Archives for October 2016

Winter Wedding Cake Idea: Snowflakes!

October 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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Mother of the Bride, is your daughter planning a winter wedding? If so, you may just now be discussing some of the details that can come a little later in the wedding planning process. Things like wedding favors, send-off options, and possibly even the design of the wedding cake.

If your darling girl hasn’t already decided on her cake’s design, here’s an option to show her—snowflakes! The cake above (or something similar) would be especially perfect if she’s incorporating winter touches in other aspects of the wedding, too. The cake offers a great opportunity to highlight a theme if she so chooses.

The dark background in the cake above really helps set off the snowflakes, but I bet extra sparkly snowflakes or silver snowflakes could look gorgeous as well if your daughter prefers a more traditional white cake. Your cake baker may be able to provide the snowflakes, but if he or she asks you to do that, you should be able to find them at most craft, party, or discount stores.

So MOB, if your baby is planning a “baby, it’s cold outside” kind of wedding, share this cool (hee, hee) idea with her. A snowflake cake can be the crowning touch!

*You might also like to read Favor Help for Winter Weddings and Wedding Favors That Grow: Tree Seedlings.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out next week. One lucky subscriber, current or new, will win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Eldriva, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, cake, decorate, groom, help, Mother of the Bride, nature, snow, winter Tagged With: , , ,

A Sacrifice of Praise

October 25, 2016 by 2 Comments

2981762849_f270541979_oOur God is ever worthy of our praise. Won’t you join me in a sacrifice of praise to him today?

Pour out your love to him, pause in speechless wonder, ponder his greatness, and point others to him with your words.

Raise your hands before him, remember all that he’s done, realize the magnificence of our God, and rejoice forevermore.

Approach him with gladness and joy, abide in his presence daily, adore him for who he is, and announce to the world his goodness.

Illumine your darkness with songs of faith, immerse yourself in his love, invite others to join in thanksgiving, and invigorate your prayer life with praise.

Stand before him in awe, savor the wonders of his character, sing from a full heart, and share with everyone your love for him.

Enter his presence with thanks and praise, exalt and lift high his name, entwine your heart with his, and enjoy magnifying so great a Savior!

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Psalm 103:1-2

*What or whom are you praising God for today?

The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out next week. All subscribers are automatically entered for a giveaway in each of the quarterly issues. A $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble will be the prize in this issue. Sign-up for Life Notes is free and to the right!

Photo credit: @Doug88888 via VisualHunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Filed Under: celebrate, faith, fellowship, giving, joy, love, praise, worship Tagged With: , , ,

Wedding Thoughts from Anne Lamott’s Plan B

October 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Kristin happyMother of the Bride, have you ever read any of Anne Lamott’s work? She has a way of speaking the truth—of laying life wide open in ways almost all of us can relate to. I love that humor is often a part of it.

I thought you might enjoy hearing some wedding truth laid open Anne-style. Enjoy this excerpt from Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith as Anne shares about a time when she was involved with a friend’s wedding:

“Building a wedding is a recipe for muddle—the bridal party, the families, the guests, the minister, the vows, the food. You’re attempting to make something beautiful out of unruly and unpredictable elements—the weather, the nuttier relatives, the rivalries, disorders, and dreams. Out of mostly old neurotic family and friends, you hope to create something harmonious. You do so as an act of faith, hoping that for a brief period of time, the love and commitment of two people will unite everyone; and it will sort of work . . .

. . .Here’s what the priest said: ‘I promise you it will all work out, in its own perfectly imperfect way. Weddings are about families, and families can be a bit of a mess under stress. But the love that will gather tomorrow night is much more important than anything else on earth, and bigger than anything else on earth, too. Because finally that love is sovereign.’”

So be encouraged, MOB. It will all work out.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in e post from Sept. 2013!arly November. All subscribers are automatically entered for a giveaway in each of the quarterly issues. A $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble will be the prize in this issue. Sign-up for Life Notes is free and to the right!

