12 September - The Classroom

The Classroom

Guest Speaker: Panel consisting of Karen A-D,Sarah B and Kate B
Topic: Mums talk about the experience of choosing a school for your children
Morning Tea Theme: Lunchbox foods
Craft: Sock Puppets

Summary of session:
Kate B (Head of Womens Ministry at MBC) spoke first about her experience of schooling. A few of her main points were to see each of your children as individuals and the school that suits one may not necessarily suit another. Realise also that you become a part of a school community. Sarah B spoke about selecting a primary school for her son based on lots of questions and research (she said to not be afraid to ask questions and speak up if want to know something as its a big decision you are making). She said one main factor in helping her choose a school was to look at her sons interests and skills and try and find a school that also emphasised those areas.
Karen A-D also spoke about the school community and mentioned her school has multi-age classes.


School and Preschool Option in Queensland

PLEASE NOTE THIS SECTION IS STILL BEING WORKED ON - NOT COMPLETE AND OPEN TO INPUT FROM OTHERS THANKS

School starts in Queensland with a (non-compulsory) Prep year for children turning 5 by June 30th.

Preschool options - Prior to this time your options include:

• Child staying at home with parent
• Child at home with a paid or unpaid carer (eg home based nanny or family member). There are some nanny agencies such as (ADD SOME HERE). If a family member good idea to have some guidelines/rules in place to increase consistency across carers etc
  
• Child Care/Creche/Day Care - this may be either centre based care or family day care in the home of a qualified carer. Centre Based Care - Available 5 days a week (you nominate days you want) and open generally from 6.30am to 6.30 pm. Fees vary. Some families eligible for Government subsidy. Waitlists can be long in some centres and for some age groups. Some centres ask for a booking fee. You will need to enquire at each centre you are interested in. Its a good idea to find a centre close to home or work if possible rather than one out of your way. Ask around for recommendations. Word of mouth is always a good way to find a quality centre but remember what one family wants/needs out of a centre may not be the same as yours. Best idea is to make a short list of centres and physically visit them to get a feel for the place - do the children look happy, do the staff look happy, what does the centre offer, what are the centres hours, policies, fees etc. Ask some current parents about things such as how any problem behaviours are managed or is there a high turnover of staff. Ultimately you are asking - would you be ok about your child being cared for by these workers and in this centre. Family Day Care has the advantages or being one carer with a smaller group of children in a home environment. To find out more about Family Day Care here on the coast see this site or contact xxxx TO BE ADDED.
  
• Taking part in a Kindergarten/Pre-Prep program for the year immediately prior to prep - These pre-prep programs are offered via some day care centres and more specifically via centres such as C& K etc. Most C&K Kindergarten/Pre-Prep have either a 2 day or 3 day group OR a rotating 2 day/3 day fortnight. Note that the day is shorter than that available via child care centres. Most C&K programs run from 8.45-2.15 or 9 to 2pm. C & K Pre-Prep only runs during school term. If you are considering C&K, be prepared to put your name on a waitlist at least 12-18mths prior to when you want your child to attend as places are limited (often only 2 groups of around 20-25 children). So this would mean figuring out what year your child will be attending Prep (e.g., Prep in 2012) and then you'll want to enrol your child in C & K for Pre-Prep the year before this (Pre-Prep 2011) so ideally you would then count back 18 mths prior to this year to enrol to increase your chance of a place (enrol by mid-2009) - should you choose this option. Please note that I am by no means wanting to alarm anyone but rather some info/advice/planning ahead that I wish I had known/been given/taken notice of/acted upon.
  

Preparing your child for school/Readiness for school
See these sites for further info (to be added)

Choosing a School - link to Fact Sheet by Dr John Irvine (to be added)

School Zones - to be added. Does anyone know if you can access a map of school zones or is a matter of contacting the school you are interested in?

The School Enrolment procedure - each school varies. Most have a website or a prospectus (or both) with enrolment forms. In terms of Prep most school advertise their info nights around Oct/November for parents wishing to enrol children for the following year

Private/Independent vs Public/Government

See Education Queensland website for lots of information and practical advice


THIS PART BELOW WAS ADDED AS A FILLER WHILE I FOUND TIME TO ADD THE SPEAKER NOTES - V TEMPTED TO DELETE BUT NOT SURE OF THE ETIQUETTE OF DOING THAT ON A BLOG??

In the meantime here's something to make you laugh.

All this talk about school made me dig out the old albums. This is me (Michele) when I was in Grade 5. I was "9 years 11 mths" according to Mum's writing on the back of the photo. Don't you love the skivvy. Very practical for those cold school days in Victoria I am sure, and I still remember those "Hoppers" overalls. I loved them and thought they were very cool !

