Navigating the Waters of Motherhood with MOPS!

   
   Motherhood is not for the weak of heart. Most days I juggle through our routine in pure survival mode. It takes, strength, vigilance, consistency, and determination. It also takes confidence within ourselves. I suppose that's why when I walked into my first MOPS meeting, I felt like I had finally landed on planet mom where everyone spoke the same language and understood the trials I was going through with my newborn son. Growing up in a less than ideal family, the last thing I ever wanted to be was a mom. My perspective was that anyone could be a mom, but MOPS showed me how to be a mother. As the year progressed, MOPS helped this clueless and high-strung Mama develop into a leader, a confident woman, and loving mom. 
    The reason why I'm writing about MOPS today is because our new year is beginning and I ran into a mom at the park the other day who felt clueless. Most of her friends didn't embrace the idea of motherhood, and her kids were running circles around her. I saw a reflection of my old self in her, not to mention God shinning through her. It was as if God was saying, "Befriend her, she has the potential (like all mothers) to be something great." 
    As we made small talk, she chattered away about being new to our town, leaving her job, and how she loved her two little toddlers; yet she was frustrated because her friends and family didn't seem to understand the awesome burden that was resting on her shoulders. She didn't want to blunder through motherhood, she wanted to improve her patience, not yell so much, and meet other women who were like her. 
     Before I left the park, I jogged back to my suburban, wading through pull-ups, empty snack wrappers, old french fries, and mismatched shoes before I found a MOPS card to give to my new mommy friend. I left the park that day feeling blessed to know that I somehow became an anchor for this woman while she was navigating the waters of motherhood. I was blessed to know that God didn't give me a big mouth or passion just for the pure joy of it. It reminded me of the theme verse for MOPS this season, 2 Timothy 1:7, "God doesn't want us to be shy with His gifts, but bold, loving, and sensible." Bold...so glad God instilled within me the passion to see other women reach their potential as a women and mothers; and yet this coincidental meeting at the park was just another example of how much God loves mothers and doesn't want us to mother alone!