Father-Daughter Dance Songs for Weddings

May 18, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, can you guess what one of your most emotional moments will be on your daughter’s big day? If you guessed the Father-Daughter dance, you guessed right.

When your little-girl-turned-bride and her daddy take to the dance floor on wedding day, you might just come undone. Years of memories will flood your heart, and you’ll feel like you’re out there on the dance floor with them giving her away one final time. You may even feel like it’s your last hurrah as the most important family members in her life, but instead, try to see it as a wonderful tribute to all the love you’ve shared over the years.

To help your family prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime moment, here’s a list of great song possibilities for this special tribute dance. Run them past your husband and daughter and see which ones they’re drawn to. They may want to find the songs online and listen to them together. Another great memory in the making. Enjoy!

“In My Life” – the Beatles
“You Send Me” – Sam Cooke
“The Way You Look Tonight” – Frank Sinatra or Steve Tyrell
“Come Fly With Me” – Frank Sinatra
“My Girl” – The Temptations
“Isn’t She Lovely” – Stevie Wonder
“Unforgettable” – Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole
“Cinderella” – Steven Curtis Chapman
“My Wish” – Rascal Flatts
“What a Wonderful Life” – Louis Armstrong
“Butterfly Kisses” – Bob Carlisle
“How Sweet It Is” – James Taylor
“My Little Girl” – Tim McGraw
“Times of Your Life” – Paul Anka
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” – Stevie Wonder
“I Loved Her First” – Heartland
“It Had to Be You” – Ray Charles
“Daughters” – John Mayer
“You Are So Beautiful” – Joe Cocker
“Daddy Dance With Me” – Krystal Keith

For now, MOB, get your hankie ready. I have a feeling you may need it. And that’s okay. The tears will just be love flowing from your eyes.

*You might also like to read Wedding Day First Dance Photo—Show Off Her Rings!, Budget Agreement with the Father of the Bride, and Guest List Help: Don’t Forget the Father of the Bride.

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

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Barry.Lenard, Creative Commons License

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The Sounds of Spring: Sounds of Life

April 6, 2021 By 2 Comments

Early in the mornings, when I stick my head out the door or step outside for a few seconds to take in the beauty of the day, the sounds that greet me often capture my attention first. And right now, it’s the sounds of spring that fill the neighborhood. Yes, the sounds of life are once again in full voice.

These lively spring mornings stand in stark contrast to the silence that met my ears this winter during my early morning checks of the day. The sounds of nature seemed to freeze right along with the icicles hanging from the eaves of our home. Even God’s creatures knew when to hole up and snuggle in rather than venture out into the bitter cold.

But now the world has come to life again. Spring has turned up the volume, and I for one am loving the concert it gives each day.

The sound of birds may be my favorite. With their various melodies and calls, they soothe my soul or sometimes surprise me with sounds of a brawl. At other times, I’ll hear squirrels chattering or the steady background noise of a spring shower, and occasionally thunder will announce a coming storm. On other days, the sound of the wind tries to drown out things of lesser notice. And, of course, we humans add to the symphony with our excited proclamations of spring’s arrival and our too-early-in-the-season lawn mowing escapades.

Yes, winter is past. Spring is here. Life has begun anew. What a perfect accompaniment it was to our celebration of the Easter season. May our voices of praise to our Creator and Redeemer add to the sounds of spring, add to the sounds of life!

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad . . .  let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them . . . ” Psalm 96:11-12 NIV

*What’s your favorite sound of spring?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early May. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Amazon and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

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

*Flickr photo by timsackton, Creative Commons License

2 Comments Filed Under: beauty, celebrate, creation/creative/creator, joy, life, listen, music, nature, praise, sounds, spring, variety, worship Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

3 Tips for Working with Your Wedding DJ

February 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, have you thought about special instructions for the wedding DJ yet? Whether your daughter and her groom have opted to go with a professional DJ for the wedding party or if a friend has offered to act as DJ, certain important aspects of the job need to be discussed ahead of time.