And what I wouldn't do to get my natural hair color back again ....

Posting this photo makes me think of a magazine article I read recently where someone wrote a letter to their current adult self from their 10 year old self....that would be an interesting exercise ....another time perhaps ....Amongst other things it would definitely include something along the lines of "Don't dye your hair ...ever ... as you will NEVER be able to return to your natural colour no matter how hard you try or how much you are willing to spend"

Did You Know About ...Child Protection Week?

It is currently Child Protection Week Sunday Sept 7 to Saturday Sept 13.

The 2008 theme is "Children See, Children Do...Make your influence a positive one".

See here for further information

See also NAPCAN

and PACT (Protect All Children Today) websites

Did You Know About ...The Pyjama Foundation?

The Pyjama Foundation (click here) is a volunteer organization that trains Pyjama Angels to read regularly (once a week) to children in Foster Care.

They will be conducting new volunteer training on Thursday 2nd October 2008 from 6pm-9.30pm.

Training on the Sunshine Coast only happens twice a year, so this is a great opportunity if you are interested in becoming a Pyjama Angel.

If you require any more information or would like to attend the training, please contact Sue Cluff by Friday 26 September.

Sue Cluff

Sunshine Coast Co-ordinator

The Pyjama Foundation

Ph: 0421 521440

Baby Announcement

Announcing a new little MOPPET

MOPS Mum Merran had a baby boy:

"Billy" (William Mark) born 1:42am 26th August 2008, weighing 7lb 15 oz.

Congratualations to Merran and Mark from all of us at MOPS@MBC

Fathers Day

Karens post on Fathers reminded me of a card I made for my Dad for last Father's Day.

My card for Dad was inspired by a quote I once read about fatherhood written by Erma Bombeck (Humorist and social commentator)

Her quote reads as follows:

“He opened the jar of pickles when no one else could. He was the only one in the house who wasn’t afraid to go into the basement by himself. He cut himself shaving, but no one got excited about it. It was understood that when it rained, he got the car and brought it around to the door. When anyone was sick, he went out to get the prescription filled”
Erma Bombeck

And here's the one I wrote for my Dad along similar lines (I hope no-one is offended by the toilet humour but that's my Dad for you!)

He scraped the black stuff off hostie-toasties and turned them upside down so you wouldn’t see the burnt bit. He made the best camp-oven potatoes and worst ever “chicken” (actually rabbit) casserole (it’s just the red wine Shel-Bel). He took us on great long bike rides and fishing for snails and abalone to cook on the beach (even though we didn’t eat them). He built bull-nosed verandah cubby houses, and made flying foxes and billy carts and tin canoes. He taught us to work hard and have fun doing it. He made us laugh with his “Dad jokes”, badger-badgers and pull-my-fingers. He took us to bed upside down like fruit-bats, checked we were still breathing in our sleep and gave us warmed port and comfort when we were sick. He took us on adventures in our own backyard and in other countries. He drove us all over the place on “Cook’s Tours”, singing verse after verse of My Highland Goat-e-oat-e-oat and “When I First Came to This Land” (nah nah nah whoo whoo) ….. and letting us change the lights with our feet as we drove. He instilled in me a sense of excitement about learning about different people and places and looking up stuff in big heavy books. He taught us right from wrong and good from bad and that’s it’s ok to stuff up once in a while as long as you say sorry. He made me value family connections and history and the importance of long-lasting friendships and doing anything for a mate in need. He makes me smile when I see him with his grand-children as a proud Poppa. He is my Dad and I love him.

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there. Hope you all get very spoilt. My husband is getting a sleep in (as best you can with 2 kids under 3), a real cooked breakfast with all the works ...and he doesnt know it yet so hope he doesnt read this blog but a new hotplate for the BBQ of course (inspired by our last MOPS).

Would you like to share a Dad story with us or post about what you are planning for Fathers Day. You can add a comment or email content/photos etc to Michele (hillme@virginbroadband.com.au) if you want to get something posted on the Blog.

Father's Day

One of the special Mums I am priveleged to know gave me permission to share this touching Father's Day message with you.... I pray it speaks to you as it did to me.

Please Note:
click on "My Father".....and a larger version will open on your screen :)

A Timely Marriage Reminder

An Ordinary Glass Window, A Timely Marriage Reminder

Lysa TerKeurst

 

 “Marriage should be honored by all ...”

