Momology February Newsletter Branson PM MOPS

It seems that the longer I've been married, more and more frequently I hear of struggling Chris-tian marriages. I know these couples never in-tended to be in such a desperate place. When they said their wedding vows of "for better or worse," they never imag-ined that the "worse" part would include thoughts of divorce appearing as a good option.

When I hear about these couples, I turn my thoughts toward my own marriage. I hug my hus-band tightly and whisper prayers of thanksgiving that we are together, committed, and growing closer.

You see, this hasn't always been the case for us. For about half of our fifteen years of marriage, we fought constantly and al-though we loved each other passionately, we just couldn't figure out

how to be married or how to be a couple.

Finally, in desperation, I cried out to God asking Him what I should do. His answer surprised me. In the still, small voice in my heart, God told me to surrender my marriage to Him. I knew that the key to surrendering my mar-riage was trusting God. Instead of trying to be in control by telling my husband and God what to do, I learned to set my eyes on Christ and to ask Christ what He wanted me to do in my marriage.

Since that day, I have focused on being the kind of wife God wants me to be. I have searched the Scrip-tures, and one step at a time I have obeyed God's commands for being a godly wife.

Many times it has felt

like two steps for-ward and one step back. But that's still progress! God has transformed our mar-riage into one of friendship, intimacy, and laughter, instead of the strife-filled marriage we had pre-viously experienced.

God knows all about your marriage. He knows all about you. He knows all about your husband. Your marriage is a gift from Him, and can bring God glory and you joy when you sur-render your marriage to Him. Start today by trusting God, and see what happens as you allow God to transform your mar-riage.

Surrendering Your Marriage

February 2011

Inside this Issue:

Surrender Marriage~ 1

Penny Saving Tips~ 2

Steering Team~ 3

MOPS PM Sponsors~ 3

Upcoming Events~ 4

Kids in the Kitchen~ 4

Crafts for Kids~ 5

Small Group Leaders~ 5

Love is Action~ 6

Classifieds~ 7 Service Dates ~ 7

Getting Past Tears~ 8

Celebrations~ 9 The Joy of Giving~ 9

What to Expect~10

Next Next Next Next Meeting Meeting Meeting Meeting

FEB. 8th @ FEB. 8th @ FEB. 8th @ FEB. 8th @ 6:00 pm6:00 pm6:00 pm6:00 pm

Penny Saving Tips

Tips for Saving Money This Valentine’s Day Is it possible to have a romantic and memorable Valentine’s Day on a budget? Valentine’s Day is such a roman-tic holiday, and many of us give in to the marketing associated with it and spend way more than we can afford. The answer is yes, of course. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and below you’ll find some helpful suggestions for celebrating this day while not feeling like you took Cupid’s arrow through your pocketbook.

Bringing Gourmet Home

Enjoying a gourmet dinner at home can save you money but also is more intimate at the same time. Set the mood and create an inviting environment by dimming the lights, using red table linens, and lighting candles. The cost will much cheaper than going out to eat plus you can customize the menu and make your sweetheart’s favorite dish.

Put Some Elbow Into It

Rather than give your sweetheart a gift certificate to go to the spa and get a massage you can of-fer the massage yourself. And ladies, guys like massages too.

Find It Free

For all those parents who plan to get out for the evening on Valentine’s Day enlist the help of “free” babysitting by calling Grandma and Grandpa. If you’re spending money on going out, try to save on babysitting. Plus Valentine’s Day will be fun for your kids too if they get to see their grandparents.

Sometimes The Early Bird Isn't The Winner

You can always try celebrating Valentine’s Day after February 14. That’s not all that uncommon of a practice. When Valentine’s Day falls during the workweek it is sometimes impractical to celebrate the holiday on the exact day it occurs. This year Valentine’s Day falls in the middle of the week on a Wednesday, so you can look for ways to celebrate the holiday on the following weekend. Candy and other Valentine’s Day merchandise is usually discounted the day after.

Look for ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day at a discount so you can have just as much fun but at a fraction of the price.

2010-2011

Steering Team

Co-Coordinators:

Mary Blackwood 417.332.7917

Tennille Michel 417.527.1063

Publicity

DeAnna Sheets 417.880.9936

Finance

Melody Alms 417.294.4264

Prayer & Care

April Mulnik 417.527.0091

Hospitality

Amy Wilhoit 417.336.9822

Kami Biedenstein 417.348.0695

Craft Coordinator:

Hollie Holderfield 417.263.0484

MOPPETS:

Jenine Conway 417.239.0632

Kelly Skoglund 404.819.6527

Service:

Teresa Boyd 417.634.0381

Mentor Moms:

Carolyn 417-294-1051

Peg 417.335.2525

Kathy 417.339.4108

Susie 703.220.3012

Have you check out the Branson PM MOPS website?

