Bittersweet By Heidi Rogers, mom of two

Bit•ter•sweet (adjective): arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain 

I think that describes parenting fairly well, wouldn’t you agree?

It starts even before they’re born – the joyous sight of a positive pregnancy test brings with it the plague of morning sickness. That precious first meeting takes place just after the torture of labor and delivery. Remember that first time they slept through the night and you woke up in a puddle of milk?
 

"Parenting is so full.
Full of both the bitter
and the sweet."

I imagine it only continues when you swell with pride, watching them walk to junior high all independent-like, then feel crushed when they’ve been teased. Do we even need to describe the whole they’re-16-and-can-get-themselves-places-but-now-I’m-worried-out-of-my-mind scenario? Ah, then they move out and we have freedom again. And we find ourselves missing even the painful parts.

Parenting is so full. Full of both the bitter and the sweet. And when Mary gazed upon her firstborn son so many years ago, I imagine she felt that very fullness. Knowing her son’s purpose, witnessing the fanfare accompanying his birth – perhaps this duality was exactly what she treasured up and pondered in her heart.  

Dear God, thank you for creating a mother’s heart. To love, protect, marvel, and even to weep. Help me embrace my child in a way that honors both him and you. Amen. 

He’s in the Room By Katie Kenny Phillips, MOPS coordinator and mom of three

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.” (The Message). 
I wasn’t focused on much other than checking our middle son into Children’s Hospital. His lung function was bad, he had been sick for two weeks, and I was glad to be in a place where the professionals could take over my heavy burden.
 

"I’m convinced it’s times
like these that God holds me close,
opens my eyes a little wider."

They were hooking Luke up to an IV and getting him x-rayed when they told us what room we’d be in — Room 316.  My husband looked at me and said, “That’s significant, don’t you think?” 316. John 3:16. “Yeah,” I smiled. It never hurts to have the most popular Bible verse of all time as your room number.

When I stood outside Luke’s room one night, I could only pray, “God, my son is in that room.” God brought me back to 3:16, whispering, “Yes, I know. My Son is in that room too.”

I’m convinced it’s times like these that God holds me close, opens my eyes a little wider. He fills my heart with moments that make my spiritual bones stronger and less likely to fracture under the burdens of this life. Amongst many other things that happened during that time in the hospital, God made sure to put us in 316 for a reason. He wanted me to know he was most definitely in the room. 

Dear God, I love how you never leave me. Open my eyes this holy season to you very real presence in my daily life. Amen. 

Confessions of a Not-So- Perfect Mom By Emily Nelson, mom of three

We arrived at the beach and started making sandcastles. After letting them bury me neck deep, I pulled out the ice cream maker and made homemade, organic ice cream. I snapped a funny picture. “This one is for the scrapbook!” I exclaimed, and they tackled me with a hug. Such a perfect day. Too bad it never happened.

My real beach day started with screaming at them to get in the car to beat traffic and ended with tossing beach toys onto the sand for the kids while I collapsed in my beach chair, devouring the latest People magazine. I didn’t even bring the camera. 

"He encircled me in a hug, saying,
Mom, you did just fine!"

As a mother of now-grown children, I Iook back and I’m tortured with what I didn’t do with my kids: take them hiking, educate them in museums, have family devotions. And I moan about what I did do: harsh words, wishy-washy discipline and over-involvement in non-family activities.

Yet one day, as I was recounting my lack of mothering skills to my 27-year-old, he encircled me in a hug, saying, “Mom, you did just fine!” That boy never has to buy me another gift for as long as he lives. He gave me the gift of peace that maybe, just maybe, I did okay. 

Dear God, thank you for being the perfect parent and filling in for all my missteps. May I know your love as you encircle me and say, “You are doing just fine!”

Book Review : Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

This book was such a breath of fresh air.  I have read too many Christian books for women that are about all the things that I’m failing to do as a woman of God.  They say “Do these ten things and you’ll be a Godly woman.”  They leave me feeling frustrated and defeated.  Captivating has the opposite effect.  The message is this:  Your heart matters more than anything else.  It’s about our love affair with the Savior and his desire for a relationship with us.  This book will draw you closer to God’s heart and your own.  You’ll love it! 

