May They Have Peace

Did you know that we prosper when we pray for other people?  This is what intercessory prayer is about; standing in the gap for others. 

God works on this earth through humans, and he needs us to pray for others. Paul often asked others to pray for him through out His writings as stated in 2 Thes. 3:1,  "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of The Lord will spread rapidity and be glorified, just as it did also with you."

When we pray we have peace within our selves about our own needs, and we can release that peace to others through intercession. 

The apostle Paul set the greatest example of what it means for our soul to prosper in Philippians 4:12 that says, "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstances I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need."  Paul had His priorities straight here, for he was thankful and grateful for everything that God had given him; no matter how much or how little. 

"Paul's secret to contentment, and ours too, is to Trust God that He is who he says He is. We need to rely on God's power and strength, not our own. Paul focused on what he should be doing instead of what he did not have. Sometimes it's beneficial for us not to have all of the material things we desire. Often our desire for more is just a longing to fill a void in our life."

A void in us hurts. By praying and seeking God to fill our empty, hurting and longing spirit we get peace joy and a firm hand thst leads us to contentment. 

How can I intercede in prayer for you? 

God a Bless You. 

Romance, It's Not Just for Valentine's Day

Don't let Pressure Ruin Your Romance

When it comes to romance killers,  nothing works faster than pressure.  Of course, you want your romantic evening to go just as you planned, but it's far more important to roll with the punches rather then freak out and start crying if dinner gets a little burnt or if at the end of the night you just feel like cuddling.

This also goes for the pressure you place on your partner during your romantic rendezvous.  At the end of the night what really matters is that you spent time together just enjoying each other's company as a couple.  While dressing up and redecorating your living room for the evening can be fun and help get you in a romantic mood, the idea of "escaping" your daily life is so you can concentrate on each other instead. Keep your focus on that simple fact and you can create a romantic evening at home anytime.

Romance from Heart and Hand

Don't buy it, Make it!

If romance is all about the little things, it's also about the effort we put into them.  While there is no need to drive yourself crazy planning every miniscule detail, putting in a little extra effort to do something special can really show your partner how much you value them.

Making a present as opposed to buying one is an economical and endearing way to show your partner you care about your relationship.  Something as simple as cooking a meal featuring your partner's favorite foods, creating a CD or iPod playlist of special songs that remind you of your sweetie, or even making a card for them out of construction paper or other items around your house can be a perfectly thoughtful component to your romantic life together.

Really, it's the little things you do for your partner that show that you value and love them.

Ah, Romance It's not just for Valentine's Day Part 2

Ah, Romance...

Some ideas to get your mind focused on creating a romantic atmosphere.

The Exotic Vacation at Home

For many people, the idea of being on vacation at some exotic destination is incredibly romantic.  You can recreate this concept at home with a little planning and creativity.  Once again, you need to choose your "inspiration location" based on a place you and your partner think is romantic, such as Morocco, Jamaica, Fiji, Italy, Paris etc.

This type of romantic evening can be just as much fun to plan as it will be to enjoy.  You might want to plan it together.  First pick your romantic destination.  In order to make the evening really memorable, you don't need to spend a lot of money but you do need to spend some time and creativity on what will make the night special.

After you've chosen what destination appeals to you, start doing some research to discover what details you can add to your home to make you and your partner feel "transported".  The easiest way to do this is to consider your senses:

Sight:  What colors, fabrics and accessories do you identify with this location?  For example, Morocco is all about rich jewel tones, so creating a Moroccan picnic in your living room with some colorful pillows and a few brightly colored sheets could be the beginning of a very romantic night.

Sound:  What types of music do they play in this location?  Borrowing a CD from the library or finding an online radio station) of traditional ukulele music creates the perfect background for your at-home Hawaiian luau for two.

Taste:  What foods and drinks do you and your partner enjoy from this culture?  You can cook or pre-purchase yummy appetizers or an entire meal based on food from your ideal romantic getaway location. If you've set your sights on the Caribbean, why not plan to make some tropical cocktails to help set the mood?  You can even get those cute little paper umbrellas for a special touch.

Smell:  This can usually be accomplished through whatever food or drink is involved in your plans, but can also be accomplished through scented candle can help you escape the walls of your house or apartment (making some no-fire s'mores might be fun too!)

Touch:  This can include the textures you use to decorate your room or even what clothes you choose to wear for your romantic evening.

