I have been involved in the MOPS group at my church for almost 3 years now.  One Sunday at church before James was born, I was approached by Mary, the founder of our group, and she mentioned that I definitely needed to start coming to MOPS.  Not only to be connected to other moms, but also to receive meals from my group when our baby arrived.  Wow!  That sounded great!  So, while the meals they brought over were wonderful, I really enjoyed some fellowship time with other moms in the trenches.  We were all in the same boat, all at different stages, and through our conversations we were encouraging each other and offering helpful advice.  It was great. 

Twice a month, our meetings begin with a wonderful spread of delicious breakfast items.  This is also a huge draw!  We usually have a speaker, have time to chat at our tables, maybe do some sort of craft or outreach project, and have access to as much coffee as we want.  🙂  While we all love our children, the time away from them is precious.   We truly are better moms by being away for a short time. 

Last week’s MOPS meeting was Spa Day; a favorite among many of us.  We wore comfy clothes (even our kiddos came in their PJ’s), had cheese & chocolate fondue, enjoyed 15 minute head/neck/back massages, and then had the opportunity to make valentines and decoupage a plate for Valentine’s day or birthdays.  The time was open, so we were able to move around between stations as we wished, or just sit and chat at our tables the whole time if we wanted.  It was very relaxed and wonderful. 

I’m thankful for my MOPS group during this stage of my life.  While it’s still difficult to just get us all out the door on time, I appreciate that the commitment with MOPS is simply to show up.  I enjoy the social time at our meetings, but feel a pull in my heart to get involved at church in a deeper way.  I currently have my mentoring group which is very much a fellowship/bible study time in the Word, but still would love to dive in to a more in-depth study.  And, to do that, I need the accountablity of a group.  In the fall, I’m hoping to end my time at MOPS and start attending our church’s women’s bible study.  There will be quite a bit more commitment with that – daily homework and weekly meetings – but I feel like I will be ready for that by then.  Plus, the church offers childcare for bible study too which is wonderful.  While I will continue to enjoy the break from being mom, I also desperately need to use that time to feed my soul.  I think being involved in the bible study will do just that. 

I can’t praise MOPS enough for how it has helped me through these first years of raising our children.  If you are a mother of preschoolers, I would encourage you to seek out a MOPS group near you.  It really will bless you and your family!