MOPS – Page 2

A Selected Winner

I love receiving mail! I ogle over the Pottery Barn catalogs, shake my head at the quantity and quality of political advertisements, and I used to open up almost every single Publishers Clearing House envelope. The envelopes quite clearly stated that I was a “selected winner” and commanded “final steps were required” to take.

How could I argue and what did I have to lose? For four months, with delusional hopes of winning, I painstakingly stuck every sticker/stamp in the correct place of the catalog all while avoiding household duties and screaming children. After the finalist papers had been mailed in, the house was still a mess, the kids were still screaming and no Prize Patrol, balloons, or an oversized check came to my door.

But the other day, a beautiful, handwritten note of encouragement arrived in my mailbox. The real mailbox. The one located in front of my house on the side of the street.

The envelope did not proclaim that I was a “selected winner.”There were no blaring, red words stating “final steps required” on the front. No stickers to be stuck, no catalog to go through, no other mailings required. Yet, I knew that this letter represented that I was a winner and a prize worth more than money was waiting for me within the words the note contained.

The card was sent from a dear friend (and mentor.) A friend whom I can depend on and who I trust with my deepest fears and insecurities. A friend who laughs with me, celebrates with me, mourns with me, prays with me and for me. But best of all, this friend allows me to be me. She loves me for who I am. The good and the work-in-progress. If you have a friend like that, consider yourself an ultimate winner! There is something liberating and powerful, so divine in a friendship like that. And I am so blessed to have more than one friendship like that.

I did not wait to get into the house but opened the card in the driveway. Each word I read, sunk into my heart. It was a card about me. All the good things that my friend noticed in me. Leadership skills, vulnerability, faith, and friendship. She called them out one by one in careful, thoughtful, and encouraging way. Have you ever received a letter like that? It is life giving.

The envelope did not state there were “final steps required,” but there were final steps that I wanted to take.

1.) I praised God for the blessing of friendship and the encouragement of others. If you do not have friends in your life, why not pray about it. Ask the Lord to put some people in your path that will be a blessing to you. If you a mom, a MOPS group is a great place to find some friends.

2.) Be an encourager! Each week, one of my goals is to write at least two letters/cards of encouragement to friends and family. It doesn’t need to be a long letter. Just a note to let them know that I am thinking of them, praying for them, and to call out something good that I see or admire in them. And then pray that the letter arrives at just the right moment.

Make someone a “winner” today. Mail a “prize winning” envelope today that includes a prize worth more than money. A prize of encouraging words that bless their day.

—————————————————————

PS….One final note on Publishers Clearing House, if you happen to be curious, purchasing something (let’s say three super sharp, never dulling, crystallized scissors and two amazing, can’t-find-them-anywhere-else-yes-you-really-can pencil sharpeners) from the PCH catalog, that really, REALLY does not give you a better chance of winning (exactly as the fine print says.) JUST SAYING!

The Empty Bucket

Drop, drop….drop! On December 31st at 11:59 pm, one last drop filled your bucket to the brim. Not one more drop could fit. No time was left. Nothing could be drained out, replaced, changed, or fixed. As the clock struck 12:00 am, your year was done and you were left with a completely filled bucket. A finished year.

Reflecting into the full vastness of the bucket, the combined swirling drops of different experiences, interactions, and relationships. What do you see? Are you pleased with how your bucket was filled? Do you see drops of happiness, sadness, love, challenges, blessings, or drops of faith? Do you see stressed and broken relationships or healed and restored ones? Drops of wise choices or misguided actions and judgments?

Maybe you had a great year. You accomplished personal goals, learned some new things, and you were a good, decent person. Store and treasure those things in your heart. Build on the good work that has been started in you.

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Maybe your year was anything but great! Maybe it was a year full of disappointments, regrets, hard decisions, instability, loss, too many shattered dreams and lost hope. Maybe it was a year you wish not to repeat.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19

Out with the old and in with the new.

It’s a new year. You have a new bucket. A shiny new bucket. A bucket waiting to be filled up one drop at a time by future experiences, interactions, and reactions.

What are you going to start to fill your bucket with? Will it be a bunch of resolutions? Most of which end up being things that we have to do and do not accomplish. Or should we fill our bucket up with revelations? Revelations that include pleasant, enlightening surprises, and noticing the divine interventions in our every day life.

When January 1, 2017 comes along and you are looking into the full, deep bucket of 2016, I hope that you will see more revelations than half-completed resolutions. I hope that they are the types of revelations that have caused you to shift your perspective, stretch and grow you. I hope that you will find strong currents among the filling drops which will include good relationships, hope, joy, peace, and love.

