Thursday, September 15, 2011

A Higher Calling...

First I want to say, what a WONDERFUL morning at MOPS!  For those of you who couldn't make it this morning, we REALLY missed you and hope you are doing well.  In our meeting this morning we watched video and discussed Momsense and how the author of the book describes it as a combination of mother's intuition and common sense.  We discussed how much or how little "momsense" we feel we have and how we can gain more.  Every family is different and there is no universal instruction manual on how to raise kids or keep a home.  But there is a place we can all go to find the personalized answers each of us needs every day, and that is into the arms of our wonderful Heavenly Father.  I loved the verse that was quoted on today's video from James 1:5-6.    It states, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." None of us have all the answers.  But God does, and if we ask He is more than willing to give us the wisdom that we need.  
When I left MOPS today I, just like many of you, had a list of things in my head that needed to be done.  A song was on the radio by Royal Tailor, and as they sang the words, "can you hold me together, cause without you I'm holding my heart, I'm falling apart"  I thought, "Lord, that is DEFINITELY my prayer!(If you have time, you can listen by clicking here) I came home to banana on the floor, dishes in the sink, a busted cooler pack in my son's lunch box, and laundry that needed to be tended to before the weekend.  Oh, and I needed to call Carter's gymnastics teacher, start tagging my items for the consignment, and with this chilly weather, put away all the fall clothes my husband brought up from the basement.  This was just the beginning of my to-do list.  But in the middle of my to do list my thoughts were swirling, and God was speaking.  I had to get these words out before I could focus on any of my other tasks.  Life is always so busy, and from the moment we wake to the time our heads hit the pillow life is full of choices, to-do's and sheer chaos some days.  Sadly, some days I feel like I struggle to find time to spend with the One who gave me the day. But every time I make time,God always shows up and gives me just what I need for the day.  There are many ways to get quiet time with God during a busy day, it just requires a little creativity.  Prayer can be done anywhere at anytime, and devotionals can be purchased on C.D.s which you could listen to while folding laundry.  You can pop in a praise C.D. while you're doing dishes or cleaning the floors. When we truly seek His wisdom, He will give it to us. God wants us to succeed at this motherhood thing!  And in order for us to be the mother's God wants us to be, we must first be the woman God wants us to be. As we spend time with God, He will show us how to be patient with that strong-willed toddler.  He will give us wisdom to better manage our time and get the most important things done everyday.  But even more so, He will open our eyes to opportunities to share Him with our kids, to see the teachable moments in everyday life.  From the moment our children are born we tell them that we love them.  We should also tell them God loves them.  Let them see Him in us, so that they too can grow to be the people and possibly the parents that God wants each of them to be one day.  What a burden on us mothers, huh?!?!  But when we give it all to God, and ask Him for wisdom in the small things and the big things, what  reward we will find waiting on us at the end.  Proverbs 31:28-31 gives us a picture of a Godly, hardworking mother who is praised by her children, her husband, and all those who know her.  The road may not be easy, but if we keep the finish line in focus, and look to God every step of the way, we CAN be the mothers He wants us to be, and the mothers our children need us to be.  



Friday, September 9, 2011

Discovering Your Momsense

Welcome to Parkway Baptist Church MOPS blog!  We are so excited about this year's MOPS theme: Momsense!  I am sure that just like myself, many of you moms out there, have read parenting articles and books devoted to helping us be better mothers and raise more well behaved children.  Some days with preschoolers can feel like a life-time when little Susie spills milk all down her shirt just before you walk out the door, or little Johnny giggles in the other room where you find him drawing a beautiful picture all over the wall.  Some days I have found myself wondering, "Am I the only one going through this?"


After joining a MOPS group and confiding in other moms I quickly found that I wasn't alone.  There ARE other kids out there that color on walls and refuse to eat their peas no matter how many airplane noises I make!  Whew! Our MOPS meetings give us all a time to visit with other mothers, enjoying a breather from the busyness of motherhood and all that comes with it.  More importantly though, MOPS gives us a time to meet with other mothers and gain spiritual strength from God's word and one another.  Being a mom is the hardest job we will ever have. And from the moment you hold your little one in your arms (and sometimes before then) there are always people ready with advice and words of wisdom on how to care for them.  This year's theme will help us learn to tune into our own God given common sense as mothers, our momsense!


If you are new to MOPS or would like more information, I encourage you to check out the official website by clicking on the link at the top left of this page to find out more information about the organization along with great resources for moms!   For more information on this local MOPS chapter please continue to visit our blog.  We will be posting reminders of upcoming events, highlights from our Friday meetings, along with words of encouragement for all you busy moms!  


I pray that God will guide and comfort you on this journey of motherhood as you seek His wisdom and strength, and I look forward to seeing you at MOPS!