Age is just a number

I recently had a conversation with a man who looked to be in his 60′s or 70′s. (I didn’t ask how old he was!) When the man found out I was a wedding minister, he asked me if I thought the young people getting married today were taking their commitment to marriage seriously. He said he sees things on these tv wedding shows where the bride and groom don’t seem to take their marriage vows seriously.  He was saying to me  that this younger generation doesn’t seem to be as committed to marriage and as serious about their vows. I told him what he was watching was made for entertainment. They may call it “reality tv” but those shows are still meant to be outrageous so people will watch the show and companies will pay lots of money to advertise on that show.

I told him the couples who come to me view their marriage as a deep commitment. They think about the vows they choose. They want their marriage to be a lasting and satisfying union. Just because a wedding doesn’t take place in a church doesn’t mean the commitment is less sacred or serious. I meet couples in their 20′s and 30′s who are responsible, hard-working and creative people. Family is important to them.  Commitment is important. I have no doubt that our future is in good hands.

Age is just a number – it is not an indicator of intelligence or values. There will always be different personality types at any age. Good leaders in all fields will emerge from our younger generation.

Oh…and while I am talking about this “younger generation”…I love some of the music the young artists are creating. I love dancing to it all. I don’t want to dance and listen to the oldies just because it is music I listened to in high school! There is a lot of good music coming out all the time. Don’t expect me to only listen and dance to that oldie-moldie music just because I color my hair to cover up the gray!

Spring is coming

I saw my first robins today! Winter will not last forever! I love to walk, and since the temperature was a little warmer today, I started my day with a walk. I was excited to see there was no more ice on the pond (late yesterday afternoon there was still some ice). It has been months since I have seen the ripples on the water of the small pond near my condo! The birds were all singing this morning at 7 a.m.  I love to start my day listening to all the birds singing. When I can, I  keep my bedroom windows open so I can enjoy hearing all the birds chirping in the morning. By August the early morning hours are a lot quieter than in spring.  Most of the birds are done with their mating and nesting and some are already getting ready to make their way back south to wherever they go.

It makes me feel so good to see all the new life after the melt of the snow and ice. I feel like MY hibernation is over too! I enjoy the days of longer daylight.

In the middle of winter it seems like forever until the summer weddings. Every year in January and February when planning for weddings in the summer, it seems like the nice weather will never come again. I wonder if for some of you the warmer weather makes you feel like your wedding day is closer than it ever felt. To me warmer weather makes it feel like there is a party in the air. Last year at this time I was having fun planning my daughter and son-in-law’s couples bridal shower on April 2nd. It was exciting being part of the planning process for their ceremony which was on May 14th. Although the winter still felt like it would last forever, there was lots of excitement in the air which helped us all get through the dark winter days.

There are so many different colors and themes and styles of weddings! Each of them is fun and special in its own way. There are so many beautiful things in the stores. I never get tired of party stuff! Dresses, decorations, cakes, music, entertainment! My daughter and I were talking about how fun it would be if we had the money to do a vow renewal every year and each year be able to wear a different style wedding dress and have a different theme with different colors! So many women have said they wanted to have a wedding again just because weddings are so much fun. NO, they do NOT want to get divorced!! They just want to wear another fancy dress and do the party! I think that’s why I still see people getting dressed up for weddings. There are so few occasions to really get dressed up for any more. Everything has become so casual. (Yes, it does cost more money to dress up! And sometimes the money just isn’t there…I do understand)

All through the years people would ask me what my favorite color is. I never know what to say because I love all the colors! Some colors of clothing look better on me than others but I like to LOOK at all the colors! And, oh…there are so many vibrant colors out this spring. The colors are so fun!

Now I am looking forward to seeing the yellow of my first daffodils and the pinks and reds of the tulips! Maybe I will see a purple crocus first…Ohwell, there’s always the silk “blooms” at Stein Garden Center or Michael’s or Joann Fabrics…that works for me too! Or…maybe someone could bring me a colorful bouquet of fresh flowers…

Congratulations to the newly engaged!