For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

Do you have a spiritual focus for the new year? A focus word for 2016? I would love to hear from you.

MOMcon 2015- Unpacking At Home

Whoa! What a whirlwind this last week has been! Just one week ago, I was sitting among 3,000 MOPS leaders in Indianapolis at MOPS International’s Leadership Convention worshipping with Matt Maher and soaking in life-changing messages and teachings. There is nothing like being with that many like-minded women who are also moms and leaders. A smile and a hug are always waiting for you around each corner.

This was my third time at MOMcon. Preparing to leave was a ton of work (more than I ever remember) -homeschool lessons completed, five different people lined up to watch my kids, laundry and packing to be completed. I had a lot on my mind and heart before I left. I was exhausted before I even arrived, but I held on to the truth that God’s work is powerful when there is little of “me” left. When I am too tired to fight for my own agenda and wants, that is when I start to hear His voice whispering into my tired mind and heart. That’s when I hear Him inviting me to “RISE up” and go forth to do the good works He has called me to do. I was excited and a little anxious to see what was in store for me in the time away.

During MOPS Coach Training and the conference sessions, the speakers and worship leaders kept asking us “How is God speaking to you?” “What will you commit too?” For me, there wasn’t an immediate answer to this question. No clear cut instructions or big directions to take. In every prayer, I asked God to reveal what it was he wanted me to hear. For a few days, I did not hear anything but felt at peace and filled with joy.

Sometimes when you stop expecting to hear from God, that is when you do.

At some point, I stopped straining my ear for His voice and I started to relax, recharge, and take everything in. Themes started to resonated within my heart. Confirmations came in form of words and people of things that I had been thinking about and praying about for weeks prior. My expectation changed from waiting to hear something new to noticing the good work God is currently doing in my life.

Here are the things that spoke to me:

1.) Live in grace. Walk in Love. Love everyone always! I had been looking forward to hear Bob Goff speak as soon as I found out that he was going to be at MOMcon. What an incredible encourager and messenger of love! I think I laughed from the moment he stepped on the stage until the last word he spoke. You can not help but have a huge smile on your face after you have listened to him. This guy is for real! And he is just as gracious and authentic when you meet him. He looks you in the eye when you talk and makes you feel like you are special, an instant friend. But it was what Bob said that left the impression in my heart. He shared from the book of Galatians about living in grace and walking in love from 2 John 6^“And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” He spoke about the differences between an invitation and a welcome. It made me think of the invitations I extend to people and what it means to make them feel really welcomed, encouraged, and loved in what I am inviting them to do.

2.) Be Kind and Be a First Clapper- Cheer on another’s undeveloped best!– Jodi Detrick. Jodi Detrick is the author of The Jesus-Hearted Woman. She spoke on “healthy leadership being a journey of influence in a community with others, not a solo trek of independent efforts and self-importance.” I loved the themes of community and teamwork in her talk. Her quote about being a first clapper made me realize how much I love cheering on the under-dog and fostering developing skills in people. It was not so much of something new to learn but a reminder to keep cheering on those around me.

3.) Be available and authentic- Gina Moran, Director of Leader Care and Church Connection at MOPS International. Gina spoke on MOPS desire to inspire a faith journey in moms all over the world. Her talk included practical implementation of components used by MOPS in inspiring a faith journey. Although, she was mostly talking about MOPS groups, the components laid out can be implemented in one’s life- inviting, hospitable, intentional,authentic, investing. Both Gina and Sherry Surratt (CEO and President of MOPS International) referenced The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door by Jay Pathak & Dave Runyon. Prior to coming to MOMcon, my husband and I had spent hours and hours talking about community, getting to know the people in our church on a more personal level, raising up leaders, and being a light in our neighborhood. When Gina said “be available and authentic,” it went straight to my heart. I know that sometimes the pace of my life is too fast and it inhibits me to being available. Although I am constantly reevaluating my time and priorities, I know that there is always time for what is important for you. Reaching out, developing more genuine and authentic relationships has become what is important to me and realizing this is a step forward towards this goal.

4.) Look at your pace in life.– Bob Goff, Crystal Paine, Sherry Surratt, Amena Brown, ALMOST everyone! A reminder to continue to look at my schedule and commitments, make adjustments, continue to work on protecting time, and saying “no” (oh, that is so hard for me.) I desire to be a model to my children of what it means to keep a healthy schedule and be available for loving people and building relationships. Amena Brown said “you need God to break your rhythms so that your rhythm will be in step with His.” Amen! Lord, break my rhythms!