Visit us online to view past newsletters, registration in-formation, calendar with upcoming dates and more

about our sponsors.

www.bransonmops.com

Gold and Platinum Sponsors Check out our website for more information about these

sponsors:

Instructions

1. To begin, lightly coat a 10- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside. 2. Melt the margarine in a large pot over low heat. Add the marshmallows, stirring them continuously until they melt. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in drops of red food coloring until the color receives a thumbs-up from the chef. 3. Add the Rice Krispies, stirring until they are evenly coated with marshmallow. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet. 4. With waxed paper (or lightly buttered hands), smooth out the mixture, spreading it to an even thickness. 5. Cut out hearts with the cookie cutter. Place each heart in a clear plastic bag, tie on a yarn bow, and they're ready for giving. Makes seven 5-inch hearts.

Ingredients:

*Cooking Spray *3 tbsp of margarine *red food coloring *9 cups Rice Krispies cereal *Heart-shaped cookie cutter *Plastic bags, yarn cups mini (or 60 regular-size) marshmallows

Kids in the Kitchen Kids in the Kitchen Kids in the Kitchen Kids in the Kitchen Recipes for Kids

~Upcoming Events~

Factory Merchants Branson Presidents' Day Sale~ Factory Merchants Branson is having its Annual Presidents' Day Sale, Fri-Mon, February 18-21, 2011. Extra discounts off the everyday savings. Titanic Museum's Sweetheart Month - February 2011~ February 1, 2011 thru February 28, 2011 It's a month-long celebration and a tribute to romance onboard The Titanic!

Would you like to renew your wedding vows on the Grand Staircase? This is the perfect month to do it. Call early, though, because the reservation times fill up quickly. Every ceremony is pre-sided over by the ship's captain. In 2008, 1948 couples renewed their wedding vows at The Ti-tanic - and in 2009, over 1800 couples participated! Promenade of Ice - A Skating Rink at the Branson Landing~ Monday thru Thursday 3:00-8:00 pm and Friday thru Sunday Noon-8:00 pm 30 minutes $5 + tax 1 hour $10 + tax

2010-2011

Small Group Leaders

Small Group Coordinator:

Stacy McNeil 417.336.1111

Small Group Leaders:

Angie Smith 417.443.6050 Larene Thrash 417.348.1911

Maryann Riveros 417.336.8706

Kim Matthews 417.230.6409

Tami Guerin 417.880.7370

Sarah Matthews 417.334.58.12

Sara DeLawder 417.230.2811

Cara Conway 417.331.3001

Lori Larimore 417.337.5747

Adriane Stauffer 417.294.1321

Your small group leaders are here for you, here to guide you, pray for you, and help you feel welcome to our group. If you have any questions or need please don’t hesitate to ask your small group leader or another steering team

member! We want NO MOM LEFT ALONE!

Crafts for KidsCrafts for KidsCrafts for KidsCrafts for Kids Pin-Pricked Paper Heart Card

One easy way to decorate a card is to make a design on white or light-colored paper, using a tra-ditional pin-pricking or piercing technique. The result can be as simple or complex as you choose.

Laced Heart Card

To make this Valentine's Day card, kids "lace up their hearts" for someone special in their life.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down

his life for his friends.

~John 15:3

Love is Action

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to ggive up out lives for our brothers and sisters. . . . Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. ~1 John 3:16, 18 Moms are good examples of the principle expressed in these verses, because we often demonstrate love for our families through our actions. We get up in the mid-dle of the night to feed or calm a crying baby. We clean up after a child who has vomited. (My husband use to say, “Please don’t make me clean that up, or you’ll have two messes.”) We play Candyland six times in one day. We sit through a three-hour baseball game. When you put head on the pillow tonight, remember the many ways you have shown love through your actions, and thank God for enabling you.

Secret Sister Info

If you need to drop from secret sister please contact Kami

Biedenstein at 417.348.0695 or

[email protected]

SAVE THE DATESAVE THE DATESAVE THE DATESAVE THE DATE

Annual Tea &

Testimony

April 2, 2011

More details to come. . . .

Classifieds…….I want…….I have…...I Need E-mail DeAnna Sheets if you have something you would like to place in the Classifieds. “I

needs” will be kept confidential and not published. DeAnna will help find someone who can help

and get what you need to you. E-mail [email protected]

I Have. . .

*Baby stuff: high chair, Diaper Genie, Avent bottle system, bottle warmer, infant tub, misc. toys for age 0-24 mo (contact Tracie Gones @ [email protected] or 417-300.5478 )

*Bike Trailer (contact Jeanie Anderson @ [email protected])

*Set of 4 oak dining chairs (contact Jeanie Anderson @ [email protected]) *Light green and silver car seat for a in-fant (contact Cindy Hall @ 423-863-7088 or [email protected]) *Full size bed with all the bedding, Frame, box spring, mattress, brown bed skirt, blue/brown comforter, matching sheets, pillow cases & shams. (Contact Amanada @417-527-8274 or [email protected])

*I also have twin bedding $30, Americana Quilt, sheets, pillow case, sham, bed skirt, & 1 pillow. (Contact Amanada @417-527-8274 or [email protected])

I Have Continued….

