Cheryl Barker's Blog, page 32

Wedding Budget Tip: Prioritize and Trim

[image error]Mother of the Bride, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking of all the expenses coming at you while planning a wedding. The whole process can start to feel like a runaway train you can’t seem to slow down. Soon you can find yourself engulfed in emotions like panic and dread instead of excitement and joy.

Here’s a wedding budget tip that can help: Prioritize and then trim. Talk with the bride and groom and have them decide which elements of the wedding are most important to them and  which...

One Way to Pray Against Enemy Forces

[image error]“The Lord threw [the enemy forces] into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely . . .” Joshua 10:10 NIV

We will all face enemies in our lives—and it’s not usually a one and done affair. The average person or group or nation will face multiple battles over the course of time. It’s just to be expected. We are not in heaven yet, and until Jesus comes again and gains the final victory over Satan, conflict and sin will continue to be part of our lives.

The en...

Bride and Bridesmaid Bouquet Savings Tip

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Mother of the Bride, are you interested in saving money on the floral expense for your daughter’s wedding?

Silly question, right? Every MOB is interested in saving money. I heard a great tip about wedding flowers recently while watching Wedding Wednesdays on Katie so I wanted to share it with you here.

Simply ask your daughter if she would be willing to select flowers with large blooms for the bridesmaids bouquets and possibly even her own. Large blooms means less flowers needed overall for...

Free Fly Like Autumn Leaves

[image error]I love to watch the autumn leaves—and not just for their colors. I love to watch them fly as well.

The leaves of fall are free flying. They’re not bound by a must-follow route or a set of rules. No one tells them to drop at a perfect 90 degree angle—or any other angle. Each one is different. Each one takes its cue from the wind at the moment it falls.

Some fall headlong, landing right below their former homes. Others venture a few feet away as they drift gently through the air before finding...

Groom’s Cake Idea: Show State Pride

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Mother of the Bride, has your daughter’s beloved decided what kind of groom’s cake he’d like to have yet? He may know hands-down what would express who he is perfectly, but if not, he may need some suggestions. This is where you and the bride can be of some help.  I suggest throwing out a wide variety of ideas that might fit him, both fun and traditional, and see which one snags his interest.

If he’s a fella who’s proud of his state, one of your suggestions could be a cake design that allows...

Help Others Find Strength in God

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“ Jonathan went to David . . . and helped him find strength in God.” 1 Samuel 23:16 NIV

We all have times in our faith and life journeys when we need someone to help us find strength in God. Someone who can come alongside and remind us or show us that God is the source of the truest and best strength we can find. Without help like that at a time of great difficulty, we may falter and lose our way.

In the Bible we read how Jonathan did this for David. David and Jonathan were dear friends, but...

Preparation for Decorating Wedding Reception Venue

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Mother of the Bride, one vital step in your wedding decor preparation is to visit the reception venue site. You probably visited it early-on with your daughter while selecting a venue, but now you need to go back and carefully survey everything with an eye for decorating.

Here are some things to take to the reception venue when you visit:

*The bride. This is her party, and you definitely need her input. Your job is to help bring her vision to fruition. As you visit the site with your daughte...

Beautiful Entry to Worship

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“Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful. . .” Acts 3:2 NIV

Certain words or phrases from the Word of God can really resonate with our spirits, can’t they? That’s how I feel when I read the phrase “the temple gate called Beautiful.” As I read it, my spirit says yes.

This scripture, of course, refers to the entry to the temple in Jerusalem not long after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension. My NIV text note tells me that this gate was, in fact, the...

Wedding Cake Idea for Musicians

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Mother of the Bride, does your sweet couple also happen to be a musical couple? If so, here’s a wedding cake idea to share with them pronto. It’s almost certain to strike a chord with them. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the musical pun. Hee hee!) 

The staff of music/sheet music look is a perfect way for musicians—or anyone for that matter—to incorporate their love for music into their wedding celebration. The example above makes quite an elegant look and of course can be accented with the colors...

7 Sentence-Prayers Inviting God’s Power—For Parenting and Grandparenting

[image error]If you’re looking for help in your parenting or grandparenting role, you’ve come to the right place today. Last month I started a new blog series—posts on the first Tuesday of each month that will feature sentence prayers inviting God’s power into a variety of important areas of our lives. 

Today we’ll focus on parenting and grandparenting. Chances are a majority of us fall into one or both of those categories. Both roles are awesome privileges and offer untold blessings, but they often hold...