Bound and Determined By Alex Kuykendall, mom of four

A shower. That’s all I wanted. I mean, really, was that too much to ask? Determined, I got up early, made everyone breakfast, packed up school lunches, nursed the baby and was ready for my five minutes of soap and water. I didn’t need to do my hair or put on makeup, I just wanted to smell like something other than spit-up.
 

"Don’t underestimate
the determination
of a mother."

It was getting close to time to load up my school-aged kids in the car, but I was clinging to my vision of cleanliness when the babysitter arrived to watch the younger ones for the day. No! That time already? My eyes darted to the clock on the stove. Six minutes left until it was time to pull out of the driveway. I threw the baby at the sitter. “I’m just going to take a quick shower,” I blurted over my shoulder as I ran into my bedroom.

Five minutes later I emerged. “Wow! That was fast,” the sitter said as I marched into the kitchen and grabbed my purse and keys. Not yet a mother herself, I figured I was offering a bonus to her babysitting salary, a tip that I needed to remind myself of on a regular basis: don’t underestimate the determination of a mother (or the value of a three-minute shower).
 

Dear God, thank you for using my mothering to bring me closer to the woman you’ve created me to be. Thank you for small mercies like hot showers and time to take care of myself. Amen.

Best Salad Dressing Ever

¾ cup vegetable oil

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

¾  teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix and enjoy.  Store in the refrigerator for a few weeks. 

The Not So Perfect Mom By Stephanie Shott

I always dreamed of being the perfect mom. The one who has all the right answers, never raises her voice and never has to count to three.

When I observed another mother applying some super cool new mommy approach, I would try it too. When her children were obedient, well mannered and sat quietly in church with what appeared to be halos on their heads, I would try to find out the secret to her success. 
 

"God did not design
cookie-cutter children,
nor did he expect us to be
cookie-cutter mothers"

After a little soul searching and Scripture digging, I realized Proverbs 22:6 beckons us to be very individual in the way we raise our children. Being a good mom meant I was to “Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Amplified).
How refreshing to know God did not design cookie-cutter children, nor did he expect us to be cookie-cutter mothers. I didn’t have to be perfect; I didn’t have to be like the other mothers. I just had to be the best mom I could be for each of my sons.

My boys are men now. And although I never attained the coveted title of Perfect Mom, and my children never sported a halo, they always knew I was their biggest cheerleader, their constant counselor and their most passionate prayer warrior. They still do, and I still am.
 

Dear God, thank you for making me and my children unique individuals. Help me to mother from who I am in ways that bless my children for who they are, and guide them on the path to knowing you always.

Stephanie Shott is an international speaker, author of the new Bible study on Ecclesiastes, Understanding What Matters Most and part of a gifted team of communicators led by Kathi Lipp known as Speaker Chicks. www.stephanieshott.com

Dinner Disaster By Shelley Byrne, mother of three

The other night I tried a new recipe for dinner. It involved a bit of chopping, adding, stirring and quite frankly – a lot of monitoring to make sure it came out right.

Meanwhile, I took the easy route for a vegetable and popped some green beans on the back burner to simmer while I focused on this new fancy main dish. It had a couple of ingredients in it that I had never used, so when I started smelling something unusual, I just thought it was the new sauce. The odor became more of a burning smell, and I frantically checked my new entrée to make sure it was still on track. Well, my new dish turned out beautifully, but the green beans on that back burner slowly burned themselves to the bottom of the pan, thus creating an awful smell once it was too late to save them!
 

"I desperately want to
stay in tune to the
everyday needs
of my children."

While trying to scrub and salvage my little saucepan, I reflected on my dinner fiasco. I wondered just how many times I take the same approach with my children. How often do I assume that they are doing just fine and push them off to the back burner while I focus on something else of interest to me or something that is more demanding of my time?