*Creative Memories discontinued items at at least 50% off (Contact Kim Ellett @ [email protected])

I Want. . .

*A twin size mattress with or without boxsprings (contact Tracie Gones @ [email protected] or 417-300.5478 )

*Clothes for a boy in sizes 4-5 Year (contact Debbie Schuhow [email protected] or 417-243-2331 ) *Co-sleeper crib (contact Cindy Hall @ 423-863-7088 or [email protected]) *Couches and Furniture for Brother (contact Cindy Hall @ 423-863-7088 or [email protected])

Women’s Crisis Center

Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center Small Group Schedule for Women’s Crisis Center

February 19February 19February 19February 19----Kim/Adrianne March 19March 19March 19March 19- Tami/Sara/Sarah April 16April 16April 16April 16-Larene/Kim May 21May 21May 21May 21- Angie/Cara Summer Dates to Come

Getting Past the TearsGetting Past the TearsGetting Past the TearsGetting Past the Tears (Article taken from Kids Today Magazine)

Throughout our lives, humans cry to express physical and emotional pain. From the first yelp out of their mothers’ womb, newborns communicate through crying for up to three hours a day.

Crying can be due to anger, confusion, frustration or an inability to express needs and wants. Common causes of crying in the first six months of life include:

• boredom

• colic

• discomfort-too hot or too cold

• gas

• hunger

• loneliness

• overstimulation

• teething

• tiredness

We recommend the five S’s from Dr. Harvey Karp’s The Happiest Baby on the Block,” says Kathy Hotard, RNC, Answer Line, nurse at St. Louis Children’s Hos-pital. “Parents should try shushingshushingshushingshushing, swaddling, swinging, swaddling, swinging, swaddling, swinging, swaddling, swinging, holding their babies on their sidesidesideside or belly, and letting them sucksucksucksuck on a pacifier first. It crying continues, check all over for other signs of irritation and take the infant’s temperature, call-ing the pediatrician if it’s 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when he or she is younger than 3 months old. “

Encourage Use of WordsEncourage Use of WordsEncourage Use of WordsEncourage Use of Words As children mature and become able to express themselves verbally, parents can guide their children to react appropriately by praising calm re-sponses to stressors and asking children to “use their words” to explain what is wrong.

“It can be hard to ignore a trantrum, but parents should remember there is no such thing as bad attention,” says Josh Madden, MD, PhD, pediatrician and medical staff member at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “By yelling at your child for the tantrum, you are rewarding the outburst. The other half of the better-behavior equation is praising your child when he or she is acting appropriately. Praise you children for their efforts– not necessarily the end goal–to ensure they learn good behavior and the value of persistence. “

Congratulations!

Don’t forget to pray for all the pregnant mommies and mommies wanting to be

pregnant!

Birthday Celebrations

February

4 Kim Matthews

6 Stacy Cummings

6 Jordan Miller

20 Wendi Butterley

21 Angie Smith

New Arrivals

Tamara Eaves wel-comed a precious bun-dle of joy named Si-enna Grace. She was born on January 16th.

April Mulnik welcomed a delightful baby girl into their family named Olivia Faith. She was born on January 26th.

The Joy of Giving

There are so many everyday objects that can bring us wonderful Christian daily devotions from God! Nor-mally we call these Christian object lessons or Bible object lessons.

For instance, I was so excited today to see a hummingbird come to our feeder. I love to watch them; they are so beautiful and amazing! However, have you ever seen them fight? Around our feeder, there are usu-ally about three, and they certainly do NOT know how to share. They are selfish little creatures! Even to-day one was sitting on a nearby limb "guarding" the feeder. As soon as another came to drink, it swooped down and attacked, chasing the other away from "its" food.

Now, of course, this is part of their nature to survive, but it reminded me afresh that it is definitely not be our nature as followers of Christ. Are we ever like a hummingbird - busy flitting around beautiful on the outside, but only concerned with what we have and can achieve for ourselves? Are we in the mindset of "me,me,me" and "mine,mine,mine" or do we follow the "J.O.Y." principle for priorities in our life - Jesus first, others next, yourself last. I know I need to be reminded of this often, and was so thankful for this Christian daily devotion God brought into my day! :)

Acts 20:35 "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, re-membering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not re-luctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

DeAnna Sheets

Publicity

234 Wilshire Drive

Hollister, MO 65672

Branson PM MOPS

What to Expect at the February Meeting

• MOPS & Night

• Christine Arnzen, MA., LPC from the National In-stitute of Marriage will speak on TEAMWORK

• Refreshments Provided by: Tami’s, Kim’s, Adri-ane’s, Lori’s, Maryann’s & Cara’s Group.

• No Craft this month

Momology February Newsletter Branson PM MOPS

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