*Photo by Chris Humphrey

Filed Under: books, encouragement, faith, family, love, Mother of the Bride, stress, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , ,

Guest Jeneal Rogers: From My Front Porch

October 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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Today I’m happy to share a beautiful piece written by my dear friend Jeneal Rogers. Sit back, relax with Jeneal on her front porch, and let her words usher in peace and beauty. Let them transport you to the thin edge of dawn.

From My Front Porch

It’s the thin edge of dawn. I sit in the rocking chair, on my front porch. Crickets and tree frogs still harmonize. A squirrel scolds emphatically. I wonder. Is it her children she so passionately lectures? Or has her mate somehow unwittingly incurred her wrath?

I watch a spider scurry up the post in front of me. Hurried. Intent. Eager, perhaps, to begin her morning weaving.

Birds start to tune up for today’s concert.
Coos, chirps, and twitters.
Tweets, whistles, and caws.
The rapid percussion of a woodpecker, searching for his breakfast.
An arrogant cardinal warms his voice, “pretty, pretty, pretty bird.”
I listen for the satiny call of the owl, asking his perpetual question. “Who? Who? Who cooks for you?”

Leaves, twigs, and acorns fall from the huge oak.
Plunk
Pop
Tap
Announcing Autumn’s arrival as surely as the air of chilled fog.

How blessed I am. My weekend filled with warm love and laughter.
Friends sharing
Meals
Stories
Hopes
Dreams
Pieces of their lives, graciously offered
Gratefully received.

A beautiful gift, wrapped up and adorned with this sweet symphony of nature, received on my front porch, this early morning, at the thin edge of dawn.

Writer and visual artist Jeneal Rogers of southeast Missouri enjoys writing essays, short stories, and poetry along with creating visual arts of all kinds. An illustrator for Armonia Publishing, Jeneal is currently working on creating an illustrated book, New Wings For An Old Bird, which will combine her love of written and visual media. Jeneal invites you to keep your eye out for the book.

*Photo above by Jeneal Rogers

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. One current or new subscriber will win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble so don’t miss out. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Filed Under: autumn, blessing, fellowship, Friend, Gift, home, joy, life, light, memories, music, nature, poem, thanks Tagged With: , , ,

Mother of the Bride Relaxation Time—with Coloring!

October 11, 2016 by 2 Comments

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Mother of the Bride, I’m sure you’ve noticed the adult coloring book craze that’s swept the nation the past year or so. I haven’t jumped on the bandwagon myself yet, but I know lots of folks have and are thoroughly enjoying relaxing through coloring.

Since relaxation is something every mother of the bride longs for (and needs to work into her schedule), why not try coloring, MOB? If you enjoyed coloring as a kid, I bet you’ll love it now, too. And if you didn’t really care about coloring in your younger years, you could still give it a try. After all, we change as we grow older and often develop new hobbies and interests.

Adult coloring books can be found almost anywhere books or crafts are sold now, both in stores and online. BroadStreet Publishing, the publisher of my book Mother of the Bride, is one of many publishers offering adult coloring books. The photo above shows a few of the ones they offer—The 5 Love Languages® coloring book, Beside Still Waters, Cattitudes, and This Is the Day the Lord Has Made.

If you’re ready to relax and refresh through coloring, MOB, here are links to the coloring books BroadStreet offers as well as some links to the coloring books my blogging and artist friend Jana Botkin offers on her website. Hope you find one you’d like to try!

Majestic Expressions coloring books by BroadStreet Publishing

Heart of the Parks by Jana Botkin

Other “Heart Of . . .” coloring books by Jana Botkin

*You might also like to read Relax and Refresh with This Wedding Story and An MOB Prescription: Movie Fun! 

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*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early November. One current or new subscriber will win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble so don’t miss out. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Photo courtesy of BroadStreet Publishing

Filed Under: color, fun, Mother of the Bride, new thing, refresh, rest, trend Tagged With: , , , , ,
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