Nov. 24 Meeting Announcements

• Food Next Meeting – Noisy Planet and Planet Meltdown


• Next meeting – December 8^th – Christmas Meeting – Fun crafts, get to know other members of our mops group and good food.


• Operation Christmas child update – we were able to drop off over 20 boxes to be given to children in need this season. You guys are amazing, what a blessing to those children and families.


• Spare change drive – We will have a drawing today for the necklace of the month!


• Script program. This is a program in which you can purchase gift cards to over 200 stores and our MOPS group will receive a portion of the total amount.


• Picture directory is available on our blog fccmops.wordpress.com … please check you email for the password to view the directory


• This includes a list of our MOPPET teachers and the classes they are in. Please consider helping your children sign Christmas cards for their teachers.


• December all MOPS event – Dessert and Dancing – Dec. 11^th – sign up today with Leah Casagranda. $10 fee per couple. Location, FCC Red Theater.

NEPALI Jewelry Open House

NEPALI Jewelry Open House:

Where:    Amy McLean's House

When:     Thursday, November 19th 4-9pm

Friday, November 20th, 3-9pm

Saturday, November 21st, 3-9pm

The proceeds from this event benefit Nepali women who are widowed, abandoned, physically handicapped, left in extreme poverty, or have been tricked into prostitution.  Amy's sister, Karen, works with these women as they are severally marginalized and receive no  finacial support from the government or church ( the church provides emotional and spiritual support, but the church is also poor) and have no hope for the future.  Aside from the cost of goods and shipping, 100% of the remaining money is used to assist these women in Nepal with health care, emergencies and other needs for their families.  Motivated by Christ's love for our Nepali sisters in the Lord, Amy, her mom, her sister Lisa, and a handful of volunteers sell the jewelry at various open houses through out the year.  We would be so happy if you, your family, friends and co-workers would join us for this benefit so we can further the well being of these women and their families.

Tim and Karen Chase have been on staff with Mission Aviation Fellowship (www.maf.org) since 1995, first in Indonesia, and now in Nepal. Karen is involved with God-centered organizations in Nepal which include Emmanuel Crafts (women whose husbands have abandoned them or died), Princess Home and Bethesda Crafts ( homes for women rescued from prostitution), and Higher Grounds ( an outreach coffee shop). Through their employment, the women are able to provide a simple living for themselves and their families and basic education for their children.

Talented/Skilled Moms

[caption id="attachment_285" align="alignright" width="160" caption="courtesy of Megan Kreitzberg"][/caption]

It is now the middle of November and most of us have begun our Christmas shopping and preparations. Our MOPS group has some very talented moms with some very special skills. For example, you may knit/crochet, scrapbook, sew designer baby clothes/accessories, design cards such as announcements, invitations, holiday cards, sew mother/daughter or son aprons, make jewelry, etc. The list could go on and on. Therefore, for the benefit of our MOPS moms, please comment and share your talent/skill with the rest of us.

**Only FCC MOPS moms' comments will be approved.**

Invite your friends!!!

Invite your friends!!! One week from today (11/24) Julie Thomas, a fellow MOPS mom, will speak on The Angry Mom: Where did all these emotions come from? You don't want to miss it. If you will not be at this meeting or you are bringing a friend, please let your DGL know ASAP.

Paula Valenta 11-10-09

Hi Ladies. This past Tuesday Paula Valenta spoke on Sex and Intimacy. If you would like to listen to her talk, click here.

 

Thank You

In case you are looking for a way to say "Thank you" to our troops this Veteran's Day or anytime, here are a couple of links.

www.anysoldier.com

We have "What to Send", "How to Send" and "FAQ" pages to help you properly send letters and packages, please read these. Be sure to also read our "New & Stuff" and "Success Stories" pages. This effort is 110% voluntary. You send your support, and maybe some stuff, directly to whatever unit or units you want.

www.amillionthanks.com

A Million Thanks is a year-round campaign to show our appreciation to our U.S. Military Men and Women, past and present for their sacrifices, dedication, and service to our country through our letters, emails, cards, and prayers.

A special thanks to Erin Wernlein for providing us with these helpful sites.

