Sunday, September 30, 2007

1st MOPS Meeting

I have a couple of spare minutes so I thought I'd share about the first official MOPS (Mothers of Pre - Schoolers) meeting I attended on Thursday. First of all, everything was beautiful. The tables are set up with pretty tablecloths and centerpieces, little goody bags for each mom, and a nametag indicating where to sit which I love since I don't know anybody there at all. :) There was a large banquet of food in the middle of the room which looked so inviting. Once we began we met the other ladies at our table and chowed down! From what I understand, there will be this wonderful breakfast for every meeting! They moved on to some announcements and even handed out little presents for first-year members as well as little presents to moms with a birthday or wedding anniversary in the month of September. And also presents to moms who have just had new babies (apparently this is a very giving group of women). I enjoyed what the speaker had to say. Her topic was on the importance of female companionship. She asked us if we ever babysat for our friends, if we've ever taken a meal to another family when the mom was ill or had just had a baby, etc., if we rearrange the car seats to fit children other than our own, and other questions about the kind of friends we are to other moms. As she made her point about the things we can do to be there for one another, she moved on to a much more difficult question. Can we (I) receive this kind of friendship? Wow...that is humbling. Seriously, who wants their friends to come into their home to clean? Who wants their friends to come take the kids away for a few hours when you're tired and overwhelmed and at your wit's end, admitting you can't be "Supermom" all the time? Not me!!! It is more blessed to give than to receive, yet so many times it is easier to give than receive. Friendship goes two ways and her point was that we need to be humble and willing to receive when its our turn. It was pretty enlightening for me, but definitely made me so grateful for the wonderful friends I've been blessed with.

4 comments:

Jess Stevens said...

Laura I am so blessed for this post, thank you! I have been "on the fence" about signing up with my local MOPS group, but now I see I really should. thank you again for taking the time to share.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you enjoyed MOPS! I read your post to my mom so she could hear how you were blessed on your first day. Of course, she wishes you were with her, but she is so thankful that you had a good experience. She said that all the opening activities are identical to Lake's. The only thing different is the speaker and selection of content for the talk. I'm so glad you've found a good group and I know the time spent in fellowship with other moms of young children who are experiencing similar things and listening to God's word and practical advice from older moms will refresh and renew your spirit!

Anonymous said...

How awsome. These times for your girls are going to be engraved into their minds for the rest of their lives. It sounds very exciting. I hope that you get a chance to post more of the MOPS experiences.I need to tell my sister about it. She has a three year old and a one year old. Maybe in the futer she can attend. God dose excediently abundantly above all that we may ask or think.

Love,
Nettie

Leti said...

I am excited for you in this new experience. And yes it has to be a "gift" to know how to graciously receive from others and of course extremely humbling. We often rob others the blessing of helping us. That's probably why it is difficult to receive God's free gift - Jesus. We always think we have to do something or deserve it, yet it was freely given, at a great cost of course. And Jesus "willingly" went to the cross for us for the JOY set before Him-the joy of paying the prize we could not pay. Praise be to God for His indescribably gift!