desigol1979

I had planned on attending the Saturday Morning Meeting in Derry beforehand, today I made it so. I left just after 7 in the Morning to get the 8:24 Train from Ballymoney to Derry. The Train arrives at 9:24 and the meeting started at 10 in the Morning.

My duties weren’t shirked. On the way to Ballymoney I stopped at the Eurospar in Rasharkin to buy the Irish News and Daily Mirror. I was looking particularly forward to This Morning’s Mirror as Prince was offering his new Album Free in Today’s Copy. I arrived in good enough time for the Train. Then I rang the group leader; whom I met before in both an Intergroup Meeting and at the retreat in Benburb. She picked me up at the Train Station.

The meeting itself was a discussion about a Big Book Study Lecture held in Glasgow last week. Most of the Derry Group went over for that event; which was part of OA’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations. He had a different outlook on the Steps; the man was a Canadian and a Solicitor by Trade; and debunked several OA beliefs about the Steps.

Here is the Man’s website:

http://www.oabigbook.info

When the meeting was over; round about 11; I stopped at a nearby Shop and got Milk, Wheatabix and a bunch of Bananas. I returned home just before 2 in the Afternoon. All in all, a good morning. When I rang Gran I said I’d be home before 2 and I kept my word.

Thank God for OA.

Today I had to take the Car for a service as it had passed the 12,000 Mile mark. The check up was routine enough, with no real changes to be made. It was a relief that my Car is in good condition. Last Sunday morning prior to the retreat I had hoovered the area below the Driver’s Seat and Front Passenger’s Seat. Also I hadn’t done much damage to the Car. Godwilling that remains the case.

After that was over I had to head back to Town to take Gran shopping. This makes me appreciate being able to drive so I could do it for her. Most times she doesn’t appreciate what I do for her, but I must remember she doesn’t have a program.

At Yesterday’s meeting in Armagh we exchanged ideas we got from last week’s retreat. One thing from a cassette by Fr Martin (A Priest in AA with a definite Southern drawl) I remembered was that we have to be grateful that we were addicts in the first place and that we live in the era of recovery. This also reminded me of the Online SLAA meeting I attended on Saturday Night where the topic was gratitude. Thank God I’m an addict, thank God for OA and thank God for all those I’ve known in both MRN and TRN.

I was chatting to a Girl on MSN whom I first contacted during the latter stages of TRN. She is doing really well too, visiting her Boyfriend in America at the moment. She and myself underline the gift we have. This time 2 Years ago I entered WeightWatchers at my peak Weight (25 Stone, I said 24 on the TRN Blog because I couldn’t face up to my true weight). Now I’m 19 Stone 10 1/2 Pounds. People are wondering how I do it. I just say I ‘do the basics’; which is basically what OA tells us to do.

Another thing I’ve learned (having read Hazelden’s ‘Recovery from Compulsive Overeating’) is to ‘quit the debating society’. I’m sure Suz; if she’s reading this; would be glad of that.

Thank you all, it had been tough at times but I’ve come through.

When I returned home from my Counselling session today I went over to a Bar in Ballyronan. When chatting to the Bar Man; also from Ardboe; he told me that a Man in Ardboe; whose Wife runs the local Chip Shop; committed suicide. I had to buy a Mass Card at the Shop beside it and return home to talk to Granny about it. We then went to the wake and it was packed with Children; they had 6 kids, 1 Boy and 5 Girls; and the Wife’s Sisters and Cousins were there too.

This reminds me of how fragile life can be. I remember all to well feeling suicidal only a few Years back after my Mother’s Death. This time last Year my Brother had only returned home from New York and the tension in the House was still at boiling point. The program has given me a new lease of life and I must remind myself what I do have and try and keep the focus and not to get back into a rut.

Thank God for OA.

I spent the day in Belfast, attending the Friday Night OA Meeting there when I was in Belfast. I was talking to a few who are heading to the retreat. I enjoyed my time in the City, heading to HMV to buy a few CDs. The day was enjoyable, when I returned home I was ready for my bed.

I’m looking forward to to retreat Tomorrow. Hopefully I can focus on the Spiritual aspect now. There are also a few from the Derry meeting; whom I’ve never met before; heading to it. I look forward to seeing them there.

Yesterday (Sunday) I was at the OA Meeting in Armagh and the reading was the section in the Big Book about acceptance. When I returned home I read the entire Chapter. The story could’ve been written by myself personally. My main problem was accepting People, Places and Predicaments as opposed to simply Accepting the Disease.

