MOPS Rocks

Our boys, 11 and 9 years old now, had their first Upward basketball games this past weekend. Their practices and games are held at the church where I used to attend MOPS, starting back when Lars, the oldest, was 18 months old. Going to their games was fun, and we saw all kinds of people that we haven't seen in years. Seeing the faces that I hadn't seen since those fuzzy, sleep-deprived, difficult and yet full-of-growth MOPS years got me to thinking. How did we do it? How did we get here, with everyone in school, and new adventures like cell phones and My Space?

I really think MOPS was one of the ways God provided for me, and ultimately our whole family. (cuz when momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy) I knew I appreciated MOPS at the time. It gave me a chance to breathe deeply, and have some thoughts of my own beyond diapers and nap times. And it gave me some incredibly valuable friendships. You hear about how there are friendships for different places in life, some lasting a lifetime, others just for a season. It is so true, and MOPS gave me all the different kinds of friends. God used that time, that place, those people to minister to me. I'm struck again today, at my gratefulness for the MOPS ministry.

We've outgrown MOPS, but I hope I never outgrow the need for God's provisions. Because what He gave me through that ministry was indeed just what He promises, "infinitely more than I could have asked for or hoped...." (Ephesians 3:20) I want to guard against thinking I've got it all figured out now, and stay in a place of recognizing His glorious power, and my smallness.