I desperately want to stay in tune to the everyday needs of my children. I don’t want to miss the little signals that they send out when they need my attention. Fancy dinner or not, it’s my kids who need me most.

Dear God, it can be so easy to focus on the wrong priorities. This holiday season, lead me to pursuits that bind me to my family, and ultimately bring honor to you.

Mom E-Mail - Honorng the Fallen

Honoring the Fallen

By Melodi Leih, MOPS Regional Developer 

 

When my son Mason was five, my family made a trip to Cabrillo National Monument, a lighthouse on a point overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Along our way, we passed a military cemetery. Mason noticed the headstones and asked, “Mommy, what are all those white things?” Sensing a learning opportunity, we decided to stop and let him ask questions, look around and discover what was there. He led the way and stopped in front of one of the headstones with an American flag on the top. He asked several questions about our country, wondering why the soldiers had died.


 

"Our family circled around
the headstone and prayed
for the man’s family."

After several minutes, Mason put his hand on his heart and began to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the top of his little lungs, saluting at the finish. Moved to tears at the tenderness in his heart, I resolved to take every opportunity to talk to my kids about the freedoms we enjoy as Americans and those who have given their lives to protect those freedoms. Our family circled around the headstone and prayed for the man’s family and gave thanks for his life before continuing our journey.

I am so glad we took the time to stop and let Mason explore that day. For his sake, yes, but also for my own. I rediscovered my passion for praying for and thanking members of the armed services for my freedom. Experiencing it with Mason allowed me to see it through new eyes, and for that I am grateful.

Dear God, thank you for the men and women who serve our country in the armed forces. Protect them in their service, and support the families they leave at home. Help me never fail to honor their sacrifice.

Speaker Notes From Yesterday's Meeting

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday was a first for us. We had our first speaker come and visit our group. Pastor Jeremy Powell from Hayden First Baptist Church came and spoke to us about looking at the whole perspective, not judging other moms and how to focus on the bible in our families lives. Here are some key note from his time with us!

When you are more concerned about what other people think than your are with the Laws of God, the Principles of God, and the Wisdom of God, then you teach your children that they should fear people more than they fear God.

         Kids see where we spend our time, what we worry about, what we read and listen to, etc.

Because of these points, the majority of kids leave the church when they graduate high school. Here's what we can do to work toward stopping that....

1) Learn the laws of God - The Bible needs to be your guide. - 2 Timothy 3:16

                 "All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in           righteousness."

2) Teach them to your children- Proverbs 22:6 "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it"

3) Care more about your child's relationship with God then you do about anything else. God isn't going to ask your kids how to throw a chop block or do a pirouette, he is going to look for the relationship they have formed with him. All of those other things are important too, but not more important then their relationship with God!

The bottom line, that I personally took away, was that we need to learn how to teach our children to fear God, not other people. I personally vow to make that a habit in my daily actions with my family! I feel so passionately about MOPS and the meaning of the group. We are here for this exact purpose. We want to help build relationships that encourage a healthy relationship between Christ and you as a mom. We hope that this only helps you bring Christ into the center of your family!

We thank Pastor Jeremy for taking the time to come speak with us and I encourage everyone to come again next month. We meet again, Tues Dec 13th @ 9am at the Reid House at FBCH. If you have any questions please contact us at HaydenMops@hotmail.com or call Becky at (205) 647-0282.

Preschooler Generosity: Is it Possible?

Here is the Mom E-Mail for this week. Cute story and an AWESOME prayer at the end!  Preschooler Generosity: Is it Possible?

By Erin MacPherson, mom of three.

I admit, I had asked the unthinkable—requesting that each of my children part with their hard-earned dollars, dollars saved from birthday presents, allowances and the tooth fairy—to buy a toy for someone else.

After wildfires raged through our hometown of Austin, Texas, destroying more than 1,500 homes in one day, my husband and I decided to help. And, since this disaster hit close to home affecting several of our friends, I really wanted my kids to have a tangible understanding of what it meant to give generously.

So I asked them to donate to the cause. And, as expected, they refused.