5.) JOY! “Joy is the sacred jingle of God in you.” -Margaret Feinberg. I had never heard Margaret Feinberg speak before but WOW! What another amazing encourager! She is brave fighter (she is currently battling cancer) and a champion of joy! Joy radiates from her as she speaks and not in some overly-cheerful, sickening sweet way. Joy that is real and inspiring. So often we get caught up in all the things that do not matter, we take life for granted. Margaret’s message was not a promise that bad things will never happen to you but more of when bad things do, “fight back with joy.” “Joy is a weapon!”

So themes of love, grace, joy, community, rhythms, time and relationships. Those are the the things I will holding in my heart and hope to fiercely flourish in this year. Until MOMcon 2016 in Milwaukee, live in grace and walk in love.

————————————————————————————————-

A few other highlights from MOMcon. I got to arm wrestle (long story!) and meet a reader of my blog who also happens to be a MOPS Coach too. I am happy to now call her a friend. She blessed my heart with her smile and encouragement. Love you, Tammy!

Time with my MOPS Coaching team was a HUGE gift to me. These ladies are amazing and I love each one of them. We are all so different but we come together to make a one super, great team. We stayed up late talking (about everything), laughing, and enjoyed each other’s company. They pour prayer, encouragement, and life into me and help make me a better leader and person.

Finally- STARBUCKS! There was only one place to get coffee at the convention hall so the lines were very long! 3,000 moms need their tea and coffee!! I met a ton of great ladies while waiting for my latte and I loved eavesdropping on what others were taking away from the conference. God is good!

A New Appreciation For Lines- Encouragement for Ministry Leaders

This might not have been the best time to come. Back-to-School shopping was in full swing. Large colorful signs, hanging in every direction, were luring me to partake of the best deals of the season. Shelves were stocked high with boxes of new shoes. Packages of underwear and socks were strategically placed for quick, last minute decisions. People of all ages were everywhere and emotions were running high, all in preparation for going back to school. The atmosphere was a mixture of excitement, anxiety, and dread. I was only there to make a return. My mom, the girls, and I had walked around the store trying to find the shortest line to stand in. All the lines were the same length- LONG!

People in line were holding stacks of clothes taller than their heads. They looked exhausted, excited, and/or relieved that school shopping was almost complete. Other people were standing looking annoyed, staring at the cashier in telepathic fashion hoping to make the line go faster by their thoughts. Some people were completely oblivious to what was happening around them. Their eyes were fixed on their phones and their earbuds turned up so high that the sounds of reality were drowned out. For each of us, the cash register represented the finished line. We inched closer and closer as the minutes ticked by.

Over the last few weeks, I have developed a new appreciation of lines. We were at Story Land a few weeks ago and all of us were FINALLY at the magical height to enjoy (at least) some of the rides together. No one had to sit out with the youngest child, watching enviously as the Dutch Shoes bobbed up and down and we all could drive a tractor through the whimsical farm. At Story Land, I realized being in a line was not such a bad thing but more of an opportunity to rest and observe what was happening around me. I noticed how the sun reflected off my children’s hair making each hue a heavenly color. I noticed how handsome my husband is and remembered how we met and fell in love. I watched family relationship being strengthened as dads pulled their children to their shoulders and moms whispered secrets into their baby’s ears. AND I witnessed numerous meltdowns, my son’s included, and took note of how parents responded. Before I knew it, the line had moved and my family was sailing away with a friendly band of sea pirates on the Buccaneer Pirate Ship, laughing and answering our favorite pirate joke- “What’s a pirate’s favorite letter?”

You may be thinking what on earth does this or lines have to do with being a leader? You, amazing ministry leader, have been hard at work, planning and preparing, and waiting for this upcoming year. Dates and topics discussed, decorations/curriculum purchased, speakers/teachers lined up, policies and procedures nailed down, last minute decisions have been made. But now, as some of you are only days away from your first meetings, I want you to take a moment and rest in the wait, in the line of a job well done. Don’t forget to look around you and ask others for help with the details you still have holding in your arms. As the excited noise comes from the reality of your first meetings, do not forget the reason why we do what we do. In love, build relationships with each other and with all those who have been purposely brought to your group. Refocus your eyes on Christ and center your heart on the things of Him. The finish line is close by. Go make that exchange-return of your hard work for some credit in the Kingdom of God. Listen and one day hear Him say ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant…. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matthew 25:23 NLT)

PS “What’s a pirate’s favorite letter?” RRRRRRRRRR

Unexpected Treasure

“MOMMMM, LOOK!!!” My daughter was standing knee deep in foamy, ocean surf holding up something small, white, and round. I moved closer to get a better look. She could barely contain her excitement. In the palm of her hand was a perfect, whole sand dollar!