***Updated*** Christmas Wish

***Noah's Family celebrated their early Christmas over the weekend and have been overloaded with cards and gifts.  Though they're grateful for the outpouring, his parents have requested that no additional mail be sent, as they are now just focusing on their time with Noah.***

The story of Noah Biorkman has been brought to the attention of our MOPS group. Here is the email that was received by one of our MOPS mom's.

A friend of our neighbor's has a 5 yr old son, Noah. He is in the last stages of a 2 1/2 year battle with Neuroblastoma Cancer. His family is celebrating Christmas early this year and Noah's request is to get a lot of Christmas cards. If you can help fill this little boy's last "Christmas" with cards, please send them to: Noah Biorkman 1141 Fountain View Circle, South Lyon, MI 48178

If you would like to know more about this request, here are a couple of links:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/11/thousands_send_early_christmas.html

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/medical/biorkman.asp

Reminder: MOPS tomorrow 11/10

Hi Ladies,

I hope that you all had a great weekend. I look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday. There are quite a few announcements. If you have any questions please call or email your DGL.

1.0 Our speaker this meeting is Paula Valenta. She will be speaking on Sex and Intimacy. Julie Thomas, a fellow MOPS mom, will be speaking the 4th Tuesday of November, 11/24. Her topic is The Angry Mom: Where did all these Emotions Come From.

2.0 Please remember to bring your Operation Christmas Child items/boxes to the meeting.

3.0 Bring your Spare Change. For every $1, you are entered to win a Nepali, handmade necklace.

4.0 Our next fundraiser will be a gift card purchase. This will continue throughout the entire year but it is a great opportunity for gifts this holiday season or a way to stay in budget when going to the store. As soon as we get the information, a link will also be on the blog where you can buy the gift cards online.

5.0 The November all MOPS event is on November 18 from 6-8pm at Supper Solutions (92nd/Harlan). Planet Clean-up is hosting. It is up to you how much this event costs. To select your meals, go to http://suppersolutionsinc.com and then email Michelle Klepper your selections by November 15.

6.0 The December all MOPS event is hosted by Planet Forgetful. It will be Dessert and Dancing on December 11, in the Red Theater at Foothills.  The cost will be $10. Childcare will not be provided. More information to come.

7.0 Stephanie Ours is hosting a New to MOPS event on November 21 at 10am. Any mom that is new to MOPS (Aug 09) is invited to this event at Stephanie's home. Please rsvp to Stephanie at ours9@comcast.net.

8.0 Tables up for food tomorrow are Planet Feed Me and Planet Hugs and Kisses.

9.0 Congratulations to Erin Leyba. Baby Claire was born on Saturday.

I think that is all for now. See you Tuesday.

Divorce Proof Your Marriage

Here is a letter from Erin with the notes from DeeDee's talk following.

Hi everyone,

I wanted to follow up to the last mops meeting on October 29^th with DeeDee Woodman, on how to protect your marriage. Somewhere in the transfer from ipod to computer, and through restarting of said computer, the talk has been deleted, from everything. So, we have compiled an outline of notes from the talk, which can be viewed on our blog. I am so sorry that I was unable to transfer that properly, at all. I know that one of these days we will be able to get it to work! I realize that it was a lot of information and could be viewed as somewhat threatening, but as Deedee stated, I really feel like this is such an important topic for us, as moms and women, in this season.

While I have not experienced betrayal within my own marriage, I recently learned about an out-of-state friend who had betrayed her husband.  I thought I knew this friend.  It rocked my world more than I could have ever imagined.  I feel that we need to be ever aware of the reality that this can happen; that it is the prime desire of Satan to tear our marriages apart, and that it can happen to someone we know and it can happen to us.  While I can’t even begin to comprehend being on the side of the betrayed or betrayer, I do understand how it can affect a friendship, a marriage and a family.

So, with that being said, if this is something that you have experienced in any capacity, I’d encourage you to find a ‘safe’ person and talk to them.  I am here if you need to talk, and if you aren’t comfortable talking to me, seek out a mentor mom, or a mentor in your life, or seek out professional counseling, I will gladly pass along DeeDee’s information, deedeewoodmanlpc.com or that of another counselor if you are interested.

