Starry Eyed Beginning

Thursday, September 15, 2016 - Our first meeting for 2016-2017 is in the books. How amazing was it to see everyone again and start meeting all the new mamas!?!

Lets give it up for our Steering Team!!! This was our night to get to know our leadership team and the various teams we'll be serving on. I have to say I learned a lot. I feel like Amanda F's openness regarding her struggle to feel a part of MOPS her first year was so honest and helpful, and her teaching of being a "There you are" person vs. a "Here I am" person is so valuable.

Anyone else kicking themselves for not going the Christmas song route during our game time!?! Great job to the teams that did!! Man, that game was fun (insert stressful and made me realize I know zero song lyrics even though I totally thought I did)! I can easily see bringing that game to play at family gatherings.

I encourage you to read the About Us section to learn more about this year's theme of 'We Are the Starry Eyed.' I'm excited to learn more about it and see how much we all grow this year.   - EH

Fundraiser {YARD SALE}

Our fundraiser is coming up in about 2 weeks! 

Friday October 2nd (5-7pm) and Saturday October 3rd (8-12pm) MOPS at Night is hosting a yard sale at Lawrence Wesleyan Church. 

The majority of donations will be provided by the moms in our group. I'm going to go ahead and assume this means much of what is sold will be: clothes and toys! I know we will have plenty of home goods, decorations and random things too!

If you would like to donate items to our sale you can bring them to the church on Thursday October 1 from 9am-7pm. 

Please spread the word about our SALE! 

Recipe of the Week {Corn Dip}

Ingredients:

2 blocks of cream cheese

10oz can sweet corn

4oz can diced green chiles

2 diced roma tomatoes

1 diced red bell pepper

1 ranch mix packet

Directions:

Let cream cheese soften. Drain the can of corn. 

Mix everything together!

How easy is that?!

This recipe is delicious! Leigh Ann brought it over as a snack for the Steering Team meeting and we all loved it! 

Personal Reflections {Why I Joined MOPS}

My husband and I moved to Kansas 3 years ago when I was 27 weeks pregnant with our first child. {We moved over 12 hours away from all of our family and friends!}

A part of me was really excited about this adventure but I was also really nervous about completely starting over in a new place-- especially with a baby on the way. I had thoughts like...What will it look like for me to make new friends? Will they also be moms? Will they be older than me? Will that matter? I work from home...how will I meet friends? etc. etc.

My  husband and I found a new church shortly after moving to Lawrence and we were introduced to a very friendly couple who went there. They had one 16 month old daughter and a son on the way! {Perfect! A cute mom friend!} Our husbands even had things in common. :) It wasn't long before I gushed to her that I wanted to make mom friends and talk "mom stuff" with other women.

{ENTER MOPS.}

This new friend of mine just happened to be the Assistant Coordinator of a MOPS group in town.

After I had my baby and was ready to meet some new friends she invited me to a Moms Night Out. I feel like I remember so much about dinner that night because I was so longing for friendships and was wondering if these couple of moms I was hanging out with could fill that void. I had a really good time laughing and sharing stories with those moms.

The next MOPS meeting the group had was actually the Christmas Dinner/Party so that was my first "real" experience with MOPS. I definitely walked into that meeting uncertain of what it would be like and whether or not I could see myself as a part of this group. I met some friendly ladies, had a great dinner and heard a wonderful testimony shared by one of the MOPS mentors. The testimony that Julie shared really stood out to me the most that night. The story she shared about her life was very real and vulnerable (and a little messy). My thought was -- hey! I can relate to her! I also realized that the dedication this "older" and more seasoned mom and wife had for the younger moms in this group was really special.

After the Christmas holidays and New Year, I jumped right into MOPS for the Spring semester. I honestly don't remember a ton from that first semester other than I had fun meeting new moms and wanted to keep coming back!

I knew when the semester was coming to a close and the coordinator was talking about steering committee positions for the following year that I wanted to take on a role and be apart of making it a great place for other new moms.

I loved spending two years as the Hospitality Coordinator and especially loved helping to plan out the meetings for the year. It's really fun to think through what other moms enjoy learning about, thinking about, talking about, etc.

When I made the decision to join the Steering Committee 2 years ago I didn't imagine I would love it as much as I do or that I would stay on it for another 2 years but I am...and that's because the friends I've made in MOPS and the community of all the moms has been such a blessing to me!

I know this sweet family of mine is grateful for MOPS in my life.

Back to School {Reminders for Mom}

As a momma who really loves a to-do list, this Proverbs 31 devotion is a great reminder to keep a healthy perspective of all of those things we get to do!

