The weather is turning colder, and the winter can be an especially difficult time for those who are homeless.  Jesus tells us that when we serve those who are in need, we are really serving Him.

As I was updating our website recently, I found an idea for "homeless bags" from the 2013 MOPS year. I have considered making care packages for the homeless on street corners in the past, so this caught my attention.  When I read through the information I thought there were some great ideas for what to include.

If you want a to serve "the least of these" in a practical way, this is a guide for creating your own "homeless bags".  This would also be a great thing to do in a group if multiple people from your MOPS group are interested!


1. You'll want to start with a large ziplock bag.  Ziplock-type bags are best because they will keep the items dry if the recipient is caught in the rain.  If you want to get really fancy you can get the kind with the zipper tab (those are my favorite, anyway).


2. What should you include?

-Personal hygiene items.  Think things like chapstick, packages of tissues, toothbrush and toothpaste, lotion, a comb, soap, band-aids, a wash cloth, nail clippers, etc.  Hint: I (Callie) am a dental hygienist, and I know sometimes dentists have travel-sized toothpastes that are expired, and they won't give those to patients.  It might be worth asking around to see if any dentists in your area have expired toothpastes they would be willing to donate.

-Food. Non-perishables are best, like granola or power bars, crackers, a pack of gum, candy, a bottle of water, etc.

-Clothing. Items that will help with warmth are most helpful, like scarves, gloves, or socks.

-Miscellaneous items.  Books, crossword puzzles, sudoku books, small flashlights, pens, and notebooks are a few ideas.  You can check the clearance section of your local bookstore (or your own bookshelf) for books, and many of these items can be found at your local dollar store.

-Gift cards. Particularly gift cards for places where someone could buy food, like a grocery store or fast-food restaurant.

-Salvation tracts or a copy of the book of John.  You can get these items at churches or Christian bookstores, and there are also many tracts that you can download online (just google "Salvation Tracts").

-A card.  Gather your kids and make some cards to let those you encounter know you care about them - write an encouraging note, include meaningful Bible verses, and tell them you will be praying for them. 


3.  Pack them all up in the bag - and then be brave and remember to actually give them away!  Don't forget to pray for these people as well, that the Lord would provide for them and they would come to know Jesus.


Have any of you ever put together "homeless bags" before?  What ideas are we missing?  

Good Reads Vo. 1

Today we just wanted to share a few posts and articles from around the web that we have found encouraging.  So grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and enjoy!

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8 Scripture Verses For Struggling Moms  - This post has a great printable with verses to review when you feel tired, exasperated, or have a bad attitude - and it sounds like the series that this post is a part of would be great too!

The Magic Of Motherhood - This post is short and sweet, but it packs a punch.  A great reminder that some day we'll look back on all these normal days and it will be easy to see the magic in them - so why not take a minute to see it now too?

8 Ways To Have Peace In An Uncertain World - With everything going on in the news these days, it is hard to feel peaceful, so I really appreciated this post.

Qualifications For A Mama - I'm ending with a fun one, because this post made me laugh!  I'm glad I'm not the only one fighting the dog food battle or being forced to "share" my toothbrush.

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We hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving!

"You Pick Two" Recap and Resources

The "You Pick Two" meeting a couple weeks ago was so interesting - but I know that I am always bummed that I can't go to all the sessions!  If any of you would like the information from the sessions you weren't able to attend, I am listing the notes and resources below - as well as a quick instructions on how to do the craft.

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Nutritional Pitfalls And Power Moves

Robin provided us with some of the following resources where she got the information for her talk.  Also, she wanted to clarify one thing:

"Regarding eating more smaller meals in a day: Waiting too long between meals can allow the blood sugar to get too low. More frequent smaller meals can help keep your blood sugar stabilized, but in the long run make sure that you are not eating more than your daily recommendation of calories."

