We're Back!

Hi lovely ladies! We're back in session and BOY did all of us on leadership miss all of you! Last Wednesday, we had a chance to meet the ladies at our new tables, and hopefully you spent some time chatting and getting to know one another. I know that the Lord has great things planned for each of us this session. As a reminder, please be sure to keep the things that are shared at your table confidential. Also, your small group leaders and the leadership team are all here to serve you. Please let any of us know if we can be in prayer for you.

On Wednesday, we heard from a handful of moms about the different "seasons" that they're in. Even in that small group of women, the struggles were varied, and I'm sure that we can all relate to a few of them. Whether you're having trouble letting go or you're just too exhausted to wash one more set of dishes, always remember that our God is faithful, and He never lets us down. When we've run out of grace, He has grace for us. When we've lost our patience, He is patient with us. When he feel helpless or alone, He is by our side.

This Wednesday we'll be hearing from our very own Mentor Mom, Ruthie Thune. You won't want to miss it! See you all soon :)

Blessings,

Katie (M2M Publicity)

Discipline of the Heart of the Family

Hi Ladies! Please forgive my lack of posting lately....my family and business responsibilities have just about swallowed me up :)

A few weeks ago Pastor and Mrs H came to share with us about Discipline in the Heart of the Family. It's always such a pleasure to have them at Mom2Mom! Their love for one another and for their children is contagious.

Pastor and Mrs H had some great advice for us Moms...

Always remember that there is a difference between discipline and punishment. We should be disciplining our children out of love. Discipline is training, guiding and loving.

Here are a few keys to disciplining your children....

*be realistic, and don't throw out empty threats

*be immediate, don't count

*be consistent, remember that discipline takes time

*be adjustable, the ages and phases of your children will constantly change, and so should your form of discipline

*Husband and Wife always need to be on the same team. The kids will feel the safest when they know that Mom and Dad and OK, so always put effort into your relationship with your spouse.

Keep in mind that discipline is an ongoing challenge, and it's OK if you're not perfect. Be creative, and try to see what works for you and your children. Always remember to discipline your kids out of love, and to train them in a Godly way.

Thanks Pastor and Mrs H!!

Discipline of Kids' Stuff

Hello Ladies! I hope you all had a wonderful week. Here are a few notes from Cynthia Moses' talk last Wednesday about our kids' stuff....

Teach your children that helping is fun, and that helping is part of growing up. More things don't necessarily mean more fun. Cynthia suggests that you utilize their age as a guideline for how many toys should be in their room. If your child is two years old, he/she should be able to clean up toys for two minutes. She also suggests that we organize our homes in zones, and urges de-cluttering, and "eBaying" our old toys. Keep our "things" to a minimum, and always remember that Jesus should be our focus.

Here is the homework for tomorrow, in case you were gone last week.

Many thanks to Becca for taking notes while I was absent last week! As always, the Leadership Team is here for prayer and support at any time!

Blessings,

Katie

M2M Publicity

Newsletter and Homework

Hi Ladies,

Here are the newsletter and homework for those of you that missed M2M last week. You can right click on them to download. See you all soon!

Discipline of Expectations

What a great way to kick off the winter session of M2M!

Our very own Tiffany Holcomb spoke to us about Discipline of Expectations. Do we expect our husbands and children to be perfect? To be something they're not? Are the expectations that you set for yourself unrealistic? All to often, we show up at church with our "mask" on. We hide what we're going through, how we're feeling, and we expect that everyone else has it together. The truth is that no one has it all together. We don't get to know Jesus when everything is perfect, but in our mistakes. Tiffany used the story of Mary and Martha as an example. Mary was content to sit and Jesus' feet, to learn from Him, and to love Him. Martha was busy in the kitchen, working, cooking, and expecting Mary to be doing the same. What a shock it must have been to Martha when she learned that Jesus didn't expect her to be the perfect hostess, that all He wanted was for her to join Mary, and sit at His feet.

I hope that this week, you'll be able to sit at the feet of Jesus, and let go of your expectations. Love your God, husband, children and friends for who they are. If you want to dig deeper, read through Psalm 107. As always, the Leadership Team is here for all of you!

Blessings,

Katie

M2M Publicity

Are You Ready?!

The winter Session of Mom2Mom is just days away! We hope to see all of your bright and shining faces on Wednesday, January 12th. We strongly recommend that everyone register online BEFORE Wednesday to avoid a long registration line, and to ensure that your kiddos have a space reserved in their respective classes. You can register here.....

http://www.sccwomen.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1507

Let us know if you have any questions!

Blessings,

Katie

M2M Publicity

Joy

Can joy be present during difficult times?

This past Wednesday morning we were blessed with guest speaker, Kristin Tanner. Kristin, a 10-year resident of the Desert, a Registered Nurse, wife and mother of two recounted her first-hand experience in finding joy while accepting a very difficult medical diagnosis of her three-month-old daughter Natalie.

Natalie was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer; merely three-months old, her head was increasing in size due to the fluid surrounding her brain and a tumor that had wrapped itself around her brain stem. The diagnosis was the beginning of a journey that Kristin later described as, “an experience that most people do not get.”

Kristin gave a phenomenal recount of her emotions as a mother during this time in her life; making decisions that didn’t always feel right, smiling when she didn’t always feel happy and finding hope when medical history dictated otherwise. Her thoughts were raw at times when she described how confusing it was, when bonding moments with her daughter left her wondering whether she should, “enjoy her (daughter’s) spirit” or “prepare for her (daughter’s) loss”. During these difficult times Kristin explained to us that her strength came from the, “peace and joy of being fully engaged as a family, experiencing their new normal and embracing Natalie’s progression and growth.”

Kristin’s final words to us Wednesday morning answered the question we ponder when faced with difficult situations, “Joy needs to be found during times when it’s not there and then remembered.”

Today Natalie has been cancer free for three years and has an 85% chance of survival; Praise God for their miracle and for the hope and the joy they experienced during their most difficult days.

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Rhonda Coombs

M2M Guest blogger