When Your To-Do List Makes You Hyperventilate

Karen Ehman

August 26, 2015

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24 (HCSB)

I grabbed my mango-mint iced tea, a spiral notepad and pen and headed to my backyard deck.

Settling myself into a lounge chair, I began to tackle the chore that was before me: writing out my to-do list for the week. Although my notepad was whimsical and my pen was laden with bright purple ink, these organizational objects couldn’t cancel the dread I felt about having to think it through, write it down and then execute the many tasks before me.

My life as a wife, mom, worker, daughter, neighbor, church member and friend brings me much delight. I get to watch my son play football, help my adult daughter look for her first house and work on projects with others that I love and believe in.

However, my life also brings me lots of "to-dos": Purchases to make. Closets to organize. Paperwork to complete. Phone calls to return. Research to be done. Pots and pans to scrub. Kids to shuttle. Parents to check on. And on and on it goes.

Sometimes — when I get my list all scrawled out on paper — instead of feeling energized with a game plan, my emotions go into panic mode. I’m almost afraid to look at the list since it seems monumental. While most of the tasks in and of themselves aren’t too difficult or time-consuming, when viewed as a whole, they seem like a massive mountain I’ll never be able to scale.

And then, on top of the panic, I also start to pout. My mind starts looping the "poor me" soundtrack that results from just looking at my list.

Poor me … I have to mop the floors.

Poor me … I have paperwork to finish.

Poor me … I have to drive and get groceries.

Poor me … I have to run my son to practice.

Poor me … I have to work on the computer for a few hours to finish this project.

Poor, poor, pitiful me!

Today’s key passage addresses this "poor me" mentality by giving us a fresh perspective as we go about our work: "Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men …"

Three words jump up at me as I stop and ponder this verse:

1. Whatever.

Whatever I do. Not just the tasks I enjoy, or the work that brings me recognition or the duties that I find also fun, but WHATEVER I do is to be done …

2. Enthusiastically.

Enthusiastically is defined as "done lively and with great interest; wholeheartedly, sincerely, energetically and earnestly." Hmmm … I’m not so sure that describes my attitude as I tackle the "whatevers" on my to-do list. How about you?

3. Lord.

It is the Lord himself we are serving as we enthusiastically check off our "whatevers." Not a husband. Or kids. Not a boss or the committee chairperson. We are serving Jesus Christ Himself as we work.

How about we hit the re-start button when it comes to taking our lists from "to-do" to "It’s done!"? Let’s not panic. Or pout. Rather, let’s loop thoughts through our minds Colossians 3:23 style.

In other words:

I don’t have to clean my house. I get to clean my house — because I have a place to call my own, while many are homeless or displaced. And I am serving the Lord Jesus as I clean.

I don’t have to fill out this team permission slip. I get to fill it out — because my child is healthy enough for physical activity and has caring, volunteer coaches who give of their time. And I am serving the Lord Jesus as I write.

I don’t have to drive and get groceries. I get to do this errand — because we have enough money to purchase provisions and we own a car, so I don’t have to walk. And I am serving the Lord Jesus as I shop.

We don’t have to. We get to. And thanks be to God that we do.

Father, thank You for all the to-dos on my list. Help me always remember that I am working for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Chronicles 15:7, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:
If you’d like more encouragement in the area of tackling your work with enthusiasm, check out Glynnis Whitwer’s newest book and our next Online Bible Study, Taming the To-Do List: How to Choose Your Best Work Everyday.

Today Karen is giving away two copies of Taming the To-Do List, along with some whimsical notepads and one of her favorite pens. Visit Karen’s blog for details.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What’s one item on your to-do list that you can reframe into an "I get to" perspective rather than an "I have to" mentality? Write a sentence prayer thanking God for this task. Then, go do it with gusto!

A little change

We are still meeting at the same time {6:30-8:30pm} at Lawrence Wesleyan Church on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Dinner and childcare will be provided (as usual)-- isn't that the best?

We can't wait to share more details about what we have in store for our mommas this year!

Recipe of the Week {Ravioli Bake}

This is a recipe most of us have probably enjoyed at a MOPS meeting in the last few years. It's a tried and true recipe from one of our own, Amanda. I know it's one of my favorites and I love when she brings it to a meeting!

{Ravioli Bake}

Ingredients:

1 package (25 to 27oz) frozen cheese-filled ravioli

1 jar (26 to 28 oz) tomato sauce (any variety)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 and spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish (13x9)

Spread 3/4 cup of pasta sauce in the baking dish and arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Options: You can also add ground beef, spinach, mushrooms, etc.

recipe from: Betty Crocker