Make Arrangements with the Caterer for Leftovers

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Mother of the Bride, here’s an important tip—make arrangements with your caterer for leftovers and get it in writing. You’re paying dearly for all the food at the wedding reception so you are entitled to take home everything that’s left over.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming the caterer will automatically save the leftovers for you. Some may have a policy of tossing food that has set out for a certain period of time. If that’s the case with your caterer, you’ll need to make plans for the food to be packed up and refrigerated (if needed) before the time limit is reached.

Also, a verbal agreement is not enough. With one of my daughter’s caterers, I verbally mentioned my desire to be given the leftovers but failed to get it in writing. By the time I asked her about the food after the guests had left the reception, she informed me that it had already been thrown out. I was very unhappy but couldn’t do much about it because I had forgotten to get the details in writing.

So, MOB, let the caterer know your desires about this issue in one of your pre-wedding meetings and have them include the details in the contract you sign. Save yourself the disappointment and wasted money by making firm arrangements ahead of time. Learn from my mistake, okay?

*You might also like to read Get It in Writing and Wedding Day Checklist: Containers for Leftover Cake.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early February. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by KOMUnews, Creative Commons License

Safe to Cry with Jesus

7456141970_c9c7d38139_zHow many times have you held back tears while trying to be strong for someone else? If you’re like me, it may be too many to count.

Recent examples happened for me during some of the most difficult days after my husband Don’s injury in November. On a couple of different occasions it was all I could do to keep from collapsing into a pool of tears.

On dismissal day from the hospital, I was completely overwhelmed with being caregiver to someone who not only had his spine fractured in several places but who also was experiencing an adverse reaction to some medication.

When the time came to leave, I ducked into a bathroom and pleaded with God to help me hold it together. I didn’t want to cry in front of Don or my dad, who was also on hand as we left. The last thing I wanted to do was scare Don or worry him, and I didn’t want to worry my dad more than he already was. God heard my prayers and gave me the strength I needed to shake off the imminent meltdown. Thank you, Lord!

The other time I had to fight back tears was when my daughter Kristin was leaving after she’d been home helping us for a couple of days. I was worried about Don, who was experiencing some of his worst days, and also fearful of facing the situations that might unfold alone. As she left, I held my eyes as wide open as I could to try to keep the tears from falling. I later found out she was fighting tears as well and unleashed them only after she drove away. Yes, we stood strong for each other that day.

I’m so glad we don’t have to stand strong when we’re with Jesus—so glad we’re safe to cry with him. He is strength itself and wants to be our Rock, our Refuge. We can let our guards down when we’re with him and let the tears flow freely. We can let him know our deepest needs and tell him all about our fears and the weariness that threatens to overwhelm us.

Do you need to cry today? You’re safe with Jesus. Go ahead and turn to him.

“‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears . . .’” 2 Kings 20:5

*When have you held back tears to be strong for someone else?

*Flickr photo by KimbOlene, Creative Commons License

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, will come out in early February. Sign-up is free and to the right!

Wedding Favors That Grow: Tree Seedlings!

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Mother of the Bride, has your daughter considered tree seedlings as a wedding favor? If she would like to gift your guests with something that will last long beyond the wedding party, tree seedlings could be the perfect choice.

Here are three great reasons tree seedlings are great options as favors:

1) They are not only gifts for the guests but also gifts to the environment. You will feel good about providing them, and the guests will feel good when planting them.

2) A tree seedling can be incorporated into the wedding ceremony with a little creative thought. They can be quite symbolic and meaningful.

3) They can be planted in honor of the couple’s marriage and become a living reminder of their new family and the beautiful day they were united in marriage.

For more reasons to offer tree seedlings and for ideas and instruction on presentation, check out “Wedding Trees for Weddings and Corporate Events” on nurserymen.com . You’ll find lots of helpful information in the article.

And one more thing, MOB—tree seedlings can fit in especially well décor-wise with winter weddings, but they can be used year round. The article on nurserymen.com will explain what types of trees work best at which time of year.

So why not give a favor that grows? Everyone will enjoying going green!

*You might also like to read Green Wedding Tip: Rent and Borrow More Items

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is underway. Details are in my Oct. 16 post on my home page and sign-up is to the right under “Free For You.” Deadline is 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

*Flickr photo by Midwest Family Life, Creative Commons License

Midweek Morsel: A Prayer for Couples You Know

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One of the greatest gifts we can give the couples we know and love is the gift of prayer. Our “enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), and if he can destroy our marriages, he gets to devour two for the price of one. Prayer is a great offensive tool against his schemes and attacks.

Here is a short but powerful prayer we can pray for the special couples in our lives. And we can pray it for our own marriages as well.

Father, I lift before you this dear couple who mean so much to me. I pray that you would protect them from the evil one and all of his schemes. Please help them, O Lord, to love you above all and to love each other the way you intend. Help them to keep their eyes on you and their arms around one another. Be their strong support through each day and every stage of their lives. Help them, O Lord, to shine for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’” Ephesians 5:31

Flickr photo by jordandouglas, Creative Commons License

*Who has been faithful to pray for you and/or your marriage?

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is underway. Details are in my Oct. 16 post and sign-up is to the right under “Free For You.” Deadline is 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Midweek Morsel: “Guard” Theme Word Applied Again

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“Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

Now that we’re into October—the last quarter of 2014 (yikes!)—what better time to consider our theme words one last time. As with New Year’s resolutions, it can be easy to choose a theme word for the year, and then let it slip into oblivion as the year rolls by. Let’s not do that this year. Let’s keep applying our theme words.

Guard has been my theme word for 2014. When I chose it, I knew one of its applications could relate to my tongue—to guarding the words that come out of my mouth. The verse above is the perfect exhortation from scripture to reinforce the need to actively guard the words that we say.

Other important applications of guard have taken center stage for me so far this year, but I don’t want to neglect applying guard to my mouth as well. To be honest, guarding my tongue has been important to me for years, but I’m oh-so-far from mastering that small part of my body that James called “a fire” and “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6,8) In fact, I’ve probably blown it as many times as I’ve controlled it.

Would you want to join me in asking God to help us by setting that guard over our mouths? We need the Holy Spirit keeping watch over our lips, don’t we? Let’s do our best to heed his warnings.

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

*Did you choose a theme word for 2014? Are you still trying to apply it?

*Flickr photo by demandaj, Creative Commons License