those you love.
May your recovery program result in the best YOU that has ever been. And please always remember
that what we could never do alone we can do together.
One day at a time.
One Step at a time.
Happy New Year, Loopies.
@-}-}-}------
Love in recovery,
Mari

~ FROM OUR ADMINISTRATORS ~
Dear Members of The Recovery Group,
First of all we want to extend our gratitude to all the Trusted Servants who have given and
continue to give service so that those who still suffer from this disease can recover and go
on to live lives of sane and happy usefulness. :)
Every member who attends one of the online meetings or shares their ESH on their loop are is
a vital part of each and everyone's recovery.
As each member works the 12 Steps and awakens spiritually the Light of Recovery shines ever
brighter for The Recovery Group as a whole.
It is the Unity of this fellowship that makes it possible for every person who comes with the
desire to stop eating compulsively, to recover one day at a time.
Each and every service position is equally important and once again, our deepest appreciation
to all of you who serve with Joy and Love and Happiness as we continue to trudge the Road of
Happy Destiny.
With love and great JOY,
Patt, John and Cate
~ The Recovery Group Administrators ~
TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ LOOP SPOTLIGHT ~
~ FOOD FOR RECOVERY ~
Dear Recovery Friends,
Thank you for visiting the website of the Food for Recovery Loop. Here you will find a place
for compulsive eaters in Twelve Step recovery to discuss their abstinent food plans. Sharing
should focus on what is working with the food plan and how to plan abstinent meals and
not on binge reports, repeated slips and relapses. There are other e-mail lists which address
these aspects of recovery. Our emphasis in the FFR Loop is on what can be done to achieve
continuous abstinence with one's food plan. Unlike other recovery loops where food is not
mentioned, here it is mentioned openly in the context of food plans and abstinent living.
How individuals remain abstinent by working the Twelve steps is also an appropriate topic for
discussion on Food for Recovery.
Abstinence is defined as the "action of refraining from compulsive eating" by
individuals in recovery. Recovery is physical, emotional and spiritual and all are
equally important. Everyone's health is different; therefore, NO one food plan is
endorsed or recommended by our loop. ALL discussion of suggested food plans are welcome
on this list and should be viewed as a resource only ... not as a suggested plan of eating.
Each member should consult with his/her doctor when planning what is nutritionally
correct for their individual needs. No flames, put-downs or criticism will be allowed
on this list. Each of our members is encouraged to share openly in an atmosphere of
loving acceptance. Questions are encouraged by members and all list members are
welcome to answer any queries. No one person is in charge of answering questions
and responses should be taken as suggestions only.
Please share what works for you so that others may be helped to attain lasting
abstinence. Food for Recovery is part of the Twelve Step Recovery community of the
Recovery Group. Our members are welcome to use all the extensive services and resources
of Recovery as reflected on the Recovery website at
http://recovery.hiwaay.net.
This list is not affiliated with Overeaters Anonymous, but many of our members
belong to that organization. Thank you for visiting our website, and we look forward
to having you join us.
The Trusted Servants of Food for Recovery
To Join, send a blank e-mail to:
Food-for-Recovery-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org
or go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Food-for-Recovery/join

~ WORKING THE STEPS ~
Dear Recovery Friends,
If you would be interested in working the Twelve Steps during January, February and March,
please get a sponsor and come join us. Shlomo S.
(Shlomosh@actcom.co.il) will be leading
the group starting on January 1st when we will "admit that we are powerless over food ...
and that our lives have become unmanageable." Those of you who know Shlomo are already
aware of his dedication and love of program and those who don't are in for a treat.
By the end of March we will have had a "spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps.
Also by the end of March, you will be ready to sponsor newcomers yourself ... and
sponsoring and being sponsored are two of the great joys of life.
To participate, do this:
- Sign up for WTS by sending e-mail to:
listserv@maelstrom.stjohns.edu
no subject
Message text: "subscribe WTS firstname lastinitial"
- Get a sponsor. If you need help with this, write Maureen, the Recovery Sponsor Coordinator
at sarkar@cableonda.net and she will send you the
Sponsor Directory and biographies.
If you would like a temporary Step Sponsor for the duration of the 12-week-study, she will also put
you in touch with the WTS Step Sponsor. Your Sponsor can be face-to-face or online. One of
the best ways to get a sponsor is to write someone in your home loop whose shares reflect
they have what you want.
One day at a time.
One step at a time.
2002. Let's do it!!!
WTS ~ Working the Steps for
The Trusted Servants of WTS
The Recovery Group
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ DANNY'S CORNER ~
~ Not Having Been Appointed God ~
Dear God,
Good morning and an abstinent beginning to go along with a major change in attitude from
my whining childish thinking yesterday, thanks. I find that if I just do the next right
thing good things happen. Sometimes when I ask You for something You tell me to wait and
of all three replies wait is the one that I really don't like. Just thought You would
like to know.
As I sit here this morning all showered, shaved and coffee mug filled the world seems to
be in order at least for me. Yesterday my thoughts were of poor me and why this and why
that. The noise You heard was Danny stamping his feet all over Your earth mainly because
You are in charge and not him. The entire world should rejoice that God is alive and well
and He isn't me!! Today all I ask for is the knowledge of and strength to do Your will.
Well, it might be a nice gesture if You would watch over my family, friends, fellow loopies,
those who still suffer and the people I don't like.
I'm off to my Saturday f2f meeting and step one is to be discussed today, then on to lunch
and a drive to help one of the fellowship. What a nice way to spend this wonderful day,
in Your service.
And Why Not?
Danny

~ TOOLS OF RECOVERY ~
MEETINGS ~ A TOOL OF RECOVERY
There are many tools we can use as we work our recovery program. Meetings with other
compulsive eaters is one of these tools. The fellowship COEs have with one
another is one of the most important aspects of a good recovery program.
Meeting with each other makes it possible to share our experience, strength and hope
in real time with others who understand what we are talking about. When we hold one
another's hands in our private meeting room, we affirm that what we could never do
alone, we can do together. One day at a time.
The Recovery Group hosts online recovery meetings several times day on IRC. Many of
these meetings are topic meetings, some are "For Today" meetings, others are Twelve
Step or Big Book study meetings. We also have Newcomer Meetings and Special Interests
meetings. If you have never gone to an online meeting, and need help learning to use
IRC chat, go to
http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/support/directions.html