For my sweet friends that could not be there, here is my Mops good bye... I had to keep it cry proof, but I was shaking through it:)
Five and a
half years ago, I walked through the doors of Hope with my 6 month little boy
in my arms into a place where I knew no one.
Today I walk into the same building with my husband, nearly 6 year old
boy and 3 year olds girl. The kids break
off to spin in the chairs and skip carelessly through the halls while we greet
so many friends. They learn about God
and love, they feel safe, we feel at peace, this is a home to us. Remember though that 5 and ½ years ago I
walked into Mops not knowing even what it was or what it would mean in my
life. God knew though, had a plan for
how Mops could work in our family.
As you all
sit here, you are in your own journey of motherhood and faith. I know that many of you are in the place
where I was 5 years ago. Maybe you feel
insecure about yourself as a mother or are trying to decide where you fit in
this new role as a mother. I pray that
Mops can be a help to you in your journey and that through the sight of moms graduating today you can realize that
though the days are long these precious years will be gone in no time.
So here are
my Mops/mothering tips, secrets, suggestions, and blatant opinions as my last
time getting to hog the microphone from me to you:
1. Don’t judge… tough one right we all
get caught up on this trap from time to time.
Some moms nurse, others bottle feed.
Some have family beds while others put their kids the first night right
in their crib gasp (me). We do what we
need to do to survive and sometimes even thrive. It is okay if a parenting style is not for
you, just remember nothing is right for all of us which makes.
2. Go places, do things oh and stay home
too. Take the risk to go somewhere where
you know no one, that is what got me here.
Also have those special at home days where you enjoy the simple
pleasures with your children. A full day
of TV on a rainy day won’t rot your child’s brain, Cole is living proofJ
3. Kids driving you crazy… My best
survival tips take walks, go outside, put them in the tub, give them sponges
and let them clean, have a dance party, and if all else fails find a door with
a lock and go behind it put ear plugs in your ears and pretend you are
somewhere else for at least 30 seconds.
4. Join in- everyone can do something
for someone with in the Mops community.
Set goals, make at least one meal a year for someone this year. No one is expecting Paula Deen or Julia
Childs, you can buy a rotisserie chicken
or make your own pizza. Staff a bake sale, be a DGL, cut the bagels, wash the
serving spoons, make the coffee. Serving
in Mops makes you part of it and none of it ever goes unnoticed. Not by us and
certainly not by God. Sometimes all you
have left to give is to just be here and that is too is enough.
5. Feel safe at Mops, the number one
thing that drew me to stay at Mops was that there was no back stabbing or
criticizing. If there was no answer to
the problem, people didn’t give advice they prayed for me and they meant it.
6. Your support system lives in this
room. How did I survive those little
bitty years with my children without family, my friends in Mops. No grandmother to snuggle your baby, not a
problem we got you, husband away all the time we got that too, had a bad day
and need a shoulder to cry on got you… grief, joy, pain, love we have you for
everything… Just know that you can reach out.
Little secret no one is turned away because they can’t pay, no one is
turned away when they need meals, no one is turned away when they need prayers,
coverage for doctors appointments. You
all make it happen for each other no matter what.
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