December 19th - A Beautiful Messy Christmas

The Christmas Story - A Beautiful Mess

Mary was a young Jewish girl from a poor family.  She was rightfully engaged to a carpenter named Joseph.  As she waits for her wedding day to arrive, an angel named Gabriel visits her and tells her that she is pregnant through the Holy Spirit, even though she is a virgin.  He says that she has been chosen by God because of her faithfulness.  However, it doesn't seem like much of a “reward” since, on top of the social disgrace, a woman could rightfully be stoned for such an offense in those days.

A beautiful mess.

Thankfully, Joseph is a gracious man.  When he finds out that his fiance is pregnant, knowing the child is not his, he decides to break up with her quietly.  But before he can do so, an angel visits him in a dream and tells him that Mary is carrying the Messiah, conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Despite the social humiliation he will also face, Joseph takes Mary as his wife as God told him to do.

A beautiful mess.

As if all of this was not hard enough, Caesar Augustus decides to count those that were left living in the Roman Empire thus requiring Joseph and Mary to travel about 70 miles at the very end of her pregnancy.  The journey right to Bethlehem takes 3 or 4 long days with Joseph on foot and Mary riding on a donkey.  One might think that God’s favored one could be spared such a painful journey.

A beautiful mess.

Mary and Joseph finally arrive in Bethlehem.  They are most likely exhausted, especially Mary.  But once they had reached Bethlehem, they went left and right looking for a place to stay. No rooms were left in Bethlehem. And of course, this is when Mary goes into labor!  A kind innkeeper allows them to stay right in his stable with the animals.  It is here that Mary gives birth to her first child, and lays him to sleep in the animals’ feed trough.  No doubt, this was not exactly what Mary had envisioned.

A beautiful mess.

On the night Jesus is born, angels appear to a group of shepherds tending their flocks in a field right near Bethlehem.  One of the angels tells them that the Messiah has been born that night, and the shepherds decide to go right then to see the baby.  Shepherds were filthy from being in the fields for long periods of time keeping track of their sheep, and were considered ceremonially unclean.  It didn't get much lower in status in that society than shepherds…  Not exactly the first visitors one would want coming to visit their newborn baby.  But the shepherds came, and they went out spreading the good news that the Messiah was born.

A beautiful mess.

Wise men spotted a new star right in the sky which marked Jesus’ birth, and they came from the east to find the right baby the prophets had foretold.  Along the way, they visit King Herod, and ask him where the right baby is.  Herod, who feels threatened by the new “king of the Jews”, gathers all of the important people left in the area and plots to kill Jesus.  As a gift, one of the wise men brings Myrrh, a perfume used to anoint dead bodies… a symbol of the suffering Jesus would endure 30-some years later. 

A beautiful mess.

Jesus grew up, led a sinless life, taught many people, healed the sick, was persecuted and tested … and then in his early 30’s, condemned to a brutal death by crucifixion to pay the debt for our sins that we could never pay ourselves. 

The biggest “beautiful mess” of all time.

At Christmas, as we celebrate the beautiful story of Jesus’ birth, remember how God wove all of the messy, unexpected pieces together to bring about something amazing when he sent his only son for us. 

What's Ahead: January 9th

• Bunco Time!!
• Individual Challenge: bring a friend to MOPS
• Food/Drinks provided by all groups

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

See you in 2014!!!

MOPS at The Grove

The Grove Baptist Church

12300 County Line Road

Madison AL 35756

Pastor Ross Clemmons

Children's Minister Lottie Partridge

Phone: 256-233-2080

Email Us!

Like Us on Facebook!

MOPS International

December 5th

A Beautiful Mess

Embrace Your Story

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."                      Matthew 11:28

Moments of Peace

Ahhh...rest. Who wouldn't love a day of rest? But let's face it. Mothers don't really get a day of rest. If we rested, who would fix breakfast? Ho would get the children ready for church? Who would do the laundry so your son can wear his lucky socks for the game on Monday? 

No, there's not a lot of rest in a mother's schedule. But, that's not really the kind of rest this verse is talking about. The rest mentioned in this verse is the kind of rest that only Jesus can provide. Resting in Jesus means feeling secure in Him and allowing His peace to fill your soul. That kind of rest is available to all -- even mothers. 

So, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of your life (even if you're elbow deep in dish water), you can rest in Him. Start by meditating on the Lord's promises and His everlasting love for you. Make a mental list of the things in your life that you are thnkful for, and praise God for each one. Allow His love to overwhelm you...and rest.