Don't forget about the lighting.  Using sting lights, candles or even just covering lampshades with a sheer fabric in colors like red, orange or blue can help turn your ordinary living room into an exotic location.  Just be careful of any fire hazards and do not place any fabric directly on a light bulb or leave candles unattended - blaring smoke alarms can quickly kill the mood you've worked so hard to create.

Ah, Romance It's not just for Valentine's Day Part 1

Ah, romance!
Where would we be without it?  Unfortunately, romance can easily be forgotten when careers, families and the necessities of daily life become our primary focus.  But romance is important for every couple, whether you've been together for 30 days or 30 years.  Making a little time for romance needs to get back on your priority list.

The good news is that there are lots of easy and inexpensive ways to get romantic without even leaving your house.  It's all about getting a little creative.

Remember: Romance is Subjective

No matter what a bunch of so-called women's magazines tell you, not all people think the same things are romantic.  Some women find the idea of a bubble bath with floating rose petals to be trite and cliche, while other women will swoon at the sight.  Some women would rather eat a bucket of fried chicken than dine at a fancy French restaurant, while other women will say "ooh, la la" to the idea of a swanky night out.  The point is, romance, much like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

What does this mean for you?  It means that romance is based on personal interests so if you want to plan a romantic evening at home, you need to think about what you and your partner enjoy and actually consider romantic.

Let's say you are both huge fans of sushi and old black-and-white movies.  Perhaps your romantic evening entails some sushi take-out or delivery (perhaps removed from the plastic containers and re-plated), a few candles and some old romantic movies starring Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant.  Romance is in the details.  The more you can take a generic idea like "dinner and a movie" and tailor it to your individual tastes - in this example sushi and Cary Grant_ the more romantic your night will be.

Napkin Placement Mystery Solved

Napkins placement can create internal battles within our heads and when you ask for other people's opinion then problems sometimes surface on a personal basis of who is correct.  When setting the table, first of all relax, it really can be fun.  Second, there are some simple etiquette "rules" to follow.  (Etiquette, remember is a guide to help us along and to make our guests feel at ease.)

Don't you worry...I'm here to aid you in this decision.  

I prefer to set the napkin in the center of the plate, with a nice napkin ring.  Many people like to place the napkin in the water goblet, but after breaking a friend's Tiffany crystal stemware trying to remove it, I now try to spare guests of mine - and my fine crystal - the same fate.

After you remove your napkin from the ring, place the napkin on your lap and the ring to the left of your plate.  After you have finished your meal and get up to leave the table, you can place the napkin to the left of your plate, or once your plate has been removed, you can place it where your plate had been, but not back in the napkin ring.  However, it's proper etiquette to leave your napkin on your lap until you get up from the table...even if you're finished eating.  If everyone stays at the table and chats after the meal, it is considered rude to have your dirty napkin in sight.

Don't have napkin rings on hand?  Here's how to fold one like a pro:

Fold the napkin into a triangle.  Fold in the two bottom corners one quarter of the way.  Fold both of the corners over one another so they meet in the middle.  Fold the top point down and flip the napkin over, and you have a chic envelop shape.  You can leave it as is, or insert your silverware, a pretty flower, or chopsticks if you're serving an Asian menu.

Did these tips make it simple for you?  Let me know if you have any questions. I also have LOTS of other napkin folds I will be thrilled to share with you.  This was my hobby growing up whenever my mother entertained.  It's fun table origami to me.

Table Setting Savvy Part 2

The last post I wrote about "Setting the Mood" before the guest arrived.  This post is where all of those glasses, plates, and cutlery items are placed to make a pretty table. 

Traditionally, cutlery is laid smallest to largest, working toward the plate.  Forks go to the left of the plate, spoons and knives to the right.  The exception are the dessert fork and spoon, which go above the plate, spoon on top.  There is a great debate among my friends as to whether you should put out the full set of cutlery even if you don't need it (i.e., a salad fork if there is no salad).  My feeling is, put out whatever you think a guest might use (who knows, she might want to cut her rigatoni with a knife).  But skip anything that will lead a guest to think a course is coming that isn't.  (I once left a dinner party extremely hungry, thinking, given the plethora of forks, that the entree was the appetizer.)

Place the water goblet right above the tip of the knife, and set the wineglasses slightly in front of the water. For more formal parties, preset for as many different types of wines or champagne as you plan to serve.

Next Blog post will be the ins and outs of napkins.

Rebecca Mannerly tip:  Remember that all food and drinks should be served on each diner's right (that's why the glasses are all on the right), and cleared from each diner's left.