Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Brain- Picking....

This is not at ALL like nose-picking. And I should know...! (for those of you who remember my 5 Experience Day story from Ukraine!)

Julia encouraged me to move along to a new blog so that the string of comments would come to an end on my previous one. Hence, she still holds the title strong and true! It was a good discussion, though, and I hope we can continue bouncing that kind of helpful info off of one another. Also, thanks for the birthday well-wishes. I'm old now, and at the stage in life when birthdays don't feel very exciting anymore; usually get a little melancholy, to tell the truth. But Sonja sent me the BEST little e-card that gave me the greatest laugh! Thanks, friend

Back to brain-picking. I have all kinds of little things I'd like your ideas on. First, I always try to plan something for the special services on the church calendar: i.e. Mother's Day. The last few years I've pulled out my best stuff and I'm just coming up blank this year. I would like to find a really great reading or poem about Motherhood that's not just cliche' (I can't bear cliche') or even a nice idea for a dialogue/monologue or something. I think I'm going to share a song entitled The Blessing that I've also heard on the radio lately. It's not specifically about mothers but I like the message it sends. The predominant line in the song is "let it be said of us...." and then goes on to share about the legacy that we as Christians want to leave behind. I did the Nicole Nordiman "LEGACY" song for Father's Day last year, so this will be a nice build on that,I think. SO anyway, if you could send your brilliant brain-waves this direction, I would SO APPRECIATE it! Oh, I did think of one thing I may do. I found a collection of quotes entitled, "what have American presidents said about their mothers?". These are WONDERFUL one and two-liners by a whole host of former Presidents about their moms. I'm a presidential history junkie so I loved these. I thought I would have Derek put them into Powerpoint and have them scrolling on the overhead as people come in for Morning Worship. Whadya think?

Next, I'd like to share that my little sister became engaged on her 29th birthday! (two weeks ago). She was so excited and is planning for a fall wedding. I've been trying to help her with the planning in whatever way I can. She has a pretty good vision for what she'd like but could use some suggestions and fresh ideas too! Would any of you care to share what is your favorite unique thing you've seen done *or had done!* during a wedding ceremony or reception. Julia, I do know she's been looking more into the covenant side of marrriage. I told her that was your predominant "theme" so if you have any tidbits to pass on, she's appreciate that. And Marty, I think you're the only one I remember having taken communion (could be wrong about that), but if you have any ideas on that, great. But this is really open to you all: married and non. Favorite wedding ideas???

And to sum it up, I've been GREATLY enjoying the recipe exchange! Last Friday, I fixed Kayla's Ziti Melt and Heather's cappucinno muffins for dinner. My family did indeed arise and call me "BLESS-ED"!! I ended up having to make a second batch of those muffins on Sunday evening! Kim, these are to die for with a good cup of coffee! Anyway, I am getting ready to remove my pancake recipe and replace with something else. Just a warning if you want to print it off or anything! Back to ideas: I was thinking of hosting the Sunday Dinner on Mother's Day. My mom does it EVERY WEEK like I mentioned before. Serves an army every Sunday. She deserves a week off, doncha think?!? But now I think my Dad is gonna grill something to give us all off for the main dish. I'd like to do some side dishes that are really special though. Once I know what cut of meat we're grilling (t-bone, filet, etc.) I 'll pass it on if that will help. I really wanted to step it up from the typical casseroles: broccoli or green bean, etc. I want something unique and GOOOOOOOOD! Thanks for your ideas in advance.

Well, I hope you take this as a compliment for my deep confidence in all your brilliant minds and not that I'm a mind-less sponge!!!! I look forward to your responses, that I know we'll all benefit from.

Have a most excellent, delightful day!

p.s. I think I had left a couple of responses to people on my previous blog: this is where the blogging gets confusing. How to move from conversation to conversation and not waste a comment! Oy!

20 comments:

Derek Hickman said...

