"Mommy, which Shoe goes on which Foot?"
  Sara Dahlerup, Speaker Coordinator for St. John's Circle of Women

not finished! We have treats, too. Each week we have a variety of goodies and coffee, music, a reflection on the upcoming Sunday Scriptures, the guest speaker, small group discussions, and  closing prayer. (Are you wondering what happened to my children?) On school days, while my five-year-old attended Little Lights Preschool, my three-year-old and nine-month-old baby played with other little ones supervised by fabulous caregivers.

On the first Thursday of each month, the speaker focuses on a topic that reaches out to our mothers with young children. (In that way, we are similar to the support group MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers.) I hope you can join us when we start up again in September. Be looking for our brochures in the St. Paul Plaza kiosks coming out in August. Our speaker schedule will be in the September issue of The Forerunner (hopefully!).

Okay, so what about the women who work or are unavailable on Thursday mornings? Mark Thursday evening, August 16, at 6:30 p.m. on your calendar. We have invited one of our favorites, Lori McGuire, to speak at Circle of Women. Lori's topic:  Joy on the Journey.

Do you ever wonder why some people seem to have so much joy in their lives? Even in the worst of circumstances they just seem to emanate joy. Lori will help us discover what joy is, where it comes from, and how to maintain it. Jesus said, "I came that you might have and enjoy your life, and have joy over flowing." This talk will help you discover how to develop that kind of joy and live the life Jesus died to give you. Lori has spoken to us several times in the past, and she is absolutely refreshing and inspiring. I guarantee that you will enjoy the night and get a lot out of it. I hope you can come; we will be offering childcare as well. Look for more information in the Sunday bulletins, but here is Lori's mission statement now:

Discover how you can serve God courageously, not wavering in the face of adversity. Life is hard... no doubt. But Jesus said, "I have come that you may have and enjoy your life, to have joy overflowing."  Jesus did His part. It is time for us to do ours; we must live life courageously, fearlessly, and with a boldness and passion that is deserving of the gift He has given us. 

Even if now isn't the right time for you to join us, please spread the word about Circle of Women. Tell a friend, a neighbor, a non-parishioner about us. One of our speakers this past year, Steve Hegele, encouraged us, "Please don't keep this group a secret. This is a good thing you have going here!" 

Again, we welcome you and hope that you will join us whenever you can. You might like it! (You might like us!) Please pray for the Circle of Women as we will always pray for the entire St. John's community. Feel free to call us with any questions:

• Our faithful leader, Carrie, at (763) 780-5160;
  

• Our energizer bunny, Shannon, at (763) 780-4449;
  

• Our myself, the enthusiastic speaker coordinator, Sara, at (651) 636-6568. God bless you.
  

Okay, moms, can you relate to this typical morning rush?

Mom: Time to load up, kids. Alex, grab your backpack.

Alex (age 5): Oh, Mom, I have to do "one more thing." (This is   often the line when we are heading out the door.)

Megan (age 3): Can I bring my blanket and bear? Which    shoe goes on which foot? Can I have a     snack in the van?

Mom: No. Left; then, right. And no, we just had breakfast.  (Then, the tantrum begins...)

You can wrap up this trip down memory lane when I add that the baby needs a last minute diaper change and a new outfit because he just spit up.

You get the picture. Getting to Circle of Women gatherings every Thursday morning is not an easy task, but it's worth it! It has reminded me about how important it is to develop a relationship with Our Lord. The guest speakers are truly inspiring and leave you with new, fresh perspectives. Also, being a part of a group of women who give one another support through prayer, life experiences, and laughter is truly a gift to me.

I try to remember that we are on a journey with God. Each day presents different joys, obstacles, and concerns, but all of these somehow teach us about ourselves and about our relationship with Our Father. God desires a relationship with each of us. If you're like me, I have trouble keeping God at the top with a husband and children in my life. Hard to believe, isn't it? Well, let this be your goal: make a little more time for God. How are you inviting Christ into your busy life?

We have such a variety of speakers at Circle of Women, and we carefully choose them so they can reach out to all of our members since we have a wide age range. That's another aspect of our group that is so great. The younger women have an opportunity to hear from our older, wiser, and more experienced women who are grandparents, mothers, or mother-in-laws. Similarly, the women who are mothers of preschoolers or school-aged children get to share their stories.

I feel more a part of the St. John's community because of my involvement in Circle of Women.  I have met so many wonderful, faithful women who are now good friends. God loves to see His people growing together as a community. In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes: "Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life.  Busyness is a great enemy of relationships. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, and accomplishing goals, as if these tasks are the point of life. They are not. The point of life is learning to love God and people."
If I haven't convinced you yet to join Circle of Women, then I'm