Monday, November 25, 2013

My Favorite Things: Mommy Advice

Want to try a new restaurant but not sure where to go?
Are you pregnant and not sure what baby products you really need?
Are you unsure of what to cook on a busy weeknight?

What better place to turn than your fellow MOPS moms for ideas?

Our new feature My Favorite Things - will give you some ideas of where to start.
Each month we will feature a different question and recommendations will be listed by other MOPS moms in the group.

This month's feature:
What is your best mommy advice for a new mom?

  • Remember that every child will be potty trained, tie their shoes, and sleep through the night by the time they go to college - Carrie M.
  • Enjoy the moment and do what works for you and your family. - Nicki F.
  • Remember to laugh. - Jessi C.
  • Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy the moments, it goes so fast! - Sarah L.
  • Read Happiest Baby on the Block and have a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer ready to go - the loud "white noise" calms a fussy baby! - Nicole P.
  • Mommy really does know best - trust yourself! - Lou Ann C.
  • Google it! My best resource along with a couple baby books for when I felt absolutely clueless! - Rachael K.

Want to contribute your ideas for our blog or newsletter? Check your MOPS folder for the My Favorite Things feature!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Featured Article: Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
2 Corinthians 1:3-6


We all have hard things to deal with in our lives.  Some of you may be going through something right now or maybe you just walked through a difficult time.  Even as Christians we go through times that are very difficult, seem unfair, and leave us asking “Why me?”.  


There have been a few things that I have walked through that were very difficult and unique to me and my family.  They were not easy at all but later I was able to look back on them and see that the verse above is true.  Because I experienced these things I was able to comfort others going through the same thing.  Helping comfort another person was a blessing to me and glorified God.  It is nice to think that God can be glorified through insignificant me.


While reading 2 Corinthians and studying about Paul I realized that even Paul, a devout Christian, relentless follower of Christ, and probably the best preacher of all time suffered.  He was chased, imprisoned, tortured, beaten,  and lonely - just to name a few.  Yet, he had joy in Christ and continued to follow God, no matter what the cost. (2 Corinthians 2:7)


Even Christ could not go without suffering.  He was sent by God to earth to experience what we go through every day.  He was tempted, experienced loss, suffered a broken heart, and was crucified.  He experienced these things so that he can comfort us and through that comfort God can be glorified.  We truly have a God that understands what we are going through.


You are given the chance to comfort people in your day to day life. Each of us is given the opportunity to comfort our children, our friends, our spouses, and our co-workers. Everyone has different and similar burdens.  Everyone is seeking comfort.


We can learn a lot from Paul: “He praises God for the circumstances of his life even though there are afflictions. He calls God the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He sees God's hand as having sent these things into his life; therefore, he doesn't pray to have them removed so that he might escape from them. He sees them as opportunities for the release of the strength of God.”  (excerpt from www.raystedman.org)


The only real comfort you can give to others is the comfort you can receive in Christ.  How authentic is your comfort to others?  Is it based on comfort received from God? How do you accept comfort from others?


Other Scriptures about comfort


Isaiah 66:13  As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.


Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then made my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of other.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.


By Sarah Lyons

Sunday, November 10, 2013

MOPS Cook: Potato Pizza


If you are looking for a kid (and husband) pleasing dinner that is unique this is the recipe for you.  My mom found this recipe years ago in a Taste of Home magazine and although I don't make it often, it is so tasty and the kids gobble it up every time.  It is so filling and good and it is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. Recipe submitted by Sarah L.

Picture courtesy of Taste of Home

Potato Pizza

  • 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • Sour cream, optional
To submit one of your family's favorite recipes email us at indiancreekmops@gmail.com


Friday, November 1, 2013

What is Your MOPPET Learning: November

While we are enjoying some time with other mothers, the kids are busy in their classes as well. 

Each month we will post a sneak peak at the MOPPETS curriculum for the 2013-14 year.  

This year the kids will be studying the Heroes of the Bible curriculum which has been a favorite in the past.

All kids in the Monkeys, Otters, Lions, Ostrich, and Giraffe classes will participate in a Bible lesson, craft, game, music, play time, short video related to the Bible lesson, (such as VeggieTales) and snack.

Here is a peek at the curriculum for the month:

November- Joshua and David

  Practice "Away in a Manger" (for the Christmas Program)*

11/5-Lesson- Joshua obeyed God's directions.
Story- Joshua and the Battle of Jericho
   Verse- Luke 11:28
   Song- I'm in the Lord's Army
         Practice Away in a Manger and My God is so Big to sing to moms in December.

11/19-Lesson- God wants us to trust him like David did.
        Story- David and Goliath
        Verse- 1 Kings 8:56
        Song- Only a Boy Named David


               Practice Away in a Manger and My God is so Big to sing to moms in December.

For a list of the entire MOPPETS Curriculum for the year please check out the "About MOPPETS" tab.