“How did you find THAT?” I stared in complete disbelief. We were surrounded by the rhythm of the ocean. Waves crashed at our legs. Rocks, pieces of shells tumbled in and out, over and around our feet by the undertow. Our legs were encompassed by a bubbling blanket of foam making it almost impossible to see the ocean floor. Enthusiastically, my daughter explained that she had caught a glimpse of something being swayed back and forth by the waves. Even though the thick foam made it really hard to see, she had tried to keep her eye on it. A few times, she had tried to grab it but it was pulled away from her. One last time, she reached down and pulled out what she thought was a random shell, but to her surprise it was a sand dollar. A perfect, whole sand dollar!

After a minute or so of joyful acknowledgement, the treasure was given to me for safe keeping. My excited daughter bounced away to resume jumping through the waves with her sister. I tuned in to the peaceful rhythm of the waves. Shifting my gaze downwards, I caught a glimpse of something in the water. In and out it went, tumbling through the waves. I did my best to keep my eye on it but a blanket of foam kept interrupting my view. A few times, I tried to reach for it, coming up with only a rock or a handful of sand. Still, there was something there. I reached down again. This time my hand locked on to something small and round. With excited anticipation, I slowly opened my hand to what I thought it held. There in the palm of MY hand, sat another perfect, whole sand dollar! Holding MY treasure, I yelled over to my daughter, “LOOK!!! LOOK!!!I found one, I found one too!!!”

As fast as she could, with equal excitement for my treasure, my daughter pushed through the surf over to me. I am not sure of the exact words that we spoke as we held our matching treasures. But within that conversation there was a moment when our excited, brown eyes locked and the world around us disappeared. And I knew, that moment and those two perfect, whole sand dollars were worth more than any treasure valued in dollar amounts. No price could be put on this moment! I had done nothing to earn this but only had approached the day with hopeful, open eyes and faith that there was something great was to be found. These unexpected treasures were true, free gifts from God!

Dear MOPS Leader,

I want you to know that I have been thinking of you and praying for you. I hope that your eyes are wide open with excitement and the anticipation of all the treasure God has prepared for you to find at MOPS this year. Like the rhythm of waves, I pray that you will find the right rhythm, between rest and work, for you and your group. Some treasure will be right out in the open to see and some will take focus and perseverance to uncover. Your treasure may come in many forms- MOPPETS workers, a well-needed hug, an old hobby or interest revitalized, a new mom that comes to your group broken and weary but leaves your meetings patched with love and with a renewed fierce strength to continue on her course. I hope that you will lean into each other and show shared excitement for what each mom, woman, and leader in your group finds along the way. And I hope that you will have faith and leave room for God to work in all the unknowns. Let him cover you and your group with a blanket of love and strength. Through that blanket of love and strength, ask God to show you the glimpses of his good gifts. Keep your eyes focused on Him and His work, and be prepared to fiercely uncover and pull up treasure from all around you.

Love, Your Ministry Coach

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

25 Things About Me- An Activity in Noticing The Good and Celebrating Life

1.) I am proud to be a New Englander!

2.) I have attended a MOPS group since 2009 and have served on a MOPS Leadership Team for six years. This will be my fifth year supporting MOPS groups and other local MOPS Ministry Coaches with MOPS International. www.mops.org

3.) My dad was an off-shore fisherman and a quahoger. He named his first boat after me.

4.) I love the snow and skiing.

5.) My pastor husband and I have been married for fourteen years. He is also my best friend.

6.) My first job was at McDonald’s. By the end of my career, I had climbed the ranks to “Birthday Party Coordinator” and Crew Trainer. (I still think McDonald’s fries are the best!)

7.) I had a life-changing experience walking in the Boston Avon 3-Day walk for cancer.

8.) I love the outdoors and insects. One summer, I worked as a counselor at an Environmental Day Camp hiking, catching creatures, birding, teaching nature lessons to elementary aged students. It was a dream job!

9.) The most peaceful place I have ever been is underwater, snorkeling in Hawaii.

10.) My husband’s family owns a dairy farm in California. The milk from their 500+ cows is sold to a local cheese company. They also farm almond trees. The almonds are sold to candy companies.

11.) We celebrate Christmas Eve with Lebanese food. Last year, my girls and I rolled our own grape leaves.

12.) I asked the Lord into my heart when I was ten. With our church watching, my dad baptized me in a pond. He has baptized all his children in the same place.

13.) I have a degree in elementary and special education. My first teaching job was in a K-12 school on Block Island. It is the only school on the island. I had 5 students!

14.) I had big hair and wore shoulder pads in high school.

15.) I have jumped out of a perfectly good plane, strapped to a complete stranger, and loved it!