Today's Devotion: The Most Important Christmas Choice by Tracie Miles

"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" Luke 2:13-14 (NLT)

Tis' the season to be merry... and stressed. Although it should be a season of peace, this month can often make us feel more tangled up inside than a messy string of Christmas lights.

Some people dread the hustle, bustle, and emotional rustle this time of year brings, knowing that irritability, loneliness, or depression will threaten. While there are others who may love the Christmas season, but worry, busyness, family conflicts, and unmet expectations take their toll.

In either case, we have a decision. We can choose to get bogged down with stress or we can choose to bow down in worship.

Scripture gives us a beautiful picture of praise in Luke 2:13-14. When Jesus was born, an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds sharing the good news. Then many other angels joined together and praised God.

"Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'" (NLT)

That's not the only place the Bible records angels worshipping the Lord. In Hebrews 1:6 it says, "And when he brought his supreme Son into the world, God said, 'Let all of God's angels worship him.'" (NLT) And Revelation 5:11-12a says, "Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus." (NLT)

Angels serve as role models of worship. They bow down before Jesus. They shout with incredible joy as they sing songs of praise. Through worship, angels spread the news of God's glory and exhibit holy reverence. Angels intentionally and deliberately spend time praising God.

Keeping Christ in Christmas is more than just a cliché. It is an intentional act of worship. It requires a heart of adoration, much like the angels had. When Jesus is the focus of our holiday, we're centered on His love, peace, and joy.

This prompts us to be His hands and feet to others in need. When worship fills our hearts, it leaves little room for aggravation in long lines at the store. We focus on what Christmas is truly about—the amazing gift of a Savior—rather than stressing out over buying the perfect presents. We exhibit grace to someone when we'd rather do otherwise. Worship turns our attention to giving thanks to Jesus for all He has done, rather than letting stress strip His joy from our hearts.

And it might even mean joining in with the heavenly chorus to sing praises to Him, even if we can't carry a tune!

The holidays can bring a flurry of heightened emotions and can often result in an unhealthy level of stress which can prevent us from engaging in worship and praising the One we are supposed to be celebrating.

There will be lots of choices to be made during the month of December: where to serve, what gifts to buy, and how many events to attend. The most important choice we can make is to worship and sing praises to our Lord. For His gift. For His love. For His peace.

And when our hearts are at peace, our holidays can be too.

Lord, I choose to intentionally worship and praise You during this Christmas season. Help me stay focused on You and Your goodness. Amen.

Craft: Painting Cork Boards

Supplies: 6"x 6" cork board tile, acrylic paint, tape, paintbrushes, hot glue, ribbon, anything else you wish to decorate with

Purpose: To create a posting board, mouse pad, or coasters for home use

Directions: 

1. Decide which project you would like to do. If you want to do coasters decide whether to paint or cut first.

2. Lay tape if making stripes, or paint at will

3. Let dry for 30 minutes. Remove tape if necessary.

4. Use hot glue to attach ribbon or twine

Note: If using as a posting board, you can place it in a frame or attach removable 3M wall mounts to the back.

What's Ahead: December 19th

• Dirty Santa Gift Exchange (participation is optional): if you would like to participate just bring a $5 gift, something that you wouldn't mind taking home
• December is Secret Sister Exchange: Bring a gift for your secret sister if you didn't bring it today
• Steering Team is responsible for food
• The Grove Staff Members will be joining us for lunch!!! A great opportunity to get to know them!!

Cream of Chowder Soup (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup diced bacon
• 4 medium potatoes, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups cream-style corn
• 2 12-ounce cans or 1lb 4 oz package of frozen corn
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cups half and half or light cream, scalded

Preparation:

Saute bacon until browned and crisp; add chopped potatoes and onions. 

Add water, corn, and seasonings; cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in half and half; heat through but do not boil. 

*May add carrots for a little more flavor. Soup goes well with cornbread*

MOPS at The Grove

The Grove Baptist Church

12300 County Line Rd.

Madison, AL 35756

Pastor: Ross Clemmons

Children’s Pastor: Lottie Partridge

Phone: 256-233-2080

Email Us! 

Like Us on Facebook!

MOPS International

The Christmas We Were Broke

We lived lean that winter of 2002. After months of deep pay cuts and our first two months of unemployment, we were struggling to pay the bills and worrying how we’d provide for our nearly one-year-old baby girl. 