Hi Tara! You seem to be avery creative person. Like your pics and comments (saw them on Viola's site). Don't know why you think she is somebody other than who she says she is. I remember her very well from detention every day in high school. Eventually I moved on, but my brother Paul really had a thing for her, if I recall. He used to like the way she wore her hair. "Triple Ponies" is what she called it. Three pony tails instead of two.

Oh well, gotta go. Shout at you later!

Kimberly said...

Happy Happy late Bday Tara..hope your day was awesome...sorry to say I am terrible w/Bdays and (unlike me) you did not feel the need to shout it from the rooftops!!:) Love and Appreciate You!

I'm thinking there is Gloria Gaither poem re: mothers on what was called the "sisters" tape or something like that..involved quilting! Been meaning to look it up myself. speaking of sisters..congrats. to yours!!! I'm still bitter that I was at your wedding rehearsal but not the wedding:(

Charity said...

Hi Tara!

One neat song I've heard recently is "You Are My Ministry" by Lisa Daggs-Charette. (Not to be confused with the same title by T.D. Jakes!) It's from a mother's perspective on raising godly children. I think I'm going to have it at this little one's dedication. Good luck with all your planning... And congrats to your sister :o) They have a date?

Marty said...

Tell the sis Congrats! Yes I did have communion and loved having it a part of the ceremony! I used something that I heard from Dr. Dobson regarding the tradition of communion....

I have a recipe for broccoli salad that I love and it is summery..you might make it yourself...let me know I'll email it to you or if there is an overwhelming responce...I post it!

Julia said...

Tara;
Do you think Barry may have had a motorcycle in High School? He's the only one who served detention all the time that I can think of.

So happy for your sis. I copied Marty and had communion at our wedding too, and Sonja sang "How Beautiful"during communtion. When watching the Video it is probably my favorite part of our wedding. It runs a close race with all my beautiful friends singing at the end of the wedding. She could also have all her bridesmaids wear bright red wax lips. We wrote our vows to include Covenant words and we, like you, had the congregation covenant, and our bridal party covenant.(we covenanting all over the place.)
Marty; POST THE RECIPE please.

Tara said...

Julia, Hey WAIT A MINUTE! Do you know who VIOLA is??? Did she go to high school with us? I remember a Violet, but not a VIOLA. And what's up with TRIPLE PONIES?
As for Barry, didn't Wes Crocker have a motorcycle or do you mean Stevie Weevie? Hmmmmm.....don't know what I think about that.

Now I remember Sonja singing that of course. And I remembered it from Marty's wedding. I suggested that song to Keri already. Good communion choice.

Thanks, Kim, for the Gloria suggestion. I'll have to dig out my Sisters cd; hope you're right about that cause I don't remember it being on there. I'll check it out though!

Charity; Likewise, thanks for your suggestion. I haven't heard it but I will look it up. Would it be appropriate to be read if not sung?

Marty: does your broccoli salad have the bacon/mayo/vinegar/sugar mix? If different, definitely post it!

Making Memories 1999 said...

Happy belated birthday, Tara!! And Congratulations to your sister!!! My Isaac and I also had communion at our wedding. We also "signed" (along with our best man and matron of honor) our marriage license during the ceremony. If I remember correctly, that is a Canadian tradition. (We're not Canadian, but I liked the idea.)

You'll do a great job with the Mother's Day service! There's an old Steve & Annie Chapman CD on Mothers which has some fun and neat songs on it.

Dittos to Marty posting the broccoli recipe.

kayla said...

I keep leaving you comments, but they don't show up. You must think that I am handicapped because I keep having to leave a word verification.
Check your email. I forwarded you a very cool top secret recipes. Like Outback's Alice Springs Chicken and Applebee's Blondie Browines. I haven't tried any yet, but I'm very excited to.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Tara. Could you send me your e-mail address? There are some things I don't want the whole world to see! ;-) Mine is jodyjohnson1027@sbcglobal.net.
I don't have a blog, but Travis does. It's mostly ministry stuff, but here's the address teenrev.wordpress.com.

