Oh How Time Flies...

I can not believe we are a few days from Thanksgiving!  I am ashamed to see the last time the blog was updated!  Life can get overwhelmingly busy at times, and as fellow moms I'm sure you can relate to my scatter-brained nature along with a constant running to do list that only gets longer!

Anyhow, lots of exciting things have been happening in our MOPS group. We enjoyed a wonderful picnic, fun in our MOPS meetings, and a movie night! I know everyone's schedule doesn't always coordinate, but when you can we love to have everyone be a part of our events, especially those that take place outside of our scheduled Friday meetings.  We have welcomed some new faces to our meetings as well, and I'm so glad God has brought you guys to our group!  

I'd also like to thank all of you who participated in Operation Christmas Child!  It is such a wonderful cause that really makes a difference in lives around the world.  If you weren't able to participate in this (I almost missed out myself, turning in my boxes last minute!), I would like to encourage you to look for other opportunities, many right here in our own city, to donate time, money, or gifts during the holiday season.  It's such a wonderful way to share the real meaning of Christmas with those who need to hear.  

But with the mention of Christmas, let's not forget about Thanksgiving... that poor holiday that so many want to rush past just to get to the most wonderful time of the year!  Over the last week my kids have been doing many crafts centered around Turkey Day.  One of our crafts focused on writing things we are thankful for.  It was very comical to hear what little minds come up with during an exercise like that one!  But it made me think of all the things I am thankful for as well, from the big to the small.  I would like to challenge all of you during this busy week to find a few moments to think about all the blessings God has given you during this year.  Maybe you can even take a few minutes to write those things down and post them somewhere you can read it everyday.   I pray that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I look forward to seeing each of you very soon!  We have lots of fun stuff planned for December, and you can always check the blog for all the info you'll need on upcoming events.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  

The Latest in MOPS News

Happy Saturday girls!  So many exciting things have been going on with our MOPS group lately!  First, I'd like to say I was so happy to see that our last meeting brought out several new moms, and I hope all of you who attended got a chance to meet them.  We have been looking and praying for childcare workers in order to allow more moms to join in on the fellowship, and God has begun to meet that need!  We are so grateful for those who have given their time to allow us moms a time to fellowship and grow in Christ.  We can always use more childcare workers, so continue to keep your ears open if you hear of anyone who would be available for that task.  

We had a great meeting on the 7th, which included great omelets, and a neat craft Kristi provided for us.  Everyone had a great time visiting with one another and getting a break from the busy week!  For those of you who weren't able to be there, we missed you and hope to see you next Friday!  We have a great meeting planned as we continue talking about listening to our Momsense and making sensible decisions for our kids and family.  

Now, remember, Friday is not the only time you can visit with your MOPS friends...We have lot of Mom activities on the calendar, and our first of the year was kicked off at Pastries of Denmark.  We had a good turnout, and I know everyone who made it out would like to thank Becka for picking such a yummy place to eat!  

Keep a look out on our blog and in your newsletters for more events and outings coming soon.

Have a great weekend girls! See you soon!

Don't loose the Memories in the Madness!

Life is so hectic, and some days it feels like I am in my own version of Groundhog Day.  Any of you ever seen that movie?  Where the guy wakes up and repeats the same day over and over and over and over and, well you get it.  That's how I feel sometimes... I pick up a mess, just to turn around and pick it up again.  I wash clothes just to have to wash them again.  I wash dishes, turn around and the sink is full again!  One day after my husband and I put the kids to bed we came back downstairs and sat at the bottom of the stairs and looked around at the mess.  And I said just that, "look at this mess!"  Feeling very tired, and already knowing I wasn't going to be able to do another thing that night, I just sat staring around the room.  As we sat in silence for a moment something changed, and I started seeing everything in a whole new light.  Tears came to my eyes, as I began to tell my husband, "You know what, this room is a mess, but it's our life."  I went on to point out things in the room... The cars on the floor that brought to me an image of my son's happy face as he raced them earlier in the day.  The food smeared on the table reminded me of the silly conversations we had over dinner that night.  My husbands shoes abandoned by the door made me smile as I could still hear the kids laughter and cheers in my mind as their daddy came home from work.  There were so many things that I saw when I looked around the room that second time, and none of them made me think, "this is a mess."  All I felt at that moment was gratitude.  Gratitude for the sweet family I have been blessed with, and the time I've been given to spend with them each day (no matter how chaotic).  I thought about how quickly these first few years of motherhood have gone by, and I know that one day I will wake up to a calm, quiet house that is very tidy and organized because my babies will be grown.  But I will always hang on to these moments with them, and I will cherish this mess, for in it our memories are made.

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.  

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!