Hebrews 13:4 (NIV)

         

Devotion:

About a year ago I woke up early one morning and saw the strangest sight. Condensation had collected on one of my bedroom windows. Etched in the condensation were two perfectly drawn circles. They were joined at the center and looked exactly like two wedding bands.

I stared at this marking on my window and tried to come up with a reasonable explanation. I could not for the life of me figure out how two perfect circles could have gotten drawn into the condensation of my very high up bedroom window. Later that day I went back to look at the window, but the hot afternoon sun had long since caused the window to dry out. The wedding bands were gone. For days I looked for their return, waking each morning eager to see them and ponder their existence. But when the days turned into weeks without seeing them, I eventually stopped looking.

Then one morning they reappeared. Only this time they were there for several mornings straight. Each morning when my eyes would open, the two etched wedding bands were the first thing I'd see.

On about the fourth morning as I stared at this strange phenomenon my heart started aching. There was a kind of urgency suddenly pulsing through my chest. I tried to brush it off but couldn't quite shake the feeling. It was a conviction - but not a condemning kind of conviction, rather a tender conviction to love my husband more intentionally. And not just in the convenient ways, in the inconvenient as well. In ways that take a little more thought, intentionality and effort. Ways that are easy to let slip when the everyday urgencies seem to take precedence and seem more important.

So, I mentally made all kinds of promises and grand plans for a priority overhaul. And for a few days, I did great. But then life... lots of life distracted me and my attention got redirected. The window circles soon disappeared and so did my resolve. All my good intentions slipped back into a comfortable getting by of sorts.

Well, at the risk of starting to sound like a Hallmark movie, the circles came back. I don't want to sound presumptuous. I fully realize that there could be a perfectly good reason for the circles.  One friend suggested that they could be leftover marks from when the windows were installed.  But then why are they only sometimes there?  We’ve lived in this house and had that same window for 15 years and they are just now showing up? And why do they only seem to appear when God needs to send me a perfectly timed reminder to give my marriage and my husband, more attention?

Do you think that maybe, just maybe, Love of the most divine kind has reached down to touch an ordinary glass window?

                                                                                                                                                                          

Dear Lord, I think we’ll be amazed one day when we get to Heaven and realize how intimately involved You’ve always been in our lives.  Lord, thank You for this message in the form of two circles on my window.  Even if there is an explanation for them besides You drawing these circles, I thank You that through them You’ve reminded me to love my husband more intentionally.  Please help us all to make our marriages more of a priority in our lives.  Show us how to love the way you intended us to love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa TerKeurst’s blog today to learn how to conquer one of the most challenging aspects of marriage - expectations!

 

Capture His Heart by Lysa TerKeurst

 

The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained by Lysa TerKeurst

 

Application Steps: 

Make a list today of some attitudes and actions that you could change as a blessing for your spouse.

 

Attitude: Have you been struggling with any negative attitudes toward your spouse such as disrespect, unforgiveness, resentment, or frustration?

 

Actions: What are some little everyday things that you could do to make your spouse’s life better, more fun, or less stressful?

Reflections: 

I know from personal experience that marriage can be both wonderful and incredibly hard. One of the most important things I can do as a wife is to actively pray for my husband, and myself in my role as a wife.  What are some things that you could commit to praying for in regards to your marriage?  After all if God can speak to me through an ordinary window, I know he can certainly speak to us and advise us about our marriages during focused times of prayer.

  

Power Verses:

1 Peter 3:1, “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives.” (NIV) 

 

1 Timothy 3:11, “In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” (NIV)

 

 

© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

29 August - Celebrating Fatherhood

On the 29th August we looked at Fatherhood as this was the meeting before Fathers Day (Reminder: Father's Day is this Sunday 7 September!)

Topic: Celebrating Fatherhood
Guest Speaker: Pastor Lloyd, Pastor from Maroochy Baptist, husband to MOPS Leader/Mum Simone, and Dad to 3 gorgeous boys, 9, 4 and <1 style="font-weight: bold;">Morning Tea: A lovely BBQ with sausages and chicken kebabs
Creative Activity: We made a cutlery roll for picnics, made out of a checked tea-towel

Here is a copy of Ps Lloyds notes on "Understanding Your Man"

Father’s Day: Understanding Your Man

Introduction:

Difference is a good thing!

Illustration: Jerry Seinfeld finds someone just like him.

Women think like Spaghetti, Men’s minds are quiet and focus on one thing at a time

Careful with the generalisations

· Life circumstances and upbringing can change these things greatly. They may not even appear to be there at all.