Michael and I figured the only gift that year would be the noble fir tree we found for $10 at a faraway Christmas tree farm, and we did delight in that big tree. Evenings on the floor reading books under its twinkle,
holding our baby up so she could see the way lights danced against the fancy ornaments up top. 

One morning, a friend in my moms group shared about an early Christmas in her marriage: “My husband was in school, and we didn’t have two pennies to rub together, so we cut out pictures
of things we wished we could give each other.” 

So that’s what Michael and I did. 

For weeks leading up to Christmas, we chose each other’s gifts with scissors, magazines and stacks of newspapers. 

I cut out an ad for a ski pass, a new down jacket, a Mediterranean-style home for sale in our neighborhood, pictures of places I thought he would love to visit. I wrote hopes for our family, appreciation for him as father and husband. 

These years later, it still brings tears to my eyes to remember our joy that Christmas morning, unwrapping one by one the slips of paper tied with small pieces of ribbon. 

For me, diamond earrings, a cashmere scarf, a trip to Greece and Italy, words like peace and freedom.
I can’t even remember what all. 

But I do recall how I felt: Loved. Seen. Treasured. 

Just this morning, I told Michael I was writing about Christmas. “That Christmas where we cut things out for each other?” he asked with a smile. 

“Do you remember what you gave me or what you opened that year?” I asked. 

“Nope. It wasn’t about the stuff,” he said. 

We knew it then, and we sure do know it now.

By Ashley Larkin, mom of three


Ashley and her husband Michael have been married for 15 years and are parents to three daughters, ages 11, 8 and 5. They live in Portland, Oregon and think they may cut out their gifts for each other again this Christmas. Follow Ashley at her blog, Draw Near or on Twitter @ashleymlarkin.

Thankful for Reality by Alexandra

You see, Darling, somewhere along the way I’ve missed the Thanksgiving commercials with the mom trying to nurse the baby in the corner of the packed living room. One hand struggling to keep her kicking babe on her breast, the other pulling the blanket back over her shoulder for the ten zillionth time to avoid flashing her husband’s entire extended family. You know, the Hallmark ads that show life as it actually is.

 Across our country today families will gather and be thankful. We will eat more pumpkin pie than our tummies can handle. But unlike the beautiful-people commercials filled only with toasts and hugs, there will be toddlers with meltdowns in front of relatives their parents haven’t talked to in years, babies teething and off schedule desperate for a quiet, dark place to nap and pregnant women who swoon (and not in a good way) at the smell of the turkey the rest of us find delightful.

I get bombarded with images of what I’m supposed to want. When the table settings, or the festive guests or the showroom kitchen don’t quite match what’s actually in front of me, I feel dissatisfaction creep in. And when we get to that point I can pretty much kiss gratitude good-bye.

So here I am in my house with dirty dishes and piles of clothes, some clean and some dirty, but I’m not sure quite which are which, and I’m deciding to be thankful for what I ACTUALLY live with. The stuff, the people, the reality. My gratitude list does not involve artfully constructed words that make the simplest piece of fruit sound like a work of art. Rather it goes something like this:

I am thankful for…          

                sharpie pen on the wall

                moldy leftovers in the fridge

                 interrupted sleep

                girls in timeouts

You might not see these items in a typical Thanksgiving commercial, but here is what they mean to me. Sharpie pen on the wall means precious hands that share a warm, safe home with me. Moldy leftovers in the fridge means access to more food than our family can possibly eat. Interrupted sleep means voices in the middle of the night that call out for one person, “Mommy!” And girls in timeouts means children who explore limits and parents who love them enough to set them.

I am thankful for this beautiful mess of a home and a family. We probably couldn’t sell you any Christmas lights or ipads, so I don’t expect a camera crew to arrive anytime soon. But I wish they would at least go to a REAL family gathering where the mom is cowered in the corner trying to nurse her kicking baby. Because that is reality. And I’m thankful for mine.

What reality are you thankful for today?

By Alexandra Kuykendall - As a mom to four girls, ages 11, 8, 4 and 2, Alexandra is offered daily doses of the ludicrous and sublime. She is the author of this year’s MOPS International theme book, The Artist’s Daughter, A Memoir and is the Mom and Leader Content Editor for the organization. This means she reads a lot and writes when she can. But don’t be fooled by long and fancy titles, most of Alex’s days are spent washing dishes, driving to and from different schools and trying to find a better solution to the laundry dilemma. You can connect with her at AlexandraKuykendall.com.