Not ready to give up, I sat them down on the couch and explained. I told them about kids who had nowhere to live and nothing to play with. Then I asked them to each spend time praying that God would show them how they could make a difference. Talk about laying it on thick.

Five minutes later, they came and asked if we could go to Target. They headed straight to the toy aisle where Joey carefully selected a Star Wars toy and Kate selected a pink pony. 

I could see the emotions in their eyes as they carefully counted out the bills from their wallets and handed them to the cashier. Trepidation mixed with joy, disappointment mixed with pride, and I knew that a huge lesson had been learned.

Dear God, please show me creative ways to teach my kids how to live generously. Help me set a meaningful example of giving as I mother them. Amen. 

Book Review: Good Night Scout

Good Night Scout has quickly become one of my one year old's favorite books to play with.  It reads a story or sings a song about a night time routine.  It is a very fun, interactive book that helps to introduce your child to reading.  The book is very durable and has hard plastic pages that are easy for a little one to hold on to and turn.  A bonus for parents is that the book has a button on the top that plays a different track when pressed.  This helps the book not to be too monotonous by hearing the same thing over and over, and really keeps the child's attention once they learn to push it.  Overall, I would say that this book is a fun way for a child to learn about night time routines and it definitely nurtures a love of reading books for infants and toddlers.

MOPS Email This week. Cute Story! :)

Beyond Compare

by Liz Sagaser, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator at
MOPS International and mom of two

My first child was born to talk and possessed a considerable vocabulary by her first birthday. For her recent third birthday, we gave her a copy of Little Miss Chatterbox, with a note inside sharing our fondness for her own chatty ways. 

And then came Truett. Our son, 22 months younger than our verbose daughter,  is worlds apart from his sister in many ways. Paisley takes the lead, Truett likes to follow. Paisley diapers her babies while Truett has a fondness for rocks. A rock from the garden in each hand, maybe even in his mouth, and he is a happy boy.

My husband and I have wondered whether Truett is on track developmentally in terms of his speaking ability. By twelve months, Paisley had lots to say. Truett, on the other hand, had just managed to eke out “mama” and “dada” at that point. A recent conversation between us went like this: “Truett, do you like your Teddy Bear? Can you say Teddy Bear?” Truett’s thoughtful reply? “Goo Goo Ga Ga.” (This is not a paraphrase. That was his exact response!)

I marveled at my son’s perfect use of baby speak, chuckled in response, then made up my mind that Truett is an avid listener. I can see him processing what goes on around him, and he will have something to say when he is ready. Even our pediatrician has encouraged us to relax, stop comparing and let our son learn and develop at his own pace. 

What is it, I wonder, that makes us want to pit our children in competition against one another? God made each of us in perfect, wonderful uniqueness. Instead of comparing our children to anyone else’s accomplishments, we should celebrate their individual talents, personalities and even quirks. My little rock-biter might not have much to say now, but he is learning every day and growing at his own pace. What a blessing to be part of his journey.

 

Dear God, thank you for blessing me with unique, wonderful children. Grant me patience to watch them grow and learn on their own timelines, and in their own ways.

Easy Sausage Pinwheels

 

You'll need:

1 can crescent rolls

1 pound ground sausage (I prefer hot)

1 package cream cheese softened

Brown sausage then drain and rinse thoroughly.  Mix sausage and cream cheese until combined well.  Roll the crescent roll dough out into a large rectangle on a piece of parchment paper and make sure all seams are pinched together.  Spread the sausage cream cheese mixture evenly over the dough.  Then, roll the dough lengthwise and wrap in parchment paper.  Put in freezer for up to 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.  When ready, slice into half inch pieces and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Toy Review!

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Learning Home

The Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Learning Home has to be the greatest toy ever made... well, next to a cardboard box of course.  The Learning Home keeps my son occupied for very long periods of time.  It is a great activity center with a lot to do and play with.  My son especially loves to go in and out of the door.  There is also a light to turn on and off, mail box, window, spinny flower, clock and so much more.  The toy is great for crawlers all the way up to preschoolers.  I have a 4 year old nephew that still loves to play with it.  The Learning Home is very durable and easy to clean.  There are countless educational opportunities at every turn and there is something different to do every time you want to play.

