May 3: Krypton: Supermom: Let Me Hold You Longer

Today was our Mother's Day Brunch/Invite-Your-Mom meeting.  We had a wonderful morning together reflecting on the awesome privilege and responsibility of motherhood!  It was nice to have so many of our moms/mother-in laws join us this morning as well.  In addition to some extra door prizes and special gifts for our guests, we also had a craft sale (to clear out some of the old craft supplies in our cabinets) and mixed up some homemade body scrubs using Epsom salts, olive oil, and essential oils (which were then poured into decorated baby food jars). 

The topic of our talk this morning was "Let Me Hold You Longer" and our speaker used some excerpts from that book mixed with personal stories and photos to inspire and encourage us all.  She started by reminding us that motherhood is a priceless gift as well as an unrelenting responsibility.  At times we may get too caught up in the 3 D's of mothering: Dishes, Diapers, and Dust.  We need to remember that this season of our lives will go by too quickly and before we know it the kids will be grown. 
In the moments when we are stressed out, exhausted, and frustrated, we need to rest in God and cast our cares upon Him.  We should be alert to the many lessons that our children can teach us.

Also, we should try not to lose sight of what is real and what is important:
1) Everyday celebrate at least 1 thing; don't just wait for big events.  Celebrate the wonder of your family.....have a special meal, sing a silly song, dance around the house, etc.
2) Maintain Perspective: in the quiet moments of the day (like when the kids are asleep), we are reminded of our priorities and purpose as a mom.  Our job, leading our kids to God, is an eternal one!
3) Remember and capture the moments - take LOTS of pictures, keep a journal
4) Pray: Here is a wonderful prayer that our speaker shared with us today...

             Lord, give me the patience when wee hands
             Tug at me with their small demands
             Give me gentle and smiling eyes;
             Keep my lips from hasty replies.
             Let not weariness, confusion, or noise
             Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.
             So, when in years to come, my house is still
             No bitter memories its rooms may fill.


Mothering is a journey; every "last" is leading to another "first".  As our kids grow, and eventually move on to other things, parenting DOESN'T STOP...it just looks different.  

On those days, when you are overwhelmed with your responsibilities as a mother, keep this verse in mind:

Isaiah 41:13
For I hold you by your right hand—
      I, the Lord your God.
   And I say to you,
      ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

April 19: Oxygen: Need to Live - He is Risen!

While preparing our hearts for Easter, Pastor Mike Bellanti, lead pastor at Northbrook Church and father of two, spoke this week to encourage, inspire, and validate all moms.  He reminded us that there was someone in Jesus' life who was always with him - from conception to resurrection - Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Mary gave birth to the Hope of the World, a man who was fully God, but she was responsible for raising Him, a son who was also fully human. We are not raising children who are the Hope of the World, but Pastor Mike did remind us that in Genesis 1:27 we are told that we are created in the image of God.  We are not "just" a mom, we are caring for the image of God on Earth!  While our current culture may have diminished, devalued and disrespected the role of mothers, what greater job is there than to be caretakers of the image of God?

Pastor Mike lifted us up, reminding us that we are valued, appreciated and respected.  He also encouraged us to remember that motherhood (and life) is made up of different seasons.  Many mothers of preschoolers might agree that we are in the "I'm so tired I can't even think any more" season, but it will eventually come to an end.  And perhaps knowing the season will not last, we can learn to embrace the season we are in and navigate it successfully.  As it is written in Isaiah 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

What do we need during this season of life to feel renewed?

1. Appreciation, 
2. A break from life and its responsibilities, 
3. Rest and 
4. Validation.

So, moms, remember you ARE appreciated, otherwise God would not have entrusted you to care for His image on Earth!  Take the breaks you need - find an outlet to disengage and remove yourself so that you can renew and refresh your spirit to be more effective in life.  Rest when you can, but remember, this season will pass and rest will come.  Turn to Proverbs 31:30-31 and read God's validation:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
   but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. 

This Easter season while we celebrate the newness of life we have through Christ Jesus, let us also remember that there was a mom at the foot of that cross who had been entrusted with raising the Son of God on Earth.  Let us value our role as the caretakers of the image of God, and find our strength, renewal, rest and validation in the arms of our Father.