Here are three vital instructions to nail down with your DJ:

1) The pronunciation of the names of everyone in the wedding party. Prepare a list of with pronunciations and go over it verbally with the DJ. Have him or her read it back to you.

2) Instruct the DJ to start playing background music as soon as the first guests arrive at the reception. You don’t want to get there with the rest of the wedding party to find the guests sitting in bored silence waiting for the party to begin.

3) Tell the DJ what kind of music to play. The bride and groom don’t have to select each song, but ask them to give some general direction. If they leave it up to the DJ, he or she might play rap or hip hop when they would prefer country or soft rock or jazz.

Other details (time, place, payment, etc.) need to be discussed with the DJ as well, MOB, but the above details are three important things to be sure to address. Now look forward to dancing the night away!

*You might also like to read Get It In Writing and Wedding Day Tip: A List for the Photographer.

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

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out in early February. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Flickr photo by cheriejoyful, Creative Commons License

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The Glorious Sounds of Fall

October 20, 2020 By 4 Comments

I don’t know what fall sounds like in your corner of the world, but fall means music in the air to me. And I mean that literally.

Since we live just a few blocks from our local high school, the marching band has jazzed up my fall mornings for years with its lively, high-stepping melodies. They’re carried to me loud and clear by the autumn breezes.

The staccato beat of drumsticks readies the band for action. The syncopated rhythmic boom, boom, boom of the bass drum provides the cadence the whole band needs as they march in unison. The blare of the horns energizes the very air around me, and their crisp cut-offs add the perfect punctuation to a fall morning’s melody.

Even though this year is slightly different because of COVID, in years past the band has busily prepared to perform at football games and march in area parades. As they’ve done that, I’ve gotten to enjoy a sound that transports me back in time not only to my high school and college days but also to childhood memories of going to homecoming parades with my parents and grandparents. Larger-than-life days, for sure. The band helps me taste them again.

What does fall sound like to you? Maybe a fire crackling in the fireplace or a flock of geese honking high overhead as they fly south for the winter? It might be leaves skittering across the driveway or crunching underfoot, or it might even be the sound of someone splitting wood nearby. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s music in the air to you.

Let’s thank God today not only for the beauty of the autumn season, but also for giving us ears to hear the glorious sounds of fall. Truly music in the air!

“‘But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.’” Matthew 13:16 NIV

*What are your favorite sounds of fall?

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) p.s. If you sign up after Oct. 30th, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways but not in this current giveaway.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*Flickr photo by Chandler Abraham, Creative Commons License

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Christmas Moments: Carol Your Way to Worship

November 27, 2018 By 2 Comments

Have you ever caroled your way to worship? I have. And one of the best ways I know to enter into sweet moments of personal worship is through singing the carols of Christmas.

As the season gets started, I urge you to find a hymnal or a songbook of classic Christmas carols and choose one to sing each day in your quiet moments with God. You probably know many of these long-time favorites by heart, but I encourage you to find the words written out somewhere so you can sing all the verses. I promise you will find treasure you have forgotten about or never knew was there.

Several years ago while singing “O Holy Night!” during one of my personal worship times, the Lord ministered such encouragement to me through the last half of the second verse—the verse that is usually left out when we sing it in groups or hear it performed. How grateful I am I didn’t leave it out as I sang privately to him that Christmas season.

Join me today, won’t you, and carol your way to worship this holiday season. Here is “O Holy Night!” to get you started (text by John S. Dwight; melody by Adolphe Adam). May the King of kings minister to your heart as you sing to him!

“O holy night! the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;
Fall on your knees, Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand;
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend;
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name;
Christ is the Lord, Oh, praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim.”

“Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness . . .” Psalm 96:9 NIV

*Which carol would you like to sing next as you carol your way to worship?

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out early this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

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

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from Nov. 2011 blessed you today!

*Flickr photo by infomastern, Creative Commons License

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