Life In Abundance ByTally Flint

Life is full. Full of joy, chaos, stress and lots of ups and downs. I try my darndest to make dinners with the family meaningful and peace-giving. But honestly, at this stage in my life, that rarely happens. But it has happened at least once. One night a few years ago, I remember taking turns answering the question “What would you like to change about yourself to become more like Jesus?” My four-year-old said he could work to have a better attitude (a concept we often use in our discipline with the kids). I wanted greater patience and an ability to remain calm when interacting with the kids. My husband repeated my plea for patience. It only takes a look at our combined responses to get a glimpse of where we were as a family that year. 

If I’ve learned one thing from muddling my way through all of life’s ups and downs, it’s this: God’s grace is abundant. And do I ever need it! I view this season of my mothering journey as a truly intense one. And like all such seasons, I’ve been stretched to my limits, come face-to-face with my own weaknesses and failings and discovered as a result that I’m stronger than I was when I began. I’ve experienced supreme joy, extreme frustration, and yes, even that elusive peace – the peace of stepping back, trusting in God’s promises.

Dear God, thank you for all the noise, energy, and joy that my life brings. Help me to honor that gift with a heart that loves without expectation and a peace that goes deep. 

STEERING TEAM RETREAT TODAY!

Today is the big day!

I can't wait to get to the lake with all of my steering team leaders! Without all of thier efforts MOPS wouldn't be possible. I LOVE you all and I know we are going to have an amazing time!! :)

See you all tonight!

Meeting at FBCH @ 5:30pm NO LATER LADIES :)

Growing Season By Melodi Leih

Last fall, my family and I planted bulbs around our home for the first time. I anticipated their arrival all through the winter months. And sure enough, this spring, small green plants began to shoot up out of the ground, and shortly after, beautiful flowers bloomed. Such a fascinating process! It seems odd that something planted in the fall and cultivated through the freezing winter produces flowers in spring. 

And yet, I experience similar seasons in my mothering. In the winter of my soul, God feels distant and I am unfruitful. My kids seem more rowdy and my patience more thin. But as I consistently stay rooted in him, he continues to nurture the soil of my heart, bringing forth blossoms for others to see.

Sometimes it takes many cycles of winter to see new growth. And it can be hard to let go of the disappointment that arises when flowers don’t bloom. But that doesn’t mean God isn’t at work, cultivating me into the woman he wants me to be. Time spent on the floor in a pile of Legos or on the couch with books is an eternal investment that will bear long-term fruit. It may not seem like much now, but bulbs buried under winter’s barren landscape don’t look like much either. God will bless my faithfulness. He will bless yours. And our flowers will be beautiful—no doubt about it!

  Dear God, remind me that you’re growing me everyday. Lend me your big-picture perspective as I mother my child.

God Of Sometimes

God of Sometimes
By Christa Hogan, mother of two


I love being a mom; I love caring for my family. I can’t think of anything more important, anything more worthy of my life. It feels good to be needed. Most of the time. But sometimes I wake up and think, “Do I really have to do yesterday all over again?” I want to shout, “Can’t you just do it yourself for once?” A voice whispers, “It’s all up to you. You don’t ever get to rest, because if you did this would all fall apart.”


Inevitably, these are also the days that someone comes down sick. The cat coughs up a hairball on the carpet. The dishwasher breaks. Life starts to resemble a country music song. “It isn’t fair,” I cry. “Life wasn’t supposed to be like this!”

Then I hear another voice calling. My Savior. My Rock. He asks me to stop squirming beneath the weight of my life and give it to him. He reminds me that I have been trying to do it all again, and to do it all by myself. But he made me to need him even more than my family needs me, except that he never rests. He never tires of being needed. He loves my “sometimes” when I come to the end of my rope because then I remember that I need to rely on him at all times.


Dear God, thank you that you are strong in my weakness. Forgive me for trying to do it on my own. Help me give my family and my life to you.

