march 2015
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What God Really Wants for Moms with Young Children by Lisa Jacobson, http://www.thebettermom.com/blog/2015/2/22/what-god-wants-for-mom-with-young-children I readied myself for what I guessed I had coming. I was tired, weary, and so far behind . . . in pretty much everything. House, crafts, cooking, laundry, and love. Never enough and not good enough. Hopelessly behind. Here I was 7 months pregnant with several other very young children at home. And I just couldn’t seem to pull it together. So I hesitantly approached this seasoned mother - the godly woman and lovely example that she was - to receive the admonition I was sure I deserved. Waiting for my Get it together and Get tough and Get going. Yes, I had it coming . . . .But her actual words surprised me. Gentleness. That’s what you need, dear mom, gentleness. Her answer was so unexpected that I didn’t know quite what to make of it. Then she softly explained, “He gently leads those with young. If you’re a mom with young children, He desires gentleness for you.” He will tend his flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in his arms; He will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. ~ Isaiah 40:11
Announcements Our next MOPS playdate is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 at 10 a.m. at the downtown Edmond History Museum (431 S. Boulevard) kids’ play area. Admission is free.
If you know that you will be missing a MOPS meeting or that you will not be bringing your kid(s) to a meeting, please e-mail childcare@fpcedmond.org to let them know. This will greatly help our childcare workers in MOPPETS.
Isn’t that beautiful to know? That our God doesn’t want us running around until we drop. He doesn’t desire for us to take on more and more until we can hardly see straight. We were not meant to buckle up our little one in his car seat, unbuckle, and then buckle up again. Over and over. Running to this meeting and that appointment. Pressures everywhere we turn. Slow down, dear mom. Your God wants to lead you tenderly and carefully. He would never drag you around at a pace you can’t keep. He is a good Father who cares about you and recognizes the precious work you’re doing by loving your little ones. This is not a season to take on more, but to live with less. This is your Slow and Gentle Season.
Ways to Slowly Bring Gentleness into Your Life
• Reduce your social obligations (or increase them, if you’ve got cabin-fever) • Take a sabbatical from meetings, committees, volunteering, etc. • Simplify the meals you make: basic, healthy, and nutritious is just fine • Settle for “tidy” in your home, rather than ultra-clean • Make it a high priority to get your rest • Stop to enjoy your pregnancy. Be still and feel that baby moving around. Sing and pray over your child. • Take time to get on the floor with your toddler with no other agenda than the sheer joy of it. • Meditate on Scripture verses that quietly turn your heart toward God. • So if you’re feeling pushed around or pulled apart, then maybe . . . quite possibly . . . it’s not God who is leading you. But rather other things and other people. And they don’t need to determine your pace. Only God. And He leads gently, dear mom.
Broccoli Salad with Bacon Recipe http://www.recipesforourdailybread.com/best-broccoli-with-bacon-recipe/
INGREDIENTS 2 large bunches fresh broccoli florets, chopped 8 slices bacon, cook and crumble the bacon 1 small red onion, finely chopped ½ cup carrots, shredded ½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup dried cranberries 1 cup mayonnaise 4 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice INSTRUCTIONS 1. Stir together mayonnaise, honey, and lemon juice and set aside. 2. Cook and crumble the bacon. 3. Chop the broccoli and onion. 4. Shred the carrots. 5. Add the sunflower seeds and the cranberries to the broccoli, carrots, and onion. 6. Toss the salad with the prepared dressing.
10 MOM PRAYERS Visio�
I pray that I will have a clear vision of what I hope to accomplish as a mother, so that I may guide my family with purpose.
S t. Patrick’s Day activities with your kids St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and can be a fun holiday to incorporate some festive activities with your kids. If you are looking for a few ideas, below are a few links that you may want to check out:
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he. - Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)
Wisdom
I pray for wisdom so that I may make good decisions as I parent my children. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. - James 1:5
Self Control
I pray, Lord, that you will help me control myself in all things so that I will be my best for my children. Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. - Proverbs 25:28
Financial Responsibility I pray that will spend money wisely so that our family will not face the burden of debt. I pray that I will also be generous instead of greedy. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. - Timothy 6:10
Energy
I pray for physical and mental energy to take care of my family’s needs. Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31
A Kind Heart I Pray that my heart will overflow with kindness and that it will show in my words and actions.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. - Galatians 5:22
Creativity Patience I pray that my mind will be open to creative ways to play with, interact with, and guide my children.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10
My Marriage I pray that I will lovingly care for my marriage so that it can be a source of joy and security for my family.
Marriage should be honored by all… - Hebrews 13:4
I pray for patience that will help me hold my tongue, reduce my irritation, and lovingly let my children go at their own pace. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. - Colossians 3:12
HOPE
I pray that I will always have hope in you, Lord, and that my hope will allow me to see solutions and opportunities even in the midst of challenge. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure… - Hebrews 6:19
Newsletter Submissions If you have any ideas of articles, recipes or tips you would like to include in upcoming newsletters, please submit your ideas to mopsedmondfpc@gmail.com.