Happy New Year! And, congratulations to the newly engaged couples! I know Christmas is a popular time to give and get an engagement ring! How exciting for you and your families!  It is such a wonderful feeling to have a future filled with love in front of you. I just happened to see a quote from Henry David Thoreau, “Friends cherish each other’s hopes. They are kind to each other’s dreams.” I am sure you are filled with hopes and dreams as you enter this next phase of your relationship.

However, no matter what kind of wedding you will have, there will be lots of planning and even sometimes lots of work involved to have all the details come together for a great wedding day. But, hopefully, the planning will stay fun for you.  The process seems to start with the decision about what kind of wedding you want to have and the budget which seems to change through the planning process. Yes, so many decisions to be made about your wedding day. Sometimes a couple doesn’t even know where to begin or what questions to ask.

Give me a call at 414-704-9291 and I will be happy to help. Sometimes, the bride gets overwhelmed. I understand that. My wish for you is that you keep the process fun. Always remember why you are getting married…hopefully it is because of your love for each other and to  spend the rest of your lives together as husband and wife.

 

When you talk to yourself, try saying this…

Affirmations. I don’t remember when I first heard about affirmations or started using affirmations. I think my affirmations started as prayers I would say on a daily basis. Then I would happen to read a book or an article which had affirmations and sometimes I would think , “Those words sound even better than mine.” Sometimes I liked my words and would create my version of the affirmation. Anyways, I know I have been using affirmations for at least 30 years (since the time I was 6 – ha! ha!)

These last few months I have not heard too much good news. These are really tough times for a lot of people. I know my couples getting married are happy in love but I know they, too, also have other things in their lives they wish were going better. I thought I would share a version of an affirmation I have really liked.  I have hadbeen reading this affirmation at different times for about 15 years. There was never an author given to the version I had. Now I went online to see if I could find the author. I think the original author is Louise Hay. When looking online, I found another version and edited it with the version I had which I think even makes it a better affirmation. So, if you are having a hard day or if you just a more satisfying life, try this affirmation. Say this affirmation again tomorrow, the next day, the day after that, keep saying it and see what happens…  My intent is for you to have some hope and comfort and to live the best life possible. Here it one of the affirmations I really like because it covers so much:

“In the infinity of life where I am, all is perfect whole and complete. I am one with the Power that created me …I live in harmony and balance with everyone I know.

Deep at the center of my being, there is an infinite well of love. I now allow this love to flow to the surface.  It fills my heart…my body…my mind…my consciousness… my very being… and radiates out from me in all directions and returns to me multiplied. The more love I use and give, the more I have to give. The supply is endless. The use of love makes me feel good, it is an expression of my inner joy.

I love myself; therefore, I take loving care of my body. I lovingly feed it nourishing foods and beverages, I lovingly groom it and dress it, and my body lovingly responds to me with vibrant health and energy. 

I love myself; therefore, I provide for myself a comfortable home, one that fills all my needs and is a pleasure to be in.  I fill the rooms with the vibration of love so that all who enter, me included, will feel this love and be nourished by it.

I love myself; therefore I work at a job I truly enjoy doing, with and for people I love and who love me, and earning an excellent income. My unique talents and abilities flow through me and are expressed in deeply satisfying ways. There are people out there who are always looking for my services and can choose what I want to do. My work is a joy and a pleasure.

I love myself; therefore, I am totally open and receptive to the abundant flow of prosperity that the Universe offers. All my needs and desires are met before I even ask. I am divinely guided and protected, and I make choices that are beneficial for me. I rejoice in others’ successes,  knowing there is plenty for us all. I am constantly increasing my conscious awareness of abundance, and this reflects in a constantly increasing income. My good comes from everywhere and everyone.

I love myself; therefore, I behave and think in a loving way to all people for I know that that which I give out returns to me multiplied. I only attract loving people in my world, for they are a mirror of what I am. 

