Maddison's Naming Ceremony

Last Sunday was a lovely day. It consisted of beautiful, warm weather, calm breezes, and a family gathering to honour Barry & Nicole's baby daughter, Maddison. Maddison's parents chose to have a naming ceremony, to introduce their daughter in to her family group and extended community. And within this ceremony, we acknowledged Maddison, her parents, her grandparents and her godparents. This little child is so incredibly loved and blessed. And I was so lucky to be a part of it all. Congratulations Maddison, you are so gorgeous x

“Our Guardians”

When Angels sense you need them, and Angels always do

They come, unseen, from everywhere to help and comfort you.

They hover close beside you ‘till all your cares are gone,

Till they can see you’re ready once again to carry on.

Then some of them may fly away and take their gentle touch,

To other hearts that need the love of Angels very much.

But one, at least, stays with you as your constant friend and guide,

For Guardian Angels never leave, they’re always at your side.

Author Unknown

The Surprise Wedding That Was A Huge Surprise!!

Last weekend we had our surprise wedding, and it was just such a lovely day. The bride is my friend Kate, with whom I work, and her gorgeous partner Mark. The ruse for the day was their daughter's first birthday and her grandmother's 80th birthday. I went as a guest, and spent a few hours getting to meet their lovely families, and just after we had both celebratory cakes, they announced their impending wedding (just thinking of that now gives me goosebumps and a misty flood of tears, as their parent's reactions were utterly priceless: huge joy, many tears and just pure happiness). I am so honoured to have witnessed that incredible family moment. 

The fabulous bride, Kate, myself, and a very cool groom, Mark.

Kate, Mark and their children, who were so well behaved and helpful during the ceremony.

What I am so impressed with is the NO-ONE knew about the wedding plans. Kate and Mark did an incredible job on their own and I think their wedding will become one of the great moments in the history of their family. Congratulations on such a great achievement you two x

The Beauty of Emotions.

On one overcast day in Ballarat, two soul mates were married, and I was the lucky one to be there to conduct their ceremony. What can I say about Hayley and Adam? Family. Love. Joy. Tears. Hope: these two have it all. Their ceremony was short, but so jam packed with emotion, it was simple, sweet and very much about them and their daughters. Thank you so very much for having me there. You are both just beautiful.

"Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulties, and fear assail your relationship – as they threaten all relationships at one time or other – remember to focus on what is right between you, not only that part which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives – remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight"

-- Author Unknown

A Cute Kid's Reading.

I am writing up a ceremony for a couple with children, who really want the kids to perform a reading. There are quite a few lovely ones out there, but I just adored this one. The sentiment is sweet, and I cannot wait to hear a child read it out for their Mum and Dad. It may make me cry however.....

A LOVELY LOVE STORY: Edward Monkton

The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.

Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.

The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur’s cage with kind words and loving thoughts.

“I like this Dinosaur,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.  “Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny.  He is also quite clever though I will not tell him this for now.”

“I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur,” thought the Dinosaur. “She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice.  She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.”

“But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur.  “He is also overly fond of things.  Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?”

“But her mind skips from here to there so quickly,” thought the Dinosaur.  “She is also uncommonly keen on shopping.  Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?”

“I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur, “for they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.”

“I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping,” thought the Dinosaur, “for she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.”

Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old. 

Look at them. 

Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs.

And that, my friends, is how it is with love.

Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together. 

For the sun is warm. 

And the world is a beautiful place.

Kayla's Naming Day.

I was invited to perform a naming ceremony for a dear little 2 year old girl, named Kayla.  The day was so extremely hot, in Melton, with very little breeze, but I could see how loved Kayla was when she had a large crowd arrive to celebrate her day with her. 

Her parents described her as funny, independent and head strong, words which made for hilarious moments as she kept running off to play with all her friends, squealing with joy. She was delightful.

A child, who lives with criticism, learns to condemn.

A child, who lives with hostility, learns to fight.

A child, who lives with ridicule, learns to be shy.

A child, who lives with shame, learns to feel guilty.

But a child, who lives with tolerance, learns to be patient.

A child, who lives with encouragement, learns confidence.

A child, who lives with fairness, learns justice.

A child, who lives with security, learns to have faith.

A child, who lives with approval, learns to like himself.

When a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

She learns to find love in the world.

Written by Dorothy Law Nolte.

The Beauty of a Small Gathering

Sam and Andrea were determined to have a small and intimate ceremony, to keep their day focussed on themselves, their children, their family and their friends. And they succeeded, in a room filled with love and joy: no great production, no great hassles, just them expressing their love for one another and their children. It was beautiful.