Healthy Cooking And Snacking

Nutrition Facts Label

Go, Slow, and Who Foods

Tips For Eating Right

Balance Food And Activity

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Estate Planning For Young Families

Here are the handouts for the estate planning talk.

Client Questionnaire

Estate Planning Documents

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Leading A Child To Christ

And this is the handout from the talk on leading our children to Christ.

Leading A Child To Christ Handout

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For the craft, the ladies brought us this cute pinboard craft.  To make these you will need:

A small corkboard (Reba and Gretchen told us they got the corkboards from Ikea.)

Enough fabric to cover the corkboard

Small brass thumbtacks

Hot glue gun

Super glue
Decorative buttons
Ribbon

1.  Cut your fabric to size and hot glue it around the corkboard, making sure the edges are tight.

2. Use the super glue to glue the buttons onto the brass tacks.  Allow to dry.

3.  Glue a small stretch of ribbon along the back, or in a loop at the top of your corkboard.

4.  Hang and enjoy!

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Stay warm and we'll see you all for our meeting tomorrow!

Simple DIY Fall Banner

We just had our "You Pick Two" meeting, and I thought I would share an idea that was inspired by the "You Pick Two" meeting we had last year!  I took a class from the craft girls (it was Denille and Gretchen in 2013).  They shared an easy way to do glitter crafts with your kids, and I used it to make a fall banner for our house this year.

1. To start I cut some leaf shapes out of fall-ish scrapbook paper.

2. I used the glitter technique the girls shared - I used double-sided tape, and I taped strips onto the leaves in the shape of letters.  We put the leaves into a plastic baggie with glitter, and I let my kiddos shake the bags.

The glitter sticks to the double sided tape, and it stays (mostly) in the baggie, so there is no mess!  Is that genius or what?  My kids love it!

3. After we glittered (did I just make up that word, or is it a real verb?) our leaves, I hung them up with some Baker's twine (which you can get at any craft store) and mini clothespins.

Our leaves say "Happy Fall", but I think a "Give Thanks" banner would be cute and appropriate with Thanksgiving right around the corner!

The Right Kind Of Damages

“Motherhood is a demanding job.  It is so demanding and intrusive, in fact, that it takes over your body.  It uses your body, oftentimes rather roughly. This can start to bother us.  you may have some extra weight to lose, and you might start to resent that.  You might have permanently damaged something during a pregnancy.  You may have big scars, stretch marks, and loose skin that bothers you.  You might not have time to exercise the way you used to.  All these things can be seen as an offense against us - against our bodies. . .

First of all, our bodies are tools, not treasures.  You should not spend your days trying to preserve your body in it’s eighteen-year-old form.  Let it be used.  By the time you die, you want to have a very dinged and dinted body.  Motherhood uses your body in the way that God designed it to be used.  Those are the right kind of damages. . .

So realize that your body is a testimony to the world of God’s design.  Carry the extra weight joyfully until you can lose it joyfully.  Carry the scars joyfully as you carry the fruit of them.  Do not resent the damages that your children left on your body.  Just like a guitar mellows and sounds better with age and scratches, so your body can more fully praise God having been used for His purposes.  So don’t resent it, enjoy it.”

-Rachel Jankovic, Loving The Little Years

Quick Chicken/Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

A recipe for chicken enchiladas was printed in our newsletter in 2013 (if you know who originally submitted it, or the original source, please let us know because we'd love to get proper credit).  I decided to give it a try a few weeks ago, and I have to say it turned out pretty well!  It was quick to make, and the kids liked it, so we thought we would re-share it on the blog this year.  Check out the recipe (and some extra suggestions) below!

Favorite easy dinner recipe (that your kids will eat too)!

Quick Chicken/Cheese Enchiladas

2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
3oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup salsa
2 tbsp chopped green onions (optional). 
Small corn or flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (optional)
1 cup of Hatch's enchilada sauce

1. Combine 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, all of the monterey jack cheese, cream cheese, salsa, and green onions in a bowl.  