Marty said...

Yes, Tara that is the salad I am refering to...I love it...can you tell. I'll post it for everyone else!

Kelly S said...

Hearing you all talk about your weddings makes me so sad that I missed out! It seems like I moved and then lost contact with the whole world. I don't know how that happened. At that time I was in nursing school full time, working a full time job plus dating David and just lost touch with everything else. I really hate that.

Did anyone read my suggestion I made on a previous post of Tara's regarding getting together? Our family rented a huge chalet with 6 or more bedrooms overlooking the mountains. I saw in the guestbook that a group of ladies had gotten together and had a little retreat. I was saying, wouldn't it be so fun if we could all get away for one or two nights in the Smokies? We could bring our wedding albums and share and catch up. So far I think I have me, Tara, Kim N and Kim M on the bandwagon. I think it's a central location for everyone. Only 5 hours from us in Kentucky.

The Dickinsons said...

Hi Tara,
Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog. AND HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! =)
About the wedding idea (and congrats to your sister) my Moma, and Kevin Moser designed my Wedding Program on the computer...and I would do it all over again. They used a beige fancy paper and folded it in half, like the size of a regular program...and they had a silloute of one of my bridal portraits on the front and back of the program. I got tons of complements on that program and IT'S A "SCRAPBOOKER" FOR SURE!! I had lots of friends that used that idea and did it for their weddings that was after mine. If she did not want to be "seen" in her gown on the front of the wedding program (the people only see it half an hour before she comes in) than she could put an engagement picture or something like that on the front and back. It was a neat keepsake for those that came to our wedding. (If this does not make sense, please ask any question you have about the wedding program on my blog, and I'll get back with you. It's hard to explain by just typing it out.)
Have a VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...and I trust that the service turns out Great....as I'm sure it will! Your ideas sound nice!

Love, Heather

The Dickinsons said...

Thanks also for the new recipe...I'll have to try it, though I'll have to make my own rolls to do it, since they don't sell the canned ones here. =)

Have a wonderful day,
Love ya, Heahter

The Dickinsons said...

OK, one more wedding idea. My Daddy made the cutest wooden wagon with little wooden benches inside, and all of my neices (flower girls) rode in the wagon (with my brother pulling it) and dropped pedals down the aisle as they went. Since I got married in the GBS chapel, and that's a LONG asile for little ones, it worked out so fun and cute. And when they got to the front the congregation CLAPPED FOR THEM! It was a fun idea.
(I'm trying to make your comments go to 21, just with my comments. HA! =)
Love, Heather

Julia said...

Tara;

Yes I know who Viola is, No I do not know who Barry is. I know he's funny, and I have suspected a few people, but alas, he throws me off. I thought of Steve, because he served a lot of detentions. Remember cleaning the music hall on detention?
Kayla; I always have to type in TWO verifications before her blog will let me post, so don't feel bad. You are not retarded....much.

Kelly;
I love your idea, we could even bring wedding videos. I've tried organizing such things, and alas it is VERY hard to get schedules and budgets to work out. But I'm in and willing to help if I can.

Tara said...

I would LOVE to know what the deal is with the verifications. I have been griping about it for weeks now, because I have to leave them on several of yours and EVEN ON MY OWN!!! It's SOOOOOO annoying. If anybody knows how to make it stop, I'd be so happy!

And, yeah, what's with the handicrapped symbol??? Insulting!

Marty said...

Tara,

That is a great recipe! Thanks for sharing it with us at our visit!

Kelly - I am IN if it is not on a weekend I work....could we do it during the week? Just a thought...

kayla said...

I'm in on the weekend thing if I know well in advance.

Julia said...

Tara;
I can't believe you said handicrapped on the WWW. I almost wet myself laughing.

Tara said...

Julia,

Come on! Didn't you know it was a type-o??!
;)