April 5: Lithium Battery: Leaders Keep Going and Going and Going....

Today's meeting was our annual Leadership Tea, a morning where we celebrate and recognize the importance of the moms in our group.  This year's tea was all about those inspiring and influential moments and people in our lives.  We also celebrated the influence that we have in our families, with our children, and with other friends/moms we come in contact with.  

Another important and exciting moment was the announcement that Northbrook is launching a NEW ministry for preschool moms.  Starting in September, we will be........

For more information about this new ministry, please click HERE.  We are currently accepting registration forms for next year (starting September 2011).  

The bulk of our morning consisted of powerful testimonies from a number of our steering team members.  These women shared about influential people and moments in their lives.  We finished up our morning with a slide show set to the song "Who You Are" by Hilary Weeks and the presentation of a "Moms of Influence" cake!

March 15: Lead: Put on Your Armor for a Great Marriage

We had the privilege of having Dr. Richard Marks, Executive Director of ConnectUs 4 Life, speak to us about marriage.  He shared a lot of interesting and practical advice about marriage.  Below are some of the highlights from today's presentation.  And if you are looking for some great "date night ideas", see this week's newsletter (follow the link on the lower right side of the page).

Humans were created "needy".
We all have needs that must be, and will be, met.
When our needs are met, we feel loved.  When they aren't met, we feel unloved.
PAIN pursues PLEASURE.

CARESS (an acronym for our basic needs):
   Comfort
   Attention, Acceptance, Affection,  
   Approval, Appreciation, Affirmation,  
   Respect                      
   Encouragement
   Security
   Support

When a loved one (spouse, child, etc) acts out, you can "discipline" the behavior, but you should also "listen for the need" behind the behavior.  What is the unmet need that is causing this behavior?

There is no place for competition in marriage/intimacy.  We need to give/serve/ meet others' needs, regardless of whether our needs are being met.  Jesus is our model for this!  He loves us and meets our needs even when we reject/ignore him.

What does it take to have a great marriage?  US!!
  US is the third entity in the marriage and it is a synergy/energy in the relationship.  It's about becoming "one flesh".
How do you know if you have US in your marriage?  You can FEEL it; you sense it's presence and you can sense it's absence.
   In a marriage there are decisions he makes, decisions she makes, and decisions that US makes.  Everyone needs to respect where decisions belong/whose decision something is!
  We need to fight for our US-ness. One needs to practice humility in order to keep US around. 
  When US wins, everyone wins!  When US loses, everyone loses!

Value your marriage and make it a priority.  Don't let the kids become a higher priority than your spouse/marriage.  Eventually, the children will grow up and leave the house, but you will still have each other.  Keep that bond strong! 
Click here to read more (from Thriving Family magazine) about enjoying your spouse and keeping your marriage a top priority!

March 1: Platinum Best: Women's Health

Though the title of today's program was "Women's Health", it was more focused on women's emotional and mental health.  No doubt we all struggle (or have struggled) with various emotional issues, so we were fortunate to have Sarah Reik, a licensed professional counselor, woman, Christian and mom speak with us candidly about some of our most pressing emotional challenges.  Sarah owns Trinity Counseling Services, LLC and specializes in Christian counseling, using the truth of God's Word to help hurting people. She works with individuals, couples, and families dealing with such issues as depression, anxiety, relationship problems, money management, job loss, struggling marriages, divorce recovery, adolescent issues, and stress management.

MOPS moms had submitted questions and topics prior to today's meeting for Sarah to prepare and discuss.  Some of the issues covered were:

• engaging an unwilling spouse in counseling,
• struggling with marital intimacy,
• grieving the loss of a child,
• identifying depression (postpartum or otherwise) in self or others,
• supporting an unemployed spouse.

As moms, we often think we should be able to "do it all".  Through Sarah's candid discussion, we were reminded that it's OK to ask for help, we don't have to do it all, and we are not alone.  There is no shame in seeking counseling.
What better way to care for our family if we first take care of our spiritual, emotional and mental health!