16.) I ran over the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Marathon.

17.) I come from generations of strong, short Portuguese ladies. I am glad that my daughter “met” her great-great grandmother before Nana passed.

18.) The closest I will get to a “Call the Midwife” moment, was in high school when I volunteered as a candy-striper in a local hospital. No babies were delivered but a lot of smiles, cards, and flowers were.

19.) I was on a Deck Tennis team in Elementary School. It is THE only team that I was selected to play on after going through try outs. I wish that this sport would make its come back! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_tennis

20.) I have three beautiful children. Two daughters and a son.

21.) I thought I would never homeschool but we are going on our fourth year of doing so. It has been the greatest blessing for our family.

22.) I love coffee!

23.) I owned a small business and Etsy shop making hair bows. I have made bows for babies, special occasions, pageants, parades, AND dog’s birthday parties.

24.) My favorite memories are those with my sister. I wish she lived closer.

25.) Jesus is my Lord, Savior, and the love of my life. He is the only one that completes me and sustains me. I still am in awe of His grace, mercy and His constant pursuit of me. ❤

————————————————————————–

Writing a list is a great activity. It’s a noted celebration of where you have been and a snapshot of some of your accomplishments. It is a great opportunity to reflect on the good things in life and take notice of the events and experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today.

In a MOPS group, writing this type of list could serve as a get-to-know you or an ice breaker activity. Each mom could take 5-7 minutes to write down 25 things (or as many as possible) about themselves. As a whole group or in smaller Discussion Groups, a designated person (Mentor Mom, DGL) collects the lists and reads a few of the 25 items as clues to the mom’s identity. After hearing the clues, the group guesses who the list belongs to. We did this is our small MOPS group and it was a lot of fun. We learned more about each other, similarities were found, and we had more to talk about with each other.

With the lists completed, Discussion Group Leaders and Coordinators could encourage moms to pick one thing off the list that the moms want to “bring back” or to “flourish” in again. Skiing was something I put on hold when I had kids. It was something I still desired to do. With a little work, effort and a babysitter, I revived the “sport” and now am looking forward to enjoying more of something that I thought I lost.

Below is a link to a PDF file that I created. Use the worksheet for personal reflection or in an activity with your group.

25 Things About Me- An Activity in Noticing the Good and Celebrating Life2

Succulents

Recently, I have been enthralled with little plants called succulents. Succulents come in a variety of beautiful shapes and offer very interesting leaf formations. In their natural habitats, succulents adapt, survive, and even thrive in the harshest of environments. These plants embody A FIERCE FLOURISHING.

A succulent might not be the first plant you notice when you walk into a greenhouse. If placed next to a showy, tropical hibiscus it most likely will be overlooked. It might look foreign and out of place compared to the familiar, white blooms of a daisy. However, if we stop for a moment, shift our focus and pay close attention, we might be surprised to find the uniqueness that each succulent has to offer. There is an art to noticing goodness. Sometimes we need to turn our eyes from the flashy, attention grabbing things and stretch our sight to notice the unfamiliar and uncertain things.

Succulents have seasons of growth and rest. During their growing season, they like to be watered and fertilized. During their season of rest, they fall into a dormant state. This is a critical time for the plants. They need this break to stay healthy. Just like succulents, we need rest to stay healthy. Rest may feel unnatural in our busy, fast-paced lives but it is important and needed to not only survive but to also thrive. As women, we must practice and strive to embrace and encourage rest as a natural part of life.

We are like little succulent plants blooming up all around.A lavish celebration is taking place and we should join the celebration. “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace, the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”Isaiah 55:12 All of nature is celebrating our growth, our uniqueness, our surroundings, our ability and work to adapt, our wandering and replanting.

“Forget the former things do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you know perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland!” (Isaiah 48:18)

Last year, was a big growing season for me. I was challenged to be brave and embrace life with courage and grace. God did a lot of work in me and I emerged as a new thing that came up in the wilderness. That work has not stopped, I continue to work at springing up against the fiercest of situations, the fiercest of enemies, the toughest of critics. I am a like a brave little succulent and am blooming in fierce, surprising ways. I am ready to adapt, rest, notice, celebrate, and flourish.

You can experience A FIERCE FLOURSIHING this year too by joining a MOPS group. A MOPS Group is a community of women who meet together to come alongside each other in our journey of motherhood. MOPS International exists to encourage and equip moms of young children to realize their potential as mothers, women and leaders, in relationship with Jesus, and in partnership with the local church. Find out more and find a group near you at mops.org.

The views expressed on this blog are mine alone and they do not necessarily reflect the views of MOPS International. They have not been reviewed or approved by MOPS International

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: