This week Blessing

10/28/2012

This week's blessing :May you remember that God is close, that God has not forgotten you, that God has not forsaken you, that God has not abandoned you. May you know even in the darkness and dryness, that dawn will come and the God of all creation, who loves you more than life, will draw near to you and hold you close.

-quoted and taken from Blue Mountain Community Church Facebook page

 

Section One: Why we need Rhythm in Our lives

Hula Hoops

Your Life Has a Rhythm

Life moves pretty fast - if you don't stop and look around, you could miss something. - Ferris Bueller

Sometimes motherhood feels a little bit like twirling 100 hula hoops on a steaming hot sidewalk. If you are a mom, you move in seemingly endless circles and keep a mind-boggling number of ideas, events and commitments spinning every single day. Before long we find ourselves slumped over on the sidewalk like a street performer, trying desperately to put on our best game face while hauling around the hulking stack of relationships and responsibilities that make up our lives. Inevitably the hoops crash to the pavement and we wonder why exactly it is that we are all-out screaming with our arms flying, frantic because a toddler spilled her bowl of crackers on the laptop. Maybe things are a bit out of rhythm?  

The perfect mother does not exist, yet some women seem to hold tight in the tornado and emerge stronger, more thoughtful and purposeful then they were the day their first child came home. They do not strive for perfection, but as they shuffle down the sidewalk, they have indeed found their groove. they are in sync with their own souls and the desires of their hearts. They admit the challenges yet embrace the messiness. They live vibrant, connected lives because they have settled into a rhythm. 

There is a lesson here for our generation of overcommitment, over caffeinated moms. We can jump the chaos ship anytime we want, celebrating the imperfections and forging new territory together.

Mom Connection will take you on a journey toward celebrating and discovering the underlying rhythm of your life and how that rhythm pulls you into vibrant relationships. I hope you will discover that your unique situation and the details of your mothering journey can be lived in freedom, opening up your life to relationships and transforming formerly lonely places. Gracefully engaging the people who cross your path rather then viewing them as a tasks on a list. Investing in your community, fostering healthy marriages, and finding out that ultimately you are connected to a bigger dance. -Tracey Bianchi author of Mom Connection Creating Vibrant Relationships in the midst of Motherhood.

Five Mom Tested Tips:
1. Purchase a Hula Hoop!! 
Play with your kids and teach them to Hulu Hoop! Share memories with them of you doing this as a young girl. Don't know how to Hula Hoop, www.youtube.com has great video to teach you!

2. Remember your limits
Kick back on your couch and take your pulse. Listen to your own breathing by slowing it down and spending at least a full minute on deep, intentional breaths - like yoga. Rest for a moment. Enjoy the fact that even though life can feel heavy, it does not actually rest upon your little shoulders.

3. Have a daily dance party!
At our house we do this daily around 4pm and again around 6pm. It helps get the crabbies out and having a good time! Then sit back and watch your children's bodies. Watch them find their rhythm. Watch them have fun. Think to yourself is can life really be that easy?

4. Pray
 If if you don't believe or not sure what to believe about God, take a moment at then end of of each day and pray for a healthy rhythm in your life.

5. Journal
Spend time briefly writing out the emotions connected with your weekly routine. Take a look at the last seven days and write out the bright spots and the places of struggle were. Is there a lonely time in your day? Are you not able to sleep well? Do you rely on adrenaline or caffeine to power through your afternoon? Were are joy-filled moments? Lunchtime with your kids? When do you find time to exercise? Answer these questions and look at how time ebbs and flows for you! Where are the smiles and sorrows? 

Operation Christmas Child

It's that time of the year again for us at Blue Mountain Community Church and MOPS to work on Operation Christmas Child!! Each year we look forward doing this as a group during our November meeting. If you never heard of this program please check out the website (it will also be discuss at this week meeting 10/25).  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/occ/

What we need from you:
Shoe boxes (LOTS of them!)
Wrapping Paper
Gifts - See Gift Ideas at bottom of Blog

We will be packing and wrapping at our November 8th meeting. Please join us!!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Dyan Nelson at  sdbanelson@charter.net

Welcome

Welcome to our NEW Blog spot!

Here is a breakdown of "What to Expect":

MOPS Meetings:

Where: Blue Mountain Community Church  -
928 Sturm St  Walla Walla, WA 99362

When: Every 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the Month. 9am to 11am. See Calendar at end of post :)

Who: Moms of Preschoolers are all welcome! We also welcome Mentor MOMS - you know the ones who've been there done that ;)

Cost: $23.95 MOPS International Membership (we do not charge for our meetings or for MOPPETS)

Where do kids go: From 3months to 5years old they will go in their MOPPETS age appropriate rooms with our AMAZING MOPPETS workers! Where they get to play, learn, have snacks and just have some good old fashion FUN!

What do Moms get to do: Eat breakfast, drink coffee/tea/water, social, grow, craft, and learn! And of course LOVE on Jesus!

What if I don't attend Church: That's OK, you are still welcome! No moms are left alone!

MOPS Blog:

* Each week you will see a new recipe! Sometimes more!

* Play dates will be posted

* Moms night out will be posted

* You will see helpful tips posted along the way

* Each week you will FIVE (5) Mom-Tested Tips 

* Each week you will see questions, books people and other random stuff to go along with those FIVE Mom-Tested Tips (this goes along with this year book Mom Connection - Creating Vibrant Relationships in the midst of Motherhood by Tracey Bianchi. If you would like a copy, message me at mopsbmcc@gmail.com)

* This blog will replace our Monthly Newsletters

If you want to add to our blog, email us!  mopsbmcc@gmail.com

Have a wonderful day Ladies!