Illustration: Aussie men in terms of maleness have been encouraged greatly by our mums

4 images of your man:

1. The Leader

Last time I spoke on understanding men, I talked from a Bible passage (Ephesians 5) that talks about the ‘Headship’ and what that means.

Men and women are different, “husbands love your wives, and women respect your husbands”

Head can mean: Source of a river, Head of the Body (unity), Head of state, authority.

We noted that Headship as it appears in Ephesians, mainly talks about, sacrifice and service.

Illustration: in the business world, inverted pyramid!

Illustration: Being a Wrigglies rep

Your husband in the spirit world, is the gatekeeper to your family

He has both responsibility and is accountable to God

Response: Release him to lead, don’t feel in competition with him.

‘Happy wife happy life’, a man’s persona generally reflects how things are going in the family.

Honour him: Honour has to do with ‘integrity’ and ‘position’ both Internal and external!

Honey, where’s my socks!!! Value him. He brings things to the family that you can’t provide!

2. The Provider

A man gains a great deal of his identity through what he does for work.

Illustration: Me going to college and losing my identity, business card: ‘Lloyd Mxxxx Director of Travellers’

Illustration: Men at the BBQ. When men get together, they often share business cards!

If a man loses his job or is having trouble at work, or is unable to work because of illness, or unable to get work it is a devastating experience.

This is not to say that women don’t provide, some of your families have survived because of your income. However you get your identity through many things, relationships, mothering, family the house etc, your ministry.

Men go to great lengths to get work to provide. Illustration: Landline, Tradesmen from Vietnam, working in WA sending the money home to keep their family.

Sometimes women find it hard to understand why the husband works so long and doesn’t get home till late. Sometimes this sense of responsibility can be on overdrive, making sure that you have enough.

Most families today are double income; however it is really pertinent in these times with little ones, when you are focused on mothering and nurturing.

Response:

· Respect your man “show consideration” Note the difference with Honour

· Discuss the use of family resources (wife discussing with me about Gym membership)

· Appreciate how hard the work is at times (Carolyn, Every $50 was 2 hours her husband had to spend in the hot sun on a roof top somewhere)

3. The Caveman

When things get on top of us, we generally withdraw to make sense of our world. We can be tired, not communicate, and be aloof.

Women have a beautiful way of letting off emotional steam in crying. Men generally find it hard to get there.

Illustration: Someone saying to Ps Lloyd "I think I should be crying, but I don’t know how to"

The most difficult time of life is when you have teenagers and dying parents 40-50, close to that is the young family season.

Men can often have a time of crisis in the ages between 30-40s. They may experience stress attacks, and become depressed.

Response:

· Keep a check on your man

· Don’t leave him alone! Most women think that because he is withdrawn, he does not want me in there, WRONG!!!! You have a far greater fabric of support than he does. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”.

· “When the lion is roaring, step in his mouth and have a good look around”

· “Fear knocked on the door, faith opened the door and nothing was there!”

· You have the keys to his heart. Press in, not with nagging but communicate care and tenderness.

·

4. The Adventurer

Most men need adventure to keep them fresh. A battle to be fought, a mountain to climb, a challenge to conquer, a wilderness to be explored, a beast to be hunted, or a maiden to be rescued. (Note added by Michele - see the books by Stasi and John Eldredge. Womens book is called Captivating and the mens is called Wild at Heart)

Boys, get dirty, skin a knee, make loud car noises, want to wrestle and fight!

Remember: Girls are made of: “sugar and spice and all things nice”, however boys are “snips and snails and puppy dogs tails”

Illustration: Watching movie called "Captain and Commander" with Russell Crow (“The courage to do the impossible lies in the hearts of men”)

In the heart of all men is the desire of the wilderness, of adventure, however it may only manifest in a love of playing computer games!!!!

Men need to rediscover the wilderness.

Many men in this family phase are in the busiest season of life, they need to be encouraged to have time out.

Illustration: My time out on the ocean, even when I am tired

Response:

· Encourage your man to have friendships with other male friends

· Set him free (release him) to take a few days camping or a fishing trip

Conclusion:

Honour your man, respect him with consideration, approach him with gentleness, care and support, set him free when it is needed, encourage his wildness and adventure.

Aslan (the lion in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe):

Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King I tell you.”

There is a little bit of Aslan in every man……

· It takes far less energy to do the best things, “a gentle answer turns away wrath,” Having a heated argument can be the easiest thing at the time, but it is far more exhausting in the long run, than choosing to have a gentle answer.

· Reverse psychology, investments that bring a good return. Doing a little thing now in the right place and the right way, can make a tremendous difference not only to your man, but in turn to you!