2. Spoon mixture into center of small corn or flour tortillas and roll them up. 

3. Place them in an ovenproof pan and sprinkle with chicken, 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and enchilada sauce. 

4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Wholla!  Dinner for the whole family.

In light of Dr. Mike's lecture a couple weeks ago, I was also thinking that this would be a pretty easy dish to sneak some cauliflower or yellow bell peppers to your kids.  If you diced them pretty small and mixed them in with the filling, I don't think they'd be noticeable at all to those picky eaters!

If you have any recipes that you would like to share, send us an email at fbcmopspublicity@outlook.com!

Mentor Mom Series - Marcia M.

This week we are featuring Marcia M, who has been a Mentor Mom for our group for years!  Get to know her better by reading her interview below, and if any other questions come to mind, remember them for our mentor mom panel on Thursday!

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How many kids (and grandkids?) do you have? 

 I have a son, daughter in law, and grand daughter, and also a daughter and grandson. 

 How did you originally get involved with MOPS?  How long have you been a mentor mom? 

 I was involved in starting a MOPS group many years ago in Alb. NM with my forever friend, Carol. This is my 8th year as a Mentor Mom at FBC. 

 What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids?  Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage? 

 I think the hardest thing for me was the 'having to do it all' pressure. One of my kids was very precocious, and I wish I would have relaxed more with that instead of worrying about how to do everything better.  One of the best things about life with preschoolers is the abundance of teachable moments, for mom and kids.  Preschoolers are so spontaneous, and everything overflows on those around them even if it may cause some embarrassing moments.  Matthew 18:1 - 6 are verses that share the heart of Jesus for his children. God chose you to be the mom your kids need.  On your own, it is never enough. Thank God, He is more than enough to love your kids through you! 

 What is your goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms? 

 I love the Be You Bravely theme this year.  MOPS offers a unique way to grow friendship and to encourage each other to live life in the way that God uniquely prepared for each of us to live bravely.  Plus we'll have a lot of fun learning together! I hope to be who God calls me to be in the life situations and circumstances I will face this year. He knows and is right there. I may be surprised or shocked by things, but He is always faithful. Everyday, all the time!  I truly believe I receive much more encouragement from my MOPS friends than I can possibly give.  It is a privilege to be a MM. 

 What is your favorite ice cream flavor (just for fun)? 

I love lemon gelato (from any place in Venice).   Daiquiri Ice sorbet from BR is good, too!

Mentor Mom Series - Robin O.

This week we are hearing from a Mentor Mom that was also previously an FBC MOPS mom  - Robin O!  Remember to write down any questions you have for our mentor moms and save them for our mentor mom panel in October!

Tell us a little about yourself. 

 I have 3 kids (this year - see below) and I have been married to my husband, Maury, for almost 25 years.  I'm from Texas originally and met my husband in Myrtle Beach, SC, on a summer beach mission trip.  I'm a part time wellness coach, exercise and healthy eating fanatic (most of the time), and love being active with my family whether biking, hiking, running, walking or traveling.

 How many kids (and grandkids?) do you have?

 I have 3 kids currently - a 16 year old son, a 14 yr old daughter and a 16 year Germany exchange daughter for the year.  And hopefully no grand kids for a long while.

 How did you originally get involved with MOPS? How long have you been a mentor mom?

 I was originally a MOPS mommy in this same group from 1998 to 2005.  This will be my third year as a Mentor Mom.  I love being back in MOPS.

 What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids? Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage? 

 The hardest things were the noise and the messes.  It kind of drove me crazy, but I learned to be more flexible through those years. Those early years were also the hardest on our marriage, but God has strengthened our marriage through it all. I loved being pregnant, and I loved as the kids started walking and talking.

Encouragement: Love on your husband and make time for date nights (or getaways), whether out or at home after the kids go to bed, so that he knows he is just as important as the kids, if not more.