• Game http://www.traurigsintraining.com/teachablemoment-st-patricks-day/ • Teaching Trinity https://ihavenogreaterjoy.wordpress. com/2013/03/13/teaching-the-trinity-for-st-patricks-day/ • Coloring pages http:// thecraftyclassroom. com/2015/02/19/ st-patricks-day-bibleverse-coloring-pages/ • Recipes http:// www.examiner. com/list/10-great-stpatrick-s-day-desserts • Books http:// www.reallifeathome. com/st-patricksday-resources-fortoddlers-preschoolersand-kindergartenstudents/
Alisa Nelson Studio
Paintings * Lettering * Children’s Art * Art Lessons * And More! alisanelsonstudio.com alisa@alisanelsonstudio.com facebook.com/alisanelsonstudio 405-921-1883
Six Essential Ways to Increase Your Patience
FROM http://equippinggodlywomen.com/parenting/six-essential-ways-to-increase-your-patience/ If ever there was a virtue that we as moms need more of, it’s patience! Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, a mom to one or a mom to many, a nurturing mom or a strict mom… chances are that you run out of patience and lose your cool sometimes. Maybe more often than you’d like to admit. I’ll admit it. Patience is definitely something that I need to work on. And I know I’m not alone in this. Thankfully for me–and for you!–patience isn’t a skill that we’re either born with or not. You can take real steps every day that will help you increase your level of patience for your children and everyone around you. 1. Take Better Care of Your Health I can definitely tell a HUGE difference in the amount of patience I have when I am taking care of my health and when I am not. When I get enough sleep, exercise and healthy foods, I am MUCH more enjoyable to be around. When I get so busy that I start neglecting my health, however, I get grumpy fast. The same is probably true for you, too. If you frequently find yourself running out of patience, maybe you need to make your health a priority. 2. Focus on the Things that Matter If you stop to think about it, so many of the things that we get upset about really don’t matter in the long run. So what if you’re five minutes late to church? So what if your kids break a window? Is it really worth the fight? Are you really going to care 5, 10 or 15 years from now? Save your energy for the battles that are worth fighting. 3. Wake Up Earlier I used to wake up at the same time as my children, and it was okay for a while. But now that I’m busier than ever, I find I NEED to wake up before them. Otherwise, I wake up feeling already behind and the day gets off on the wrong foot from the start. I don’t wake up much earlier than they do, but even just 15 – 30 minutes earlier gives me enough time to wake up, to spend some quiet time with God and to plan my day. 4. Shorten Your To-Do List One very common reason why many moms (myself included) are running low on patience
is because we are simply too busy. When you have 1,000 tasks you feel like you have to get done each day, it’s all too easy for your children’s cries for attention to become a “distraction” or a “nuisance.” It’s not your children’s fault that they want your attention. Kids are made to crave it! How sad to think about all the joys we miss out on because we are too busy. Find ways to remove items from your to-do list or to delegate them to others as much as possible. 5. Be Realistic with Your Expectations Another reason why moms commonly run out of patience is because we forget that our children are still little and that they aren’t always as capable as we expect them to be. I’m all for having high expectations, but children aren’t naturally quick when it comes to getting ready or eating breakfast. They don’t always remember how to share, and they don’t always know yet how to take good care of their toys. How often do we get annoyed and frustrated with our children for not knowing how to do things they aren’t developmentally ready to do or that we haven’t taught them how to do yet? 6. Don’t Reward Bad Behavior Lastly, if your lack of patience is because your children are doing the same naughty tasks over and over and over, have you thought about how you might be contributing to the situation? For example, have you ever given in to your child’s temper tantrum or bribed them with a cookie to get them to behave? While these measures work in the short run, they set you up for a whole lot of misbehavior down the road. And nothing tries a mom’s patience like having to tell her children to stop for the millionth time. Set clear expectations and consequences, and don’t be afraid to follow through.
Dr. Seuss D
ay
Easy way to clean a waffle iron
Make matching tulle skirts
Toy Soldier Day
All the ways to use washi tape
Glowing bedtime bottle
Pepperoni pizza waffle
Have a couple’s fitness challenge
Lucky St. Patrick’s Day banner
Potato Chip Day
Making learning fun
Fake bigger windows
DIY kid-sized foosball table
Give your baby a massage
Crockpot balsamic pork pot roast
St. Patrick’s Day
What kind of hostess are you?
Ten tips for military moms during deployment
FIRST DAY OF SPRING
Functioning when you work opposite shifts
Puppy Day
Give yourself a faux-bob
Have a ballerina fun day
Make your own gummy vitamins
Make a kaleidoscope
Have fun with mason jars
Turn an old ok into a n bo
ar
t tote
Crayola Cr on ay
New uses for your favorite photos
Day
Palm Sunday
Community Events
FIND MORE ACTIVITIES http://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/Calendar/
March 14 // OKC St. Patrick’s Day Fest & Parade 11 AM // Downtown Oklahoma City Live music, beer, food and fun for everyone. Decorated floats, animals, antique tractors, civic clubs and clowns will make their way through the city.
March 22 // FREE Open Streets of OKC Noon-4 PM // NW 23rd Street (b/w Western & Robinson) A day of non-motorized activity. Everyone is invited to walk, bike, skate or board while meeting local business owners and enjoying local food and fun activities.
March 21 // FREE 5th Annual Cowboy RoundUp 10 AM-2PM // Oklahoma History Center Cowboy reenactors, a chuck wagon and hands-on activities like rope making, pretend branding Dutch oven cooking and more. Children are encouraged to dress the part.
March 27-29 // FREE Medieval Fair of Norman 10 AM-7 PM // Reaves Park (2501 Jenkins Ave., Norman) Arts, crafts, food, games, educational exhibits, demonstrations and ongoing entertainment at seven stages, including minstrels, dancing, reenactments, jugglers, knights jousting on horseback and human chess games.
March 21 // FREE Heard on Hurd 6-10 PM // Downtown Edmond (on Broadway between Main & Hurd) A monthly celebration ont he third Saturday each month featuring local musicians and food trucks.
April 1 // FREE Eggstravaganza 4-7 PM // Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2401 Chatauqua Ave., Norman) Complimentary admission, games, crafts, discovery tables with museum specimens to explore, photos with the bunny and an egg hunt.