What's next??

Where do I go from here?? I finally got through the traditions so now I am free to start something else. Today I have been debating what to go with. Should I work on just doing thoughts of encouragement? Should I share about the tools of the program? The principles? The musts? Where do I go from here?

So I ask you... what would you like for me to do? I will take today to pray to HP about it and to wait on your responses. Let me know what you would like. Maybe I haven't even talked about it yet...... Please share!!

Hugs...Cindyd

Tradition 12

Tradition 12: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

I went searching for a picture that would help me to relate the principle to this and this title just summed it up!! Anonymity is very hard to understand if you have never heard of it before. Often we do it without even thinking about it... but for me it was something I had to work on. You see, it was easier to put the blame on someone else than to say I did something wrong. I was always wrong and I didn't want them to have cause to believe it again. So... I would usually use someone else as a "scape goat",

Anonymity (according to Wikipedia) is derived from the Greek word ανωνυμία, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, the term typically refers to a person, and often means that the personal identity, or personally identifiable information of that person is not known. So, when we say that we choose to use it over principles and personalities, that means that what is said is more important than the person who said it.

Some people think that if they speak, that is what is the most important. Even if someone else is talking, they will interrupt or just talk after them discounting what the other person said. In OA, we need to support each other. We do this by sharing our experience strength and hope without making the other person think we are "gods". Truth is... there is only One God... our HP and He will be the one who makes the final decisions!

We need to use anonymity wherever we are. We can't go to another group and say that" so and so said this needed to be done this way not what you are saying." We just listen, use what we can use and learn from it. If the person has said something wrong, we use OA approved literature to base our statements... not another OA'er. That way we are all heard and not prejudice ever enters in. We are all the same!

I think this would be ideal to have at our homes. That would cause only one problem... I couldn't say "just wait till your father gets home!" anymore. LOL

Have a blessed day!!
Hugs...Cindy D in WV

Tradition 11

Tradition 11:
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television and other public media of communication.

I have had the opportunity to deal with this lately. It is amazing how HP brings these traditions a reality in my life. This one hit home via our monthly church meeting. Let me explain.

Our Sunday School is mainly adults of ages 50 plus. We have very few little ones attending and their parents are all very busy in the sports and etc. that meet on Sunday's so they aren't attending either. Within our meeting, we were talking about what we could do to attract others to our church. Should we have a street fair? a contest of some sort? What would draw them in? Well, as I was thinking of this during the week after the meeting, this tradition hit me! It is attraction NOT promotion that draws people in! They come for the fun, but if you have nothing that keeps them coming back... they will leave as quickly as they came. So, how do we attract them? This was a question I had to really ponder.
Just as quickly as I asked... HP answered! It is called... LIVING THE LIFE!

Hmm!! That was an interesting thought. What I could do is just live like I love life. Like my life is totally centered on what HP wants and how He is changing my life. So, I have begun to do this. I am sharing how HP is meeting our needs, keeping me safe, showing me the path He wants me to follow. As I do this, others too will see that He is the answer to their problems!

When I think of how this works in OA... if I am sharing during the meetings how HP is answering my prayers and meditations, if He is giving me strength to lose and they are seeing it, if they can see I am growing both mentally, spiritually and physically... then they will be back! So often I would come to meeting just to dump my problems. Instead of encouraging others, I found myself being a discourager. So... I have changed this. I try to encourage others each week. Even when life SUCKS (at least I am thinking it is), HP helps me to find out that it is really a tool that He is using to make me grow! What a learning tool!!

So, the question is... are you an encourager or a discourager? Do others come to your meeting because you have given them a positive witness? I pray that you have and if you haven't that today you begin to change. It is only through the positives... that we are able to reach out and touch someone else!

Have an awesome day!!
Hugs...Cindy

Tradition 10 - No Opinion, You have got to be kidding!

Tradition 10: Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the OA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

The only person I know who can really express her opinions is none other than Maxine. I love some of her things... some are rather bad, but they do get right to the point! I hope that this cartoon will help you understand more about this tradition.

No opinion on outside issues... let me see, where do I begin? Have you ever been around someone who has an answer for everything whether they were right or not? That is what this tradition reminds me of. Opinions are good when we are trying to make a decision, but when we bring in opinions from others who are not part of our group, then we are walking on ice. For instance, I just had a dog who gave birth to 3 beautiful pups. The pups arrived without any problems for her or the pups. The next day, I had another dog who gave birth to 2 pups. One was born dead and one is having problems because I waited too long to take her to the vet. She had to have a C-section. What would have happened to her had I not called the vet but tried to help her push myself? Or what if I had called my best friend who knew nothing about pomeranian births? She and the pups would have all died! The point I am trying to make is that the vet knew what to do. He had been through this many, many times. However, a friend or someone without that expertise would have not helped me in my decision making at all.

What I am trying to say with this illustration, is that OA is unique. Only those of us who have been within these doors know what works for us and what doesn't. If we base our groups organization according to Weight Watchers, or Jenny Craig, for example, then we have looked for help from others who have not been where we are. Their groups feel that we can lose by just doing the right things. We believe that our food problem is an addiction... they won't understand that. So, when we are trying to make a decision it is important that we stick with OA'ers. This also goes for us using our opinions in other areas. For instance, if I were to attend Weight Watchers, I cannot say to them that OA says.... This is wrong, because they are not OA!

My opinion is my opinion. Even here. I am not Mrs. OA. I am Cindy. I am sharing my thoughts not what OA says. As they say in our meetings... "take what you like and leave the rest". Hope this makes sense to you.

Stay blessed!
Cindy

A Special Wish for You

May you have a Happy Valentine's Day today! God bless you and your family. May there be lots of love in the house today!

Hugs....Cindy