My first book review!~read and win a copy!

   A few months ago, MOPS posted on their Facebook page an opportunity to join in their Mom Blogger Book Tour.  If you had an active blog, and were willing to read, review and post on your blog, they would mail you two free copies of Tracey Bianchi's Mom Connection: Creating Vibrant Relationships in the Midst of Motherhood.  Two copies, one to read and one to give away!!  So guess what?!  I joined, read and now I am reviewing the book.  It felt a bit like a high school assignment to write a book review, but I really enjoyed reading Bianchi's book!   Read on for a chance to win a copy of your own!!

Check out how ear-marked and note-filled my copy is!!

  The author brilliantly divided up her chapters into sub chapters and those, into what I am calling mini-chapters.  This made her book very easy to read, with short one-half to one page mini-chapters.  Easy for a busy momma like me to squeeze in some reading!  Bianichi is incredibly relatable and knowledgeable, without being condescending.  She made me feel drawn into her stories, ideas and solutions, and really made me feel like bringing some changes into my life was completely doable!!  In fact, one of my favorite mini-chapter headings was titled Never Alone But Lonely. This really spoke to my heart, I could have written that passage when Lilly (my oldest) was a newborn.  Becoming a MOPS mom has helped, but even five years and three kids later, its very easy to feel overwhelmingly crowded at home, but still very lonely.  Bianchi offers ideas on how to live intentionally, offering real world inspiration for all moms.  Even if you feel like you are already living a wonderfully connected life full of meaningful relationships, this book still has something to offer you.  The author reminds us that even while "we may have connected lives, not everyone has that same treasure.  Many of us moms are lonely, so reaching out from your place of abundance helps tremendously."  What great advice for all of us.  Just a small smile or kind word for the mom struggling with her child in the checkout line may make her day.  Making a meal for a mom with a new baby, or a phone call to the new mom down the block.  Offering help to the obviously overwhelmed momma at the doctors office or shopping mall.  All these ideas can be a starting block for investing in new and deeper relationships among other moms.  The ideas and narratives of Bianchi's book really were inspiring, fun to read and have been easy to incorporate into my own life and family.  I encourage you to pick up a copy and read it yourself!  Better yet, follow me over to The Playdate Crashers for a chance to win a free copy!  My friends Krista and Jamie are more expert than I at the give-away process, so they've offered to post my review on their blog as well as the run the randomized give-away!!  If you are interested on more info about the author, Tracey Bianchi, feel free to check out her website and blog at http://traceybianchi.com/!!

 

a fun filled MOPS weekend!

  MOPS.  Are you familiar?  And no, its not a handy (mostly unused in my house) cleaning utensil.  It stands for Mothers of Preschoolers.  It has become so close to my heart.  I joined MOPS at my sister in law's urging shortly after Lilly was born.  For me, it started as a morning off to get together with other moms, eat breakfast and chit chat.  However, the more I attended MOPS meetings, the more I loved it!  What a need MOPS filled in my life.  It's so isolating sometimes to have a small child and to stay at home with it all day--and for me, especially worse because it was winter time.  I recall mourning on days when MOPS was cancelled because of inclement weather!  Slowly, I took small leadership roles in my group.  Slowly, I gleaned more and more growth from the experience, both as a mother, a women and as a Christian.  Its a Christian based organization, but our group strives to make all moms feel welcome, regardless of their beliefs or affiliations.    Eventually, I accepted the role as coordinator of the group, and now with a great team of ladies behind me, we plan and prepare our monthly meetings.  From the outside it may seem like we are just a sort of moms group who get together and hang out once a month.  But we are so much more and I am proud of that!
   This past weekend reiterated to me how big and powerful MOPS can be.  It is an International organization, with more than 4000+ groups worldwide, effecting 14.3 million moms in over 30 countries (and those are 2009 statistics)!  Last night, I returned home from a fast-paced, fun-filled weekend of fellowship at the MOPS Int. Convention in Nashville, TN.  We stayed at the Opryland Hotel and spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday at workshops, concerts, hearing speakers and worshipping the Lord.  I grew up in the Catholic Church where loud "amens" never happened.  I now attend a fairly small church and let me tell you, there is NOTHING like worshipping with 3,000 women to live Christian music!  Its a totally new experience for me and there is nothing like it!  I made new friends and cemented existing friendships.  I laughed like I haven't laughed in sometime.  We all SLEPT IN one morning-it was 9:30 am CST (which is 10:30 am my time!!)  We walked like crazy, learned so much my brain was overflowing, and was recharged spiritually to the brim!!
  MOPS may not be as earth-shattering for you as it is for me.  However, what mom can't benefit from the friendship of other moms?  I guarantee you, there is a MOPS group near you!  You can check out http://www.mops.org/ and search for a group near you!  And don't think if you are a working mom, or don't have preschoolers anymore that you are left out!  There are now groups for mothers of school-aged kids called MOMSnext and are geared specifically towards those needs.  There are also groups that meet at night, during the day, and on the weekend.  There is a group for you! 
  This years MOPS theme verse is "God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold, loving and sensible." 2 Timothy 1:7  All the discussion this weekend revolving around this theme verse reminds me that everyone has different gifts and talents, but they all deserve to be cultivated, cherished and shared!  So I encourage everyone to get out there, find yourself a MOPS group and get to sharing already!!