Showing posts with label house blessings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house blessings. Show all posts

Sunday, July 10, 2011

A Wonderful House Blessing!

We had a wonderful House Blessing yesterday.
 Many of our church family came and brought food and gifts.

 We had a water bowl for putting in stones of blessings.
A larger candle to start the blessing and then each family
did a reading and lit a smaller candle.

These were the words we shared:

A House Blessing
We dedicate and bless this home with the prayers and love of all who have gathered here today. May the candles we light help to carry our prayers and illuminate our spirits.

 We light a candle to understanding.
We dedicate this home to deep knowledge.
May its joys and sorrows be shared and the individuality of each person
who lives and visits here appreciated.

 
We light a candle to love.
We dedicate this home to work, and rest and play.
May our home have joy and high fellowship,
with kindness in its voices and laughter running within its walls.
May the children know strength and courage and joy in all that they do.

 We light a candle to joy.
We dedicate this home to friendly life.
May its doors open in hospitality
and its windows look out with kindness toward other homes.

We light a candle to friendship.
May its duties be performed in love,
its furnishings bear witness that the work of others
minister to our comfort,
and its table remind us that God works with us
for the supply of daily needs.

 
 We light a candle to cooperation.
We dedicate this home to the appreciation
of all things good and true.
May the books bring wisdom,
the pictures symbolize things beautiful,
and the music bring joy and inspiration.
 
 We light a candle to appreciation.
We dedicate the time and talent of those who live here
to help build a world in which every family
may have a home of comfort and fellowship.

 
We light a candle to service.
We dedicate this home as a unit in the Church universal,
an instrument of peacemaking,
a place of worship and love and laughter,
and a threshold to life eternal.

 
 We light a candle to spiritual enrichment.
As the flames point upward, so our thoughts rise in gratitude
for this home, the people in it,
 and in prayer, we ask for blessings upon it.

 My Beehive beverage container looked great with lemonade.

 The table was all set with wine.
A fabulous Sangria came out later.


 The little ones wandered the yard and played with the chickens.

 Everyone gathered under the canopy for the blessing.

 Reverend Tricia led us to the chicken coop. Yes, even our chicken coop was blessed. We'll see if it results in a better egg production from the girls.

 The chickens weren't thrilled to be participating however
 and took a bit of effort to catch.

 Tae finally caught chipmunk (the chicken) who seemed quite amused at the whole situation.

 We made our way around the house and blessed the threshhold as well.
After the blessing we dined on some wonderful cookout food and everyone swam in the pool.

Later in the evening, our friend Laurie and her husband Bob, took our family and some other friends out for a sunset cruise in the boat on the pond, which is more like a lake it's so huge.
 It was the perfect end to a perfect day.



 I gues I should feel lucky that the teen wanted to sit with me.

 The water and sky was so blue. It was so relaxing and the weather was perfect.

 MaryAnn, Zorro and Laurie check out the water out the back of the boat. I'm sure there is a nautical term for "the back of the boat". Let me know what that is.

 Tae made sure that Captain Bob drove correctly.

 Captain Bob did a fine job.
It was his Birthday too, Happy Birthday Bob!

Jet skis and boats were everywhere.

I couldn't ask for a more perfect day.
To be blessed by my church family in prayer, gifts and friendships.
I am ever uplifted by them.
Life is pretty darn awesome.

Bev

Friday, July 8, 2011

House Blessing Preparations

I have been cooking all day. Here's the menu for tomorrow's house blessing/cookout.

Layered Pesto Torta with homemade pita chips


Cheese platter/Kalamata olives

Garlic Goat cheese and crackers

Gazpacho Shooters

Grilled/Marinated Chicken and vegetable skewers

Baked beans

Green Salad

Orzo Salad

Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Balsamic dressing (I could eat this forever)

Sangria, lemonade, wine, iced tea, water, coffee

Popsicles

Ice cream cake

Lime Cream Torte

Cookies

Pictures, our candle lighting reading and recipes will be posted over the weekend.
~Bev






Thursday, July 7, 2011

A House Blessing

We had a church service auction and our minister auctioned off a House Blessing.
This weekend our family will be blessed.
 We have about 25-30 people coming-all church friends. 
After the House Blessing we will have a cookout and some swimming in the pool.

 I've pulled together my linens for the table and some shish-ka-bob skewers.

 My friend Tracy gave me these canisters.
 I removed the lids and will use them as plastic ware servers.

I also bought lots of candles for the House Blessing Reading, some blue gems to put in water for those that want to speak of blessing in their lives and have purchased a small gift for our minister. She has been an Interim but has blessed us this passed year with her wonderful ministry. The house blessing is this Saturday. I'll be sure to post pictures of the event.
We are so fortunate to have a wonderful UU church community.