My Sponsor told me about a Man who had two Children with Downs Syndrome. When he thinks, “Why Me?” he thinks of the Man with the Downs Kids who replies, “And why not you?” This is key to accepting God’s will in life.

When I talked to my Sponsor prior to the Meeting about my 4th Step Inventory he said it was the best one he had ever read. He then told me to list my resentments as shown in the Big Book. I managed to get my resentments listed and printed out last night. This Morning I posted it to him when I was in Cookstown Post Office.

People are commenting about the weight I have lost and, surprise surprise, they asked me, “How are you doing it?” I didn’t name OA by name, but I said I was only eating three times a day; as well as exercising and drinking lots of water. I have now lost over 2 1/2 Stone in the past 2 Months or so.

Acceptance is also helping me in other aspects of my life. On Saturday Afternoon Gran auctioned off our remaining Farm Machinery. At first my Brother kept saying he wanted to go to the town, but eventually he agreed to stay and help out. This was simply unthinkable pre-OA. It allowed me to stay in the House watching a World Cup game with peace of mind. All the Machinery was sold with little bother.

Later in the evening I went over to see Ardboe GFC play The Moy in the League. Both the Seniors and Reserves won. It ended a good day for me.

Acceptance has really helped me in my recovery. This time last Year my Brother was heading off to America and Gran was pulling her hair out over it. Now Family life is much more serene.

Thank God for OA.

Earlier Today I went to Ballyronan Marina Centre (where I used to work) and talked to my old buddies there. There was a Painting Class which my Cleaner’s Mum attends. We met each other Last Night at a demonstration to save our local Hospital.

Later I went for a walk and an old Schoolmate and I had a Chat. We ended up watching a Darts Final on a TV. Phil Taylor and James Wade produced the greatest Sporting Event IMO.

I came home happy. Shows what a bit of initiative can do.

I did voluntary work over at a Charity do at Draperstown Rural College. After a row with Gran about her wanting to go Shopping on Sundays I rang my Cleaner when I arrived in Draperstown by Mobile to speak to Gran so She can reassure her I’m not doing that to spite her.

In the end I enjoyed my day. I started off organising the sandwiches at the Tuck Shop then ended up supervising a Child’s Game which the Children were excellent at (I was hopeless at it). I left at about Half 3 in order to bring Gran home something, bringing home a Small vase which I bought at a Stall and Gran said was beautiful.

I didn’t got to the Armagh meeting Yesterday, but instead attended two Online Meetings; one of which was a Big Book Study; which made up for it. Also I used the Notebook I bought at Tesco in Dungannon last Tuesday for Journalling.

Last Week I lost a further 7 Pounds. That’s over a Stone in the past Month. I’m eating less and keeping myself more occupied. This Morning Me and Gran tidied my Room. My Gran is still making Mountains out of Molehills, but She’ll always be that way. I’ll concentrate on myself.

Hope for another good week.

This week after watching my portion sizes and doing more exercises I have lost a further 7 Pounds. I’m now down to 21 Stone 9 Pounds. Once I go below the 300 Pound mark (21 Stone 6 Pounds) I will have lost 50 Pounds in total in the Past 2 Years or so; with the Lion’s Share of it lost during my 13 Months in OA.

So far, so good.

When I went to Halfords in Cookstown looking a Bike they said they wouldn’t have one that wouls uit my weight, and one they could order would cost £1,500.

I have lost a Pound This Week; would have lost more but for the Meal for my Brother’s Brithday. I have to get back on track now.

Last Week I volunteered to Chair the Tuesday Night meetings for May; we’re back to our old venue now; and I am back home feeling right as rain now. I had been worrying too much about Tomorrow (My Brother’s Birthday) and paid the price by a poor Food Choice for Lunch. There are no excuses, no one made me put the food in my Mouth. But I chose a Reading to reassure me of the benefits of the program.

On the positive side, I visited the local Volunteer Centre to enquire about the Voluntary Posts both in the Cookstown and Magherafelt regions; I’m not particularly fussy where I work. I had also texted a worker at my local Beacon Centre wondering if I could work voluntary there since I am no longer on their books as a client and I know the people there like the back of my hand.

Also I went swimming today. I couldn’t do full lengths as the Shallow End was closed off as there were Children having swimming lessons then, but I did what I could.

I’ll pray to God for guidance for Tomorrow when I get to bed. Just for Today I’m calm and have a warm fuzzy feeling inside now that I have done service. Work wise my Sponsor told me, “What’s for you won’t go past you!” I need to remind myself of that.