Thursday, September 25, 2014

Family Dynamics Conference

Crossroads is having a Family Dynamics Seminar
on Friday evening, October 3rd
at the Wake Forest - Rolesville Campus.

The cost is $10 for adults and childcare is available.

For more details and full workshop descriptions, go to
http://www.crossroads.org/wfr-family-dynamics

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

This Week @ MOPS ~ 9.23.2014

Our speaker for the morning was Jim Shelton, Crossroads' High School Pastor, on Parenting from the Heart. 
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

We raise our children according to their personality style as each child and every parenting situation is different.  Pastor Jim referred to Mark Matlock’s Real World Parenting.

Pastor Jim told the story of  Jessie, David’s father.  God worked on David’s heart through Jessie’s parenting as David became a “man after God’s heart.” Samuel 16:13 says “The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.”  This is what we all want for our kids... for them to be raised up to follow God!

In shepherding your child’s heart it’s all about…

#1 Mission
Give your child a purpose. Make a family mission – this is what are we here for!

“Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering, and the lonely right there where you are — in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools.”

-Mother Teresa

 

A few suggestions he had for family outreach:

Operation Christmas Child
Christian Library International (http://www.christianlibraryinternational.org) – kids could put the stickers on books for this prison ministry.

#2 Guarding Hearts
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23
 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9

Susanna Wesley was the mother of 19 children, 10 of which survived.  Susanna made it her practice to spend individual time with each child – to pray with them, to talk with them, and to inspire them!    She also modeled for her children how to have individual time with God; she gave them a pattern to follow as she guarded her own heart.  Two of her sons became incredibly influential men: John was an evangelical preacher and Charles wrote some of the greatest hymns.  

 The Family Treasurebox object lesson book that Pastor Jim mentioned yesterday for family devotions is no longer available but he did provide this reference for free family devotionals also by Focus on the Family that are found online:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/spiritual_growth_for_kids/family_mealtime_devotionals.aspx
These devotionals are excerpted from the book Mealtime Moments; it is currently out of print but appears on other retailer websites as used.

#2 Keep Your Heart Humble To God
He must increase, and I must decrease.”
John 3:30

Our job as parents is to shepherd our child's heart but remember, things do happen. Adam and Eve lived in the perfect environment in the Garden but sin still happened.
We need to trust God moment by moment as He helps us in every situation and trust He is in control.


A few other notes...


We will have a special raffle at our December meeting!  You can "earn" entries into the raffle by inviting friends to MOPS: one entry for a friend visiting and 4 additional entries into the raffle if that mom registers for MOPS and pays her dues. It doesn't have to just be a friend; it could be moms you meet at the park, library, or anywhere!  We will have business cards to you soon to help them invite friends and get out our information.


We have 2 open spots on our Leadership Team helping with A/V during meetings and Hospitality.  Please email here for more information and join us for our next Leadership meeting on October 7th.

If you haven't done so already, please pay your dues. There is a $24.95 MOPS International fee, and local dues are collected in the fall and the spring ($50 each) to cover child care, craft and other expenses.  You can pay online with a card at http://crossroads.org/mops (click "Register") as well as with exact cash or check made out to Crossroads MOPS at our next meeting.
Please don't let finances get in the way of joining something incredible. We have scholarships readily available. Please email here for more information.  

 


Because of September having a 5th Tuesday, you will get to enjoy 2 playdates with your Small Group before our next meeting! 


The speaker for our next MOPS meeting on October 14th will be Kellie Kelbaugh.  She will be speaking on Finding Joy & Overcoming Grief.
We will also be hearing about the Griefshare ministry and a new support group they have for those who have experience pregnancy and infant loss (http://www.crossroads.org/grief).
 

Thank you to Jamie Branham, one of our own MOPS moms, for sponsoring this week's meeting, and please consider her for any of your Pampered Chef needs!
http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/jamiebranham

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

This Week @ MOPS ~ 9.9.2014

Our first meeting of the new year was a hit! 
We were delighted to have 20 Moms who are new to MOPS and many returned from last year.

 We enjoyed a delicious brunch; thank you, Leadership team!


In her introduction, our MOPS coordinator Jackie challenged us to be ourselves with bravery and step out of our comfort zones.

We also met Cindy Orange, our Women's Ministry assistant through Crossroads.
If anyone needs more information about Crossroads or other resources, she is the lady to contact!
Her e-mail address is corange@crossroads.org.
She also invited us to the Beth Moore Simulcast THIS Saturday, September 13th.
For more information, go to: http://crossroads.org/story.aspx?storyid=983. 


Our ice breaker definitely showed us how much our lives intersect and how much we have in common.

We also had some VERY brave women share some very hilarious stories.
Thanks for the laughs, Tiffany, Sarah, Brittani, and Denise!

Be looking for an e-mail from your Small Group Leader later in the week with details of your group's first playdate next week!

If you missed the first meeting, you are still welcome to come join us! 
See the "Dates" tab above for more information on dates and times of our future meetings.

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our next MOPS meeting on September 23rd.  
Drop off starts at 9:15 for our little ones and the meeting will start promptly at 9:30.
If you are running late, please still come as we all have crazy mornings!

Monday, September 8, 2014

Our first meeting, September 9, 2014

We are excited to meet everyone at our first meeting of the 2014-15 year!

Schedule:
9:15 - childcare available
9:30 - brunch available, program starts
11:30 - program ends

If you are running late, please join us!  We all understand "those" mornings!

We will have a craft - making our name tags.

Leadership will be providing brunch.

We have two sponsors for this meeting:

Advocare
Christy Porter 
https://www.advocare.com/12118171/Company/default.aspx

Christine E. Zankey
Young Living Essential Oils Independent Distributor
www.ylwebsite.com/christinezankey
919-426-1441
cezankey@icloud.com

Please invite a friend to join you!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Beat the Heat!

We've had a milder summer but if the heat has gotten to you, maybe it's time for something cold and refreshing. I love a good ice cream cone, but sometimes you need a healthier indulgence. Why not try homemade popsicles? 

We love to freeze leftover smoothies in my house for popsicles but check out this website with recipes for just such a treat. Surely one of them will be just what you're craving!
http://tipnut.com/homemade-popsicles/ 


To get you started, check out the Striped Fruit Pops from Taste of Home magazine.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/striped-fruit-pops

Ingredients:
3/4 cup honey, divided
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
12 plastic cups or Popsicle molds (3 ounces each)
6 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
12 Popsicle sticks
1-1/3 cups sliced fresh ripe peaches
Directions: In a blender, combine 1/4 cup honey and strawberries; cover and process until blended. Pour into cups or molds. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. In a blender, combine 1/4 cup honey and kiwi; cover and process until blended. Pour over frozen strawberry layer; insert Popsicle sticks. Freeze until firm. Repeat with peaches and remaining honey; pour over kiwi layer. Freeze until firm. 
Yield: 1 dozen.

And...
One week until our first meeting of the year!
We will meet on Tuesday, September 9th at 9:30am at Crossroads Fellowship.
Children may be dropped off in childcare beginning at 9:15 a.m.
Join us for Brunch provided by your Leadership Team, make a name tag, and find out what's in store for us this year at MOPS!