What is your main goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms?

 My main goal as a Mentor Mom is to just be there for the moms in my small group and for leadership - for encouragement, support, a listening ear, prayer, a meal, or whatever the Lords leads me to.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor (just for fun)?

 Me and ice cream don't get along, but I love love love Yogurtland mango frozen yogurt.

Mentor Mom Series - Sharon W.

This week we have the opportunity to get so know another one of our new mentor moms, Sharon W!  If you have any questions for our Mentor Moms, jot them down - you will have an opportunity to ask our mentor moms your questions in October!

Tell us a little about yourself:

I'm originally from Arkansas, and have only lived in Colorado about 8 years.  Following a 32 career with the VA Healthcare System, I retired in 2011.  I now work occasionally as a Consultant for a small financial/retirement planning company.  My husband Jeff and I are active members of Foothills Bible Church.   We have two dogs: Maggie, a bull mastiff; and Noble, a boxer.  We enjoy traveling, as well as hiking, camping, fishing, and visiting our cabin in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains.

How many children (and grandchildren) do you have?

I have 2 children, son and daughter:  

Jared (29 y/o) and Erin (32 y/o)

Both are married but as yet, I have no grandchildren. However, I do have 3 very special (and spoiled) 'Granddogs'.

Jared and his wife Lori live in North Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Erin and husband Michael have been married a little over a year, a job transfer for Michael brought them to Littleton in April.  Grateful for this unexpected blessing, even though they're here for what we feel is, unfortunately, a relatively brief season.  

How did you originally get involved with MOPS?  How long have you been a Mentor Mom?

This year will be my first experience serving in a Mentor Mom role. Through my involvement in other FBC ministries, I've become friends with a few amazing MOPS women, and have come to understand and appreciate the immeasurable blessing, vital relationships, and life impact of MOPS!  When I was asked the previous two years about serving as a Mentor Mom, I thought my "plate was too full" to add something this important.  With other commitments, I hesitated, fearing I might not do it justice.   However, after being approached again this year, and after much thought and prayer, I'm convinced of God's calling to serve and share in this amazing ministry!  Having been a career mentor (and of course, a Mom), praying the two will now come together, for His glory!  

What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids?  Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage?

The challenges (physical, mental and emotional) of being a 'working Mom' (that is, a having a demanding career outside the home) were most definitely the hardest.  Having the only grandchildren in either of our families, we too often kept a crazy pace as we desperately attempted to accommodate time with grandparents.  Type A gal that I was (and still tend to be), it was hard (impossible) to "do it all" and do it well - and thus too often, a recipe for stress!

One of the very best memories I have about the pre-school stage is how my children's infectious sense of awe and wonder transformed ordinary life into exciting adventures.  Birthdays and holidays became magical!  And though we left milk and cookies out for Santa, and could hardly stand it until our kids awoke Christmas morning to presents underneath the tree, their precious little hearts knew the real reason for the season was Jesus!  Some of my greatest Christmas treasures are ornaments they made during Sunday School so many years ago!

Encouragement?  First and foremost (and as difficult as it is),  "Be Still and Know that He is God" through a regular quiet time and Bible study.  It's absolutely essential to put on the full armor of God each and every day (Ephesians 6:10-18) through time spent in God's Word.   Then, take care of yourself - physically, through a healthy lifestyle; emotionally, through mutually encouraging friendships with other MOPS; mentally, through continuous learning.   Protect precious family time and relish simple pleasures, and celebrate life!   Some days may seem eternally long, but in truth, the years literally fly by - much too fast.  

What is your goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms?

From my perspective, I think it's important to just be available -  to listen, to share experiences (what worked and what didn't), to encourage, to be a 'friend' - and most importantly, to glorify God as we grow together in living out His divine purpose and high calling for us as women and mothers!  

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate Caramel (Turtle) and Sea Salt Caramel.

