MOPSTalk Zone 22 ~ Eastern PA and NJ: Competition

CONVENTION UPDATE

Ta da! A Convention announcement!
We just signed the papers and we thank you for your prayers as we worked on moving, well, a whole lotta details in just a few days.

Drum roll #1: The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area) was able to welcome us (in the midst of many conventions needing to move).

Drum roll #2: We're able to keep the registration fees the same, so some of you might decide to come early or stay late, and enjoy the Orlando amenities with your friends (or family).

And thanks for all the great ideas of cities! You helped our future dreaming. 'Twould be fun!
And again, it will be great because of Who we'll be with: "Where(ver) two or three (thousand) are gathered in my name, there am I with them." (Mt. 18:20, our year's theme verse with my additions).

Naomi Cramer Overton

Convention Details:
The MOPS International Convention will be at the Gaylord Palms, Kissimmee, FL (Orlando area). Dates will be the same, August 5-7, 2010. Speakers and artists will be the same great lineup — Julie Barnhill, Margaret Feinberg, Donald Miller, Naomi Cramer Overton, Shelly Radic, Go Fish, Mandisa, The Katinas and Richie McDonald.

Convention registration will re-open on Monday, May 17.
The early bird registration deadline will be extended to June 7.
We are working with the Gaylord Opryland for an official letter we can provide to anyone who has already purchased airline tickets to use with airlines to avoid rebooking fees. This letter should assist you in rebooking airline tickets — it will be posted online at www.MOPS.org/convention.
We continue to pray for families and businesses affected by the flooding and we have sent MOPS materials to local MOPS leaders who are distributing supplies in the Nashville area.

MOPS International Convention 2010

August 5-7, 2010
Gaylord Palms, Orlando FL

Check back often for more information!

Your MOPS International Convention Checklist:

Register for Convention (re-opens May 17)
Reserve a room at the hotel (register first!)
Schedule shuttle transportation

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Competition

Lately, my 3-year-old daughter, Danielle, has been focusing her attention on "racing" me wherever we go together and she is quick to be the first to arrive and declare "I win!". When she first started to do it, I thought it was cute and pretended to be racing her while letting her win. Then I thought about it and after a week of constantly competing every time we went upstairs or downstairs or exited the car or headed back to the car or, well, hopefully you get the idea, I got tired of it. I considered the idea that somehow I encourage an atmosphere of competition in my home and within my family and it left me with an uneasy feeling. Reflecting on the theme Bible verse from last year's MOPS Summit, I knew that I wanted to change that competition attitude into a cooperation attitude.

Make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit though the bond of peace. Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itelf up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:3, 15-16

How many times do I feel that I have to make things more exciting by creating a competition? Isn't the bigger challenge for us all to learn to help one another by doing our best within our family. Isn't this true with other groups I am involved in too? My MOPS group, my Church group, my committees...my extended families. How often do I struggle with an envious response when someone I know gets a new "toy", new clothes, or a new (fill-in the blank yourself). My daughter didn't just pick up her new "I win" racing skills on the streets...she learned them through watching me and my responses. (Deep breath)
Now when she wants to race me, I suggest that we hold hands and help each other. It has been slow going at changing that "gotta win" attitude, but just this morning as we went up the stairs and reached the top, she declared "Mommy wins, I win, and Susie wins (our dog)." And I have to tell you I agree wholeheartedly with that idea. Wouldn't that be the greatest world to live in, where when one of us wins, we all win? Wouldn't it be nice if we could hang up our competition hats and let cooperation be our guide within our families, our friends, our communities, and with strangers?
What do you think?