Encouraging Word September 30, 2007

I couldn’t stop with just a single verse for the Encouraging Word today. I read this on Beth Moore’s blog earlier in the week and knew I had to share it with you.  

 

On Monday, my Scripture in my quiet time was Hebrews 10:35-36 out of the New English Translation and I’ve been saying it all week over myself, my loved ones and anybody who would listen. Maybe you could use it, too. Here goes:

 

“So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.”

Don’t pass over it quickly or lightly…even if you heard it years ago. Absorb what it’s saying. God has made us certain promises that we will only see fulfilled on the other side of a demanding climb. We’re going to have to sweat this one out and feel the burn in our limbs but the reward is going to be “great.” There is something God wants to give you, Beloved, but He’s purposely requiring tremendous perseverance from you in order for you to have what it takes to receive it rightly. Humbly. You will need ENDURANCE to do His will in this particular situation. It will not come easy because it’s too good to come cheap.

In order to try to stop you, Satan is attacking your confidence. Making you feel stupid. Ill-equipped. Or just plain ill. DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE. Without Christ you can do nothing but, with Him, you are capable of things you’ve never dreamed. All surpassing power abides in your jar of clay. Do not shrink back. The God of the Universe looked the world over and found you. “But you, keep your head…endure hardship, do the work…discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5

Tuesday Tips September 28, 2007

While talking over lunch at convention one day we came up with these alternative tips for baby wipes:

• Take off make-up (especially eye make up)
• Wash face before putting make-up on
• Gets stains out of carpet
• Gets deodorant residue off shirts
• Gets washable marker off computer key board, mouse, mousepad and desk (I just discovered that this morning after leaving my 20 month old alone while going to the bathroom. Whoops!)

Do you have another use for baby wipes? Please share in comments!

Convention Highlights September 25, 2007

This last weekend the Steering Team was blessed to be able to go to the MOPS International Convention in Orlando, FL. Our main goals were get new and exciting ideas for the group and for our families, and to be encouraged and challenged in our spiritual growth. I know all these goals were met. I thought we’d share a few things we learned here. On our October 2nd meeting we will be talking a bit more about it.

The most memorable moment for all of us was seeing Sara Groves perform. I was amazed by her ability to take the desires and thoughts of all mothers put them to music.  Everyone’s favorite moment with her wasn’t when she was singing though! She brought her two month old daughter, Ruby, out on stage to introduce her. Just as she held Ruby up for everyone to see, Ruby spit up. And then spit up again. We all laughed so hard. Of all the places for the baby to do that, a convention for moms is it! And then, as the baby was taken away, she realized she still had spit up on her hand—and nothing to wipe it off with, so she just wiped it on her dress. If everyone in the audience didn’t love her before, they fell in love with her then. She’s a mom, just like us! She smells like spit up, just like us! She shops at Old Navy, just like us! Her little boys run around with her breast pads on their heads, just like…well, that’s never happened to me, but, oh, did I relate!

            

Other memorable moments from different team members:

One quote that stood out for me was by John Ortberg, during his talk about Embracing Your Calling. “The gift of a woman who knows, names and serves in her spiritual giftedness is the greatest gift you can give your family.” Our calling is to use the gifts God has given us to expand His kingdom here on Earth. How am I doing in that? I want to better know my spiritual gifts so I can use them in that calling and hear the voice of God telling me well done! –Tina, Publicity

“Through the Fun & Exciting Family time, I really took away that Church should not be our children’s primary spiritual trainer, we as moms and dads must be. Realistically, our children only get about 17 hours of spiritual training in church per year, so we must incorporate family time in our lives to train our children to love Jesus and devote their lives to serving and worshiping Him”.–Angie, Finance            

From the session called ” A Walk on the Wild Side” by Lysa Terkeurst:

The prayer that changes everything:
God, I want to see you and have my perspective of life be through you and for you.
God, I want to hear you. I want to accept my portion of our relationship.
God, I want to know you. The real you as you know me.
So I can follow hard after you and apply all of me to the purposes you have in this life for me!

As far as testifying to others about Jesus, the quote was “People don’t want/care to meet Jesus until they’ve meet the Jesus in me.” We need to share what Christ has done for us before a nonbeliever will trust us!” –Jami, Discussion Group Team Leader 

I was just overwhelmed with the amount of Mothers able to take time away to make their MOPS groups better places for everyone involved. It was a wonderful bonding experience for our steering team being that we are “New” to each other and we were just blessed to have the opportunity. –Mindy, Prayer & Care

Trading Spaces September 24, 2007

By Shelly Radic, Director of Ministry Life, www.mops.org

Serving one’s neighbor took on a whole new meaning in the TLC series, Trading Spaces. During Trading Spaces, neighbors work with the show’s designers to transform a space in each other’s homes. Can you imagine giving someone you know that kind of access to your dwelling space? Trusting them to know you well enough to create a space you would love? Knowing them well enough that you could create a space they would love? You really have to know your neighbor, and let your neighbor know you to serve in this way.

God models the “trading spaces” concept of service in several ways. First, Jesus left his unimaginably glorious space in heaven to dwell in our earthly space, personally facing sin’s temptations and living with us in a world corrupted by its consequences. Then, even though he remained uncorrupted by sin, Jesus took our place on the cross so we would have the opportunity to dwell with him in heaven. Trading space on a cross for a heavenly home space, that’s quite a deal! But God’s version of trading spaces offers even more.