Helping Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits

For those of you who might have missed our meeting last Thursday, we heard from Dr. Mike Fargone about helping our kids develop healthy eating habits.  As a mom with a picky eater, I really appreciated his talk!  

One thing that stood out to me was his advice that dinner should never look the same from night to night - if your child likes macaroni and cheese, try gradually sneaking other things into it, little by little.  For example, start with ketchup, then move to spaghetti sauce, then vegetable purees - then one day you’ll be adding whole vegetables to your child’s mac and cheese, and they won’t bat an eye!  It’s definitely something we’ll be trying around this house.

Dr. Mike also mentioned Juice Plus+ as a nutritional supplement, and if that is something you are interested in, talk to Jen L. (or see her link in the sidebar).

I (Callie) am also in a group with Joanna G., and she mentioned a book about sneaking fruit and vegetables into the foods of those finicky eaters.  The book is called Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, so if you are like me and need more ideas of how to disguise fruits and vegetables so your kid will actually eat them, this might be a resource to check out.

There were two handouts for the talk on Thursday - these are very informative, and include everything that was shared, so you can download them if you weren’t able to come.

Finicky Eaters

Health Care vs. Sick Care

Do any of you have tips on how to help your kids develop healthy eating habits?  Share in a comment below or on our Facebook page!

Mentor Mom Series - Kathy G.

Kathy G. is our Mentor Mom to be featured today!  Get to know her better by reading her answers to the questions below.

If you have any other questions you would like to see our mentor moms answer, remember them for our mentor mom panel in October - or shoot us an email - we may have them answer them in a future post!

Tell us a little about yourself.  How many kids do you have?

Hi there,  This is Kathy G.

I have 2 children.  My son Chad is 25 and now a CPA here in Denver.  So blessed to have him here in town.  He is not married but has a very nice girlfriend.  We do enjoy spoiling our Grand dog, Stetson, a Golden Retreiver.

My Daughter Kristin is 22.  She just graduated from college and started teaching second grade in Irving, Texas, for Teach For America.  She is also not married, but has a very nice boyfriend.  He is still in SanDiego and she is in Texas so time will tell??  She is very passionate about her path.  Ask me again at Christmas time.

It has been so awesome watching God work in my kids lives and putting them where he wants them!!

How did you originally get involved with MOPS?  How long have you been a mentor mom?

I originally started as a mentor mom with night mops because a friend of mine here at church was doing it and loved it. Interestingly enough, It had been on my mind but I just hadn't done anything about it yet.  I always loved being with Teri and fun fact we met when our sons played baseball together from grade school through junior high.   Her husband was one of Chad's best coaches.  I did night mops for one year and  I love being a mentor mom.  I moved to Day MOPS as my husband doesn't like being gone at nights so much, now that our nest is empty.

What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids?  Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage?

I have always had to work at not rescuing my children, especially my first child.   We Moms always want to protect them from everything, but sometimes we need to step back and let them take the reins.  It probably won't be our way, and they may make a mistake or have a hard time, but it is OK.  That was and is still hard for me, but they learn so, so much from doing it their way and from their mistakes.   I loved and still do love watching them become their own little people, making friends, playing creatively, just observing who and what God is making them into.  He has an amazing plan!!

My advise would be to sometimes take a breath, a time out and just time for you.  Everyone is happier if Mom takes care of Mom, and you deserve it.  Also remember it is OK to say NO.  If your aren't sure sometimes, ask God what he wants you to say and to make it very clear to you.  Enjoy your little miracles ladies, and I know some days are difficult - Breath and Pray!!

What is your goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms?

My goal is to try and be the Mentor Mom that God wants me to be, to be aware of your needs and respond and react as God wants me to.  Being a Mom has been one of  the biggest and most amazing  blessings in my life - not always easy for sure, but awesome.  I hope to be able to listen, and love on you all as I would have wanted to be loved on and as God has planned for us - He will show us how to be ourselves Bravely this year.  God is there for you 24/7, so go to Him whenever you need to or want to and always be grateful.  Everyday, even on the tough days, there is always something to be grateful to Him for!! 