One thing I would ask, if someone comes to you with this type of personal information, this trust, guard that with all that is in you. If you are the one seeking out someone to talk with, make sure you let them know your expectations right off the bat, so that there is no confusion. It can be as simple as “I am trusting that this will go no further than you.” If you are the one someone comes to, they are expecting you to be a safe place for them to come to, be a listening ear, don’t plan on solving everything for them. Just be there, and guard and respect the trust that they are instilling in you, if they chose to share with you. I can’t reiterate that enough; respect their decision to tell you, by not telling anyone (period).

I spoke with Paula Valenta, or next speaker, and filled her in on where this talk went. And she asked me to see if anyone had any follow-up questions that they would like her to address in her talk on the 10^th. If you do, email them to her at mtndewluver@yahoo.com, or you can email them to me at my personal email address and I will pass them along to her. If we could get her any questions by Friday of this week, that will give her adequate time to address them in her talk.

Have a great rest of the week.

I love you guys!

Erin Leyba- FCC MOPS Coordinator

Notes

Men need the following from their wife:

Respect

Sex

Time Alone/ Guy Time

Confidence Builders

Forgiveness

To know that they are enough

To know that they are their wife's priority

Shared interest

Affirmation

An attractive Spouse (Don't let yourself go)

A partner ("She's got my back")

Men communicate shoulder to shoulder not face to face as women do. Face to face may cause them to feel threatened or trapped.

What shuts a man down?

Disrespect, criticism, disrespect in front of others, rejection, unrealistic expectations

What can a wife do to divorce proof her marriage?

Date night (limit talk about the kids)

Give him time when he walks in the door to decompress from work (don't dump on him the minute he walks in)

Ask what are his tops three expectations when he comes home

Non-sexual touch

Do things for yourself (continue to pursue interests before kids)

Pick your battles (Is this a hill you want to die on?)

Don't assume only you know what is best for your children

Encourage "man time" without guilt

Write a respect letter

Suggested Readings:

Love & Respect by Dr Emerson Eggerich

The Five Love Languages by Dr Gary Chapman

Discussion Questions:

In what ways do you struggle showing your husband Respect?

What specifically do you need to do to "invest" in your relationship?

What is something specific you learned today about men that might help you in your relationship with your husband?

A month of Thankfulness

It seems like Thanksgiving is sometimes shadowed by Halloween and Christmas if not overlooked all together. However, here is a way to emphasize Thankfulness the entire month of November. In this month's Colorado Parent magazine, they suggested creating a wall of gratitude or if you are crafty, a turkey with "thankful" feathers.  Each day, each member of your household writes what they are thankful for on a sticky note or feather and then places it on the wall. On Thanksgiving day, all of the notes are read.

Here is a basic turkey coloring sheet that you can use for your Thankful Turkey.

Another option for those of us who facebook is to include something you are thankful for in your status each day.

Do you have something special that you do with your children that focuses on Thankfulness? If so, please share it with us.

Operation Christmas Child Boxes

Hi,

I wanted to let you know of a unique opportunity presented by one of our MOPS moms. We have a mom who is donating the shipping cost of $7 for 20 Operation Christmas Child boxes. So, what this means for you is that if an additional box is something you would like to do with your family, neighborhood, MOPS table, etc… then she will cover the shipping, up to 20 additional boxes. What a great way to get our families and friends involved in this Christmas outreach.

 

Simply bring your filled box to MOPS this coming Tuesday, the 10^th, or to the Thanksgiving meeting on the 24^th and we will see that your shipping is covered.

 

Please contact Stephanie Ours if you need the information regarding the guidelines and items that are suitable for these boxes or click here.

 

Thanks again for taking part in this Christmas Outreach!

 

Erin Leyba

FCC MOPS Coordinator

November all MOPS event

The November all MOPS event will be November 18 from 6-8pm at Supper Solutions located on 92nd/Harlan. The cost of this event varies according to how many meals each participant wishes to prepare. Meals can be selected by going to http://www.suppersolutionsinc.com/ and clicking on "menu" and selecting the Westminster kitchen. Participants should notify Michelle Klepper of selections by phone or email no later than Sunday, November 15, so that Supper Solutions can prepare for our event.