Tyler TX Facebook

Follow Donny on Twitter

Username:
Password:
  Remember Me   Forgot password?  Register
0-9  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

MOPS International

February 9th, 2011

  Mothers of Pre-Schoolers (MOPS) is a great place for moms to come and be encouraged by other moms. Many different churches around East Texas have the MOPS groups meet in their facility. Many times being a mom is so stressful and you just want someone that understands how much time and energy you invest in your family. Sometimes you began to feel discouraged and frustrated. You are not the only person that feels that way. At MOPS moms are separated into smaller groups or tables with a table leader and a table mom. The table leader keeps you informed about each meeting and what the next thing that is going on with the group. She also plans mom’s night outs or play dates with your groups children. The table mom is the mentor of the table. She has “been there and done that”, in other words she has raised her children and knows the struggles of being mom. It is great to get advice and encouragement from someone who has lived through it all.

MOPS started with just a few women in 1973. They simply got together and talked while they had someone come and watch their children. They would eat; do a craft, and a devotional. Soon they started to spread this idea to churches. The MOPS idea spread like a wild fire as churches and women saw a need for a group like this. By 1988 MOPS meeting started taking place outside of the United States boarder and MOPS became MOPS International.

MOPS meetings are at different times depending on the location, and most groups meet twice a month. The MOPS groups that I have attended have all met during the week and in the morning. Every meeting has different tables bring breakfast for the meeting. This is a fun way to start the meeting, eating together and talking to friends. Some groups even have fun door prizes. At the MOPS groups they have speakers come in that give advice to moms and what to do in situations concerning, punishing your children, playing with your children, setting limits, and giving choices. Every couple weeks the group does a fun craft together. Craft days are pretty fun it is just a time you can laugh and talk together with all the other women. One of the greatest things about MOPS is that they have MOPPETS. MOPPETS is a group of wonderful women that volunteers to watch these moms little children while the moms are in the meeting. To join MOPS there is about a fifty dollar fee, but there are scholarships for moms if needed.

Come to MOPS and be encouraged by other moms and by great speakers. Have fun and make new friends here. There all churches all over East Texas that has opened their doors to MOPS groups. There is also a group called Teen MOPS, for teen moms facing similar situations and struggles. To find a MOPS near you or a MOPS that meets at a time convenient to your schedule you can search at www.mops.org. I find myself looking forward to these meetings, I love having time to have an adult conversation with people who understand me, and many of these with kids the same age going through the same things. If you feel like there is a need of a MOPS or a Teen MOPS group at your church, there is all the information you need to start a group on the MOPS website.

Joe’s Promise

October 20th, 2010

It was a few years ago that we first started to eat at the small Italian restaurant in Tyler TX, Joe’s Italian Grill. We liked the pasta, pizzas, and prices. When I was in high school a big group of us went to Joe’s Italian Grill. One person from our group wanted to order a salad and asked if they had Thousand Island salad dressing, because they did not he asked to the manager, and the waitress said that Joe, himself, was there. He came out and talked to him.

When person told him that he would love to see Joe’s restaurant offer Thousand Island, and if they did he would recommend the restaurant and would give them a lot of his business. Joe promised him that the next time he came to the restaurant he would be able to order his salad the way he wanted it. People through out the restaurant cheered and clapped for the owner. A couple weeks passed and we revisited, when someone once again ordered a salad with Thousand Island, I was surprised that they did not offer the salad dressing.

Even months later, they did not offer the dressing. Having the salad dressing was not the issue in this situation. If an owner promises his costumers to their faces and shake their hands they should keep to their word. Because of the broken promise people did not return to the restaurant.

                Recently Joe’s Italian Grill opened a second restaurant just across the road. I do not really understand how they have two restaurants since every time I have gone to the original one there was hardly anyone there. I do like the food at Joe’s grill. I like how you can make your table private by letting down a curtain to exclude you from the rest of the restaurant. The shrimp tortellini is one of Joe’s best dishes, and one of the best tortellini dishes I have ever had.

               I do understand why people hold this strange grudge towards Joe’s Italian Grill. If you are not going to keep your promises than do not make a guarantee that you can not keep. I will keep eating there because of the great food and I never felt like they did wrong towards me.