What is your favorite ice cream flavor (just for fun)?

Chocolate almost anything, but I think Chocolate Turtle Ice Cream and at Bonnie Brae Ice Cream - even though I almost never get there.  My mouth waters just thinking about it. 

Be You Bravely Ladies - Love and Blessings to you all this year!

Mentor Mom Series - Jill M.

This week for our Mentor Mom series we are featuring one of our new Mentor Moms, Jill!  Read on to learn a little more about her, and once again, if you have any other questions for our mentor moms, keep them in mind for our mentor mom panel in October, or shoot us an email and we may have them answer your questions in future posts!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have been married to Todd for 32 years and co-lead a Bible Study at Foothills on Tuesday mornings with Sharon W. - another new mentor mom this year.

How many kids (and grandkids?) do you have?

I have two sons, 28 and 26, married to two wonderful daughters-in-law!  Four grandawgs - when all are at our house for a get-together and it's wet outside, with our two dogs, that's 24 feet to wipe before they can come in :O)

How did you originally get involved with MOPS?  How long have you been a mentor mom?

I attended MOPS as a young mother and was on steering at two different churches filling the positions of hospitality and publicity. This is my first year as a mentor mom.

What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids?  Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage?  

The hardest thing was potty training one of my sons....he didn't have time to stop what he wanted to do but would sneak to a corner somewhere eventually and you just knew when you didn't see him what he was "doing".  The best thing was that everyday was like a "snow day" - I loved not having a fast paced schedule and watching their personalities develop.  My encouragement would be to look for the "funny" even in hard situations - they make for great stories, especially to their spouses way later! :O)

What is your goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms?  

The Lord is your best resource for help!! Your kids have never been kids before so you are both learning together - thank Heavens we don't need to have all the answers all at once!

What is your favorite ice cream flavor (just for fun)? 

Pistachio Almond. :OP

Mentor Mom Series - Sheryl D.

We are so excited to start a new mini-series here on the blog to introduce our mentor moms!  

These ladies have so much wisdom and encouragement to share, and we thought we'd tap into that wisdom a little more on the blog this year.  So we sent out some questions for our mentor moms to answer, and I have to say I have loved reading their answers (one perk of being in publicity is that I get a sneak peek of things like this)!  

This is your chance to get to know these amazing women a little better before our Mentor Mom panel in October.  So read on, and jot down any other questions you want them to answer.  You can ask them at the panel in October, or you can send them over to us for possible future mentor mom posts!

Our first Mentor Mom feature is Sheryl D, our lead mentor mom!

Tell us a little about yourself.  

I grew up in Denver, graduated from North High School, went to UNC for college to become an elementary school teacher, then taught 3 years in Webster Groves, MO.  While my husband was going to dental school at St. Louis University, we started our family.  After my husband finished his 2 years in the Navy, we moved back to Denver, settled in Lakewood, and the rest is history. :)

How many children (and grandchildren) do you have?

My name is Sheryl D.  I have 2 children - a son, Chris, who is a chemistry prof in NC, and a daughter, Lori, in heaven.

I have three grandchildren!  Ages 18, 16, 14 - boy, girl, boy.

How did you originally get involved with MOPS?  How long have you been a mentor mom?

I have been a mentor mom for 11 years - this is my 12th year.

Pat L. asked me if I would consider being a mentor mom, and the rest is history.

What was the hardest thing and what is the best thing you remember about the pre-school stage with your own kids?  Any encouragement for those of us who are still in this stage?

I remember being so busy with my preschoolers - hardly time to think!  I probably spent too much time worrying about how messy my house was.  It helped that the church I was attending at the time had a Mothers' club which was so helpful to hear I wasn't alone.  Remember, this too shall pass.  Enjoy it!  They grow into teenagers way too quickly!