After Jesus returned to heaven, God sent his Spirit, the divine designer, to live with us and in us. As we get to know God, he calls us to give his Spirit greater and greater access to our dwelling space. As we respond obediently, the Spirit transforms our inner dwelling space and that miraculous transformation causes our outer self to become increasingly more like Jesus. Although for a time we continue to dwell in a troublesome, broken world, the Spirit infuses us with a peace and hope that allows us to dwell well.

God gives this model of trading spaces and personal transformation so we can serve our neighbor and the moms in our MOPS group in a similar way. By opening our personal dwelling space, our home, family and self to another, we allow her an up close and personal look at God’s divine design work in our lives. That openness often brings entrée into her dwelling place, her home, family and self. Time spent trading spaces brings opportunity to introduce women to the divine designer, the only one who can transform her ugly spaces and innermost places. The only one willing and able to trade space on the cross for a heavenly home space.

Begin Here
Be purposeful and persistent in giving the Spirit access to your dwelling spaces. Read John 14:15-27

• What is your part in giving the Spirit access to transform your life?
• What hinders you from giving the Spirit total access to your dwelling space?
• What are some evidences of this divine transformation?
• What divine transformations in your life might be attractive to your neighbors?

Go There
Be purposeful and persistent in trading spaces with moms who don’t know Jesus. Read John 14:1-2

• Why do you think the Father’s house has so many rooms?
• Identify some moms in your community who need to know there are rooms available in heaven.

Read John 14:15-17

• Why is it so difficult for the world to accept the divine designer, the Spirit of truth?
• Throughout the coming MOPS year, how will you give another mom entrée into your dwelling space so she can see the divine designer at work?

Read John 14:6 As another mom sees the transformations in your life, she may begin to look for a way to participate in God’s trading spaces program. How will you prepare yourself to introduce her to the way, the truth and the life?

Encouraging Word September 23, 2007

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise.

We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.

2 Corinthians 13:5-9 (The Message)

You Are Not The Only One! September 22, 2007

Are you ever overwhelmed with thoughts of being a mom?

My main advice is to take one day at a time. You don’t need to figure out the next 18 years. You don’t even need to think about the next 18 months. Worries can bog you down. Instead focus on what you have going for you today. And make a plan for the most important thing you have to do first. Once that’s taken care of, only then do you need to think about the next step.

By Tricia Goyer, author of Generation NeXt Parenting
©Tricia Goyer  For more information go to: www.triciagoyer.com

Billions of Bubbles September 22, 2007

You and your child can send clouds of tiny bubbles skyward with this quick trick.

What you need:

• Drinking straws

• Tape

• Dishwashing liquid

• Light corn syrup (or glycerin)

Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less

1. Instead of a traditional bubble wand, use a number of drinking straws bound together with a few pieces of tape.

2. Dip one end of the bundle into a shallow dish of bubble solution (you can make your own by combining 1 cup of water with 1/3 cup of Dawn or Joy dishwashing liquid and 2 tablespoons of light corn syrup or glycerin; available in the cake decorating aisle usually), then blow through the straws, being careful not to let the solution run down the straws to your mouth.

3. The cluster of straws will produce scores of diminutive bubbles.

Ideas adapted from www.familyfun.com

Handy Tray for “Grand People” September 21, 2007

Honor those “grand people in your kids” lives with this functional keepsake.

First, paint a wooden serving tray (we used acrylic paint) and let it dry. Have each grandchild deco-rate a piece of paper with crayons. Next, trace the children’s hands on their papers, cut out the tracings, and use a permanent marker to label them with artists’ name. Arrange the hands on the tray, then cover them with a coat of clear sealant (we used Mod Podge). Let it dry, then cover the entire tray with one more clear coat.  

Taken from www.familyfun.com/art-and-crafts

Missed Opportunities September 20, 2007

Every day parents have opportunities to touch the hearts of their children. Sometimes it’s through a story or a hug, or an apology, but often it’s through the daily correction that children need.

Addressing the heart is important. Unfortunately some parents respond to their children in ways that miss the heart. One of the mistakes parents make is that they make excuses for their children. We’ve all heard them.

He’ll grow out of it.
She’s so cute.
At least she’s doing what I asked.
He’s tired.
He’s just going through a stage.
At least she’s better than other kids her age.
That’s the way kids are.
She’s a teenager.
He’s a two-year-old.
He’s a boy.
She could be a lot worse.

Each of these is an excuse for not disciplining and often represents a missed opportunity to teach or direct a child on a deeper level. Remember, we aren’t just trying to help children change on the outside to develop appropriate behavior. We’re trying to help them change their hearts.

Since these statements might have truths behind them, we may choose to discipline a little differently, postpone a consequence, or redirect children. There’s nothing wrong with that, but we must be careful not to ignore heart issues in the process.

Look for ways to challenge your children on a heart level this week. You’ll be surprised at how many opportunities are out there.

This idea was taken from the book, “Home Improvement: Eight Tools for Effective Parenting,” by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.

Tuesday Tips September 17, 2007

Mr. Clean Eraser (things you may not know it works on):

• Stainless Steel sinks
• Crayon Marks
• Shower
• Front of oven (no need to get out the windex, make one wipe over it and presto!)
• White doors
• White wood work (including baseboards)
• Shoes! (take scuffs and dirt of tennis shoes and others)

 Tip from Vicki, MOPS Coordinator