SPLASH PAD TRIP TODAY!

Hey Everyone!

Come Join us at the Splash Pad in Gardendale for our weekly play date!

We are meeting there at 10am! Pack a lunch and bring a friend! I will have both of the boys since they are finished with school!

If you need directions give me a call 647-0282 or 353-8982

See you there! <3 Becky

ALSO! FOLLOW THIS BLOG! There is a link to click on at the right of the this post where you can "follow" us!

Mom Email - Hindsight

Hindsight

by Christa Hogan, mom of two

Last month, my 2-year-old fell and broke his femur. After examining Ben, the Emergency Room doctor said he needed a spica cast. He described the fiberglass contraption that would encase my son from the ribcage down for the next four weeks. “You’re kidding!” I wanted to say. “He doesn’t stop for a second. Now he’s stuck in a body cast for a month? And I change his diapers and bathe him how exactly?”

 
 

But as time went by, Ben became my example of adaptability. As his leg healed, he learned how to roll over. Next he was crawling commando style. One day, he pulled himself to a standing position. Finally, he took my hands in his own and began to ‘walk’ in the cast. Meanwhile, I learned how to pick him up and carry him, diaper and bathe him. With the help of a neighbor, we ventured out of the house for the first time. After a few weeks the cast seemed like a natural part of our lives.

Before we knew it, the day arrived to take the cast off. Now Ben is learning to walk for the third time. Watching him literally take two steps forward and one step back in his development has been a reminder for me to stay present in the moment and take nothing for granted. Even though I had no idea how we’d get through daily life with the cast on, here we stand on the other side. I feel stronger and more capable because of the experience. And I find comfort in knowing God was with us every step of the way.

Dear God, thank you for not only bringing me through challenging times, but also walking alongside me the whole time.

"I find comfort in knowing God was with us every step of the way."

WELCOME GLENETTE!

Hayden Mops is happy to introduce GLENETTE WARD as our newest member of the steering team! She has enrolled today as a mentor mom! We are so excited to have you!!!                                                                    

As of today we have a pretty full steering team! Here's what we have so far!

Coordinator - Becky Faulkner
Finance Coordinator - Becky Faulkner & Sarah Kizziah
MOPPETS - Jennifer Smith
Service Coordinator - Jennifer Smith
Group Discussion Leaders - Kristin Burttram and Lonna Dillard
Publicity - Tanna Friday - Until she leaves :*( We will miss you so much!
Hospitality - Sarah Kizziah
Mentor Moms - Elzie Faulkner, Sandra Hogg & Glenette Ward

Thank you to all of you for stepping up next year! This Steering team retreat is going to be amazing! Dates TBA!!!

HaydenMOPS Splash Pad Adventure Tomorrow!!!

Come Join Us At Gardendale Splash Pad!

We are meeting there Tomorrow at 9:30am!

Bring a snack and a friend! 

Wear your bathing suit in case it gets warm enough to play in the water :)

If you need directions call Becky at 205 647-0282

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE!

Mom E-mail - My BFF

  Morning Mamas! I love waking up to these great email stories from other mamas! It helps me realize that we are all just the same AND it gives me awesome ideas to incorporate God in our everyday life!
ENJOY!

Becky <3

 BFF

By Jacy Bowers

While giving my kindergartner a bath one night, I decided to ask her about her friends at school. Since she was comfortable, relaxed, and had my full attention, I hoped she might be more forthcoming than usual about how things were going with her little girlfriends.

In the past couple of months, we’ve talked about her friends playing or not playing with her. I was amazed to hear how the little girl problems start so young. Best friends made and broken in a day’s time, cliques, and the pressure to be a certain way – all existed already for my 6-year-old.

That night in the bath, I listened as she expressed her sadness over not having a best friend and the various reasons other girls had turned her down for such a role. I sat quietly for a minute, wondering how to make her feel better. I thought of all the times I’d been hurt by friends myself, wishing I could protect her from all the meanness in the world.