I love myself; therefore, I live totally in the now, experiencing each moment as good and know that my future is bright and joyous and secure, for I am a beloved child of the Universe and the Universe lovingly takes care of me now and forever more.

All is well in my world. “

Wishing you a healthy, love-filled life, 

Jane

To understand the mind of a 4 year old

Several weeks ago I baptized a 4 year old boy in the backyard of his grandparents’ home. I had never met the boy, but I had met the rest of the family previously when I performed the wedding ceremony of his aunt. The cute little boy’s mother was very excited for him to meet me and was trying to get him excited about the baptism. When his mother introduced me as the minister who was going to baptize him, the little boy ran and started crying! He was in a panic! I could tell he was sooo scared. This was not shyness about meeting me. He was terrified! I usually don’t have that effect on kids!! I had no idea why. His reaction was above and beyond how I thought a 4 year old would react. The poor little guy didn’t even want to look my way. I couldn’t figure out why he would run from me and be so scared. I tried to reassure him by telling him all I was going to do was say some words and put a little water on his head. It wasn’t going to hurt at all. I let him touch the water and pretty much showed him what I was going to do. Really? He looked at me with such relief. He calmed down tremendously and talked to me. He then breezed through the baptism and was a great little guy.
After I had performed the baptism service the little boy’s mother came up to me and told me that she didn’t think she did a good job of explaining baptism. She had told her son that baptism was all about going to heaven when you die. She said that if he was baptized, that everyone in their family would meet Jesus. They would all be together in heaven. She forgot to say to her 4 year old son that baptism did not mean you were going to die today and go to heaven today! She said her son thought I was there to kill him to take him to heaven!!!! Well, that sure explained his reaction to meeting me! I laughed like crazy when I heard that! It taught me how the mind of a 4 year old thinks! Out of the mouths of babes… Yes, baptism is about going to heaven…but (hopefully) not until your child is really, really old and has lived a long, love-filled and happy life.

Hello World!

This is my very first blog! I can’t believe I am really doing this! Years ago I had no idea what a “blog” was. My biggest fear about blogging is that I don’t want this to be boring for you.

Where do I start?

Beautiful and fun weddings take lots of planning. There is no other way. I just had lunch with a friend who was upset about going to a wedding ceremony which was held on the grass with no shade. My friend  was showing me photos of the beautiful shoes she wore to the outdoor ceremony. (My friend likes to dress well. She was not informed of where exactly at the resort the ceremony was taking place.) Her heels sunk into the grass. She almost fell over. Other female guests wearing heels were getting stuck besides ruining the heels of their shoes. The father of the bride was in a wheelchair and was being wheeled in over the grass. It was a tough ride! The chair got stuck and the father pitched forward and landed on the ground!! Those are the things that make for great stories but not the best experience for your guests. My friend asked me, “Why did the bride do that? Why didn’t she think of her guests?”  I did not have a good answer. It was not one of my ceremonies and all I could tell my friend was that the bride probably thought only about  the location and the bride’s experience and not about her guests.  My friend spent a lot of money to travel to this out-of -state wedding and was not happy at all about her experience. She could hardly wait to get back to her hotel room.

When deciding on a location, please consider the experience of your guests. Will a loved one be in a wheelchair? Is there enough shade or too much shade for the time of year? Do you want to tell your guests to wear flip-flops or provide them with flip-flops? What if it is a really hot day? What if it is raining? What is the parking situation? Yes, there are these and many other details to consider. I know you can’t please everyone. Just think about how your guests might feel in certain situations.

Most wedding celebrations start with the wedding ceremony. Choosing a venue which will be comfortable for your guests puts the guests all in a party mood. They choose to go to your ceremony because they want to celebrate with you. Is there water easily available for them to drink? Are restrooms nearby? I know you have lots of details to look into already, and I don’t want to make this process more stressful for you, but, please think about the comfort of your guests especially if it is an outdoor wedding and especially if you have guests in wheelchairs!