What is your goal as a mentor mom, or what is the main encouragement you hope to offer to MOPS moms?

I just love to love on the moms and give you all encouragement.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor (just for fun)?

Favorite ice cream flavor:  mint chocolate chip, or anything with chocolate.

A Welcome Giveaway!

We are so excited about the new year with MOPS!  It is going to be a great year exploring our theme, Be You Bravely - and since we are venturing into brave, new territory with the blog re-launch this year, we wanted to celebrate by giving away some goodies to one of our Day MOPS moms!  One lucky mom will win all of the following prizes:

1. Hands-Free Mama by Rachel May Stafford - This book is all about learning to put away your phone and embrace these precious moments with our families.  I have just started reading it, but I am already feeling challenged and encouraged by it!

2. A $5 Starbucks giftcard - Because we all need caffeine, am I right?  Or if you aren't into caffeine, people tell me they have hot chocolate and smoothies too.

3. Be Brave print - We found this lovely print here and thought it was the perfect fit for our theme this year!  Hang it somewhere where you can see it to remind you to have courage as you go about your day.

4. Another print of the winner's choice - Nicole, from Nicole Joelle Prints, has offered to give the winner of our giveaway one print of their choice from her shop!  She has so many beautiful print styles.  These are a few of our favorites, just to give you an idea of what you could pick - check out her shop to see all of the options!

Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below if you would like a chance to win these goodies!  We are keeping this giveaway open until the end of September to give everyone plenty of time to enter.  This giveaway is only open to those who are currently enrolled in FBC Day MOPS for the 2014-2015 year.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Your Coordinators!

To start off this year, we wanted to introduce you to your lovely coordinators!  Read on to learn a little more about our leaders.

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Coordinator, Darla W.

My name is Darla Wampler, my chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy HIM.  With Jesus as my savior I bravely take on the jobs of wife, mother and homemaker.  I have been married to my best friend Matt for 11 years.  We met at CSU (go RAMS).  We have two pedal pushers and one tricycle motor.  Annalece (8) Brooks (6) and Conrad (2).  Our first born is a golden retriever named Bowser.  We also have a cat named Lena who could be a realty TV star, if there are cat reality shows (which I’ll bet there are!)  We are happy members of the Foothills Bible Church family.  My small town soul longed for a tight knit community and FBC has brought us that.  We have recently started a G2 and are blessed beyond words with the love and joy that fellowship with other Christ followers has brought into our lives.  I have been a part of MOPS for 7 years and have served for 6.  I love MOPS, I love gathering women together and pointing them to the one and only healer, lover, pardoning judge of our souls.  I have been changed by God through the loving hands and words of MOPS moms and I pray that you will be too.  Be brave, have courageous faith, live joyfully.  To God be the glory!

Co-coordinator, Andrea K.

I am Andrea K., Admin Co-Coordinator for this MOPS year.  This will be my sixth year in MOPS.  My first year I was new to Littleton and being a stay at home mom, the first year I made some friends that over the years have become life long best friends.  My second year of MOPS I was a group leader, then helped the Special Events, then was a DGL Team Coordinator and last year was my first year in this position of Admin Co-Coordinator.

I am a wife to Michael (going on 8 years in November) and a mother to three little men ages 7,5, and 3.  I thought that maybe the older my children got the less hectic things would be yet, I am running around even more.  This is a crazy life but the best calling on me... wife and mom.  

Co-coordinator, Stacey B.

My name is Stacey, I LOVE MOPS!! When I first walked into MOPS my baby was three months old.  Looking around the room, I knew everyone else was a better mom than me!!  I am so grateful to learn that we are all doing our best and no one has it all figured out.  I have found comfort and encouragement for the very long days and nights.  God has brought new friends info my life, and shown me where I can use the gifts He has given me.  Thank you MOPS, looking forward to a great year!!!