Instead, I started explaining how Jesus would never leave her or be mean to her. That he is there in the space left empty from others’ harsh words, insensitivity, or betrayal. I will never be able to fully protect her from the hurts of this world, but as she nodded and smiled at me, I realized I had at least armed her with the assurance that she’ll never face them alone.

Dear God, thank you for being the best friend that never lets us down. Help me teach my children this truth so they will want you as their best friend too.

Grandscape

Join us this Tuesday, May 10th from 9:00-12:00 for our next meeting as we dive back into our Momology curriculum with a presentation from Shelly Radic. She’ll be speaking on Grandscape: What’s my Place in God’s big picture? God permeates the Grandscape of things past, present, future. He wants to hold our hand through it all in a loving, intimate relationship.  We will be celebrating our Moms and have plenty of time for fellowship and discussion following Shelly Radic’s talk.

MOMOLOGY Theme 2011

We're gearing up for another great year at Hayden MOPS. We are looking forward to meeting new friends alongside our old ones and growing together in spirit, friendships, and as mothers.

Here is an outlook of our new theme "Momology - the art & science of mothering" 2010 - 2010.

Tanna M Friday
MOPS Discussion & Publicity Leader



In 2011, HaydenMOPS invites you to join in the learning process as together we explore Momology: The Art and Science of Mothering.

Mothering is both art and science. It combines all of who we are to shape healthy, resilient kids. Mothering is so complex it requires both sides of our brain – not to mention our hands and feet, eyes and ears, mouth and (sniff, sniff) unfortunately, sometimes even our noses!

There's the scientific side of mothering where we develop a hypothesis based on certain principles, test that hypothesis in real-time, consider the results and decide what parts worked and what parts didn't. We keep refining our hypotheses until we find what works for us.

Intertwined with the scientific, mothering requires an artistry that shades with our personality, colors with our unique gifts, and blends past and current experiences.

MOPS International has identified four essential elements for successful outcomes with our kids.

Core is about knowing and growing ourselves. Understanding and working with our unique temperament, experiences, and emotions in a way that develops resilience. Research clearly shows that a mom with a strong, resilient core is more likely to raise a child with a strong, resilient core.

Finesse is about honing practical mothering skills—intentionally carrying out our daily responsibilities in ways that encourage growth and resilience in our kids.

Circle is about building relationships with neighbors, care-givers, extended family and, most importantly, with our husbands or for single moms, with a parenting partner.

Grandscape is about engaging with God and his unique purpose for our lives. Both secular and Christian research identifies faith in God as an essential element for successful mothering.

Through Momology, as we explore together, we’ll be guided by an all-knowing, all-powerful, always-present God. Our theme verse for the year is:

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (Psalm 139:10)

Anywhere we go, God sees, knows, and guides. So we can lead — and love — knowing God will get us through all the hard spots, all our decisions, all our roles, all our times we can’t hold open our eyelids and the times we’re bursting with joy. God’s hand guides us as we guide our children. As we study Momology together to become better moms making a better world.

Steering Team Committee

2011 Hayden MOPS Steering Team

Coordinator/Finance

Becky Faulkner

Email: Oneinspiredmom@live.com

Discussion/Publicity Leader
Tanna Friday
Email: Lifeisgoodmom@gmail.com

Hospitality/MOPPETS Coordinator
Rebecca Prince
Email: princedr@bellsouth.net

MOPS Mentor
Sandra Hogg

Phone: (205) 647-
Service Jennifer Smith

Phone: (205) 543-5090


MOPPETS Team Debrah Benson (Nursery)

Sandra Ellis (2 year olds)

Jana Love (3 year olds)

Patsy Pennington (4 year olds)

Sophie Corder (Crafts)

Holly Stewart (Music)



2011-2012 Opportunities:

Finance

Discussion Group Leader

MOPPETS Coordinator

Publicity Leader

Assistants are welcome to any position, please contact a leader in the area of interest to see how you can help! 
Please note: to qualify for either of these positions, you must be a committed* member of MOPS for at least three months. 
* Committed member - you attend regular meetings without missing two consecutive meetings.