by Matt Fairchild, Extreme Cuisine Catering

Whether a simple cake reception or a full service catered event, so many new and fun ideas for receptions are out there and the possibilites are limitless!  What to cater should be determined by several things:  budget, size of your wedding, time of day, and most importantly, what you want.  Remember, a good caterer works within your budget to provide you exactly (or as close as possible) what you want without sacrificing quality.

A nice option for afternoon receptions that is budget friendly is simple but beautiful fruits, vegetables and cheese displays. The addition of melons carved into swans or your names carved into watermelons can be used to highlight the presentation. The addition of mini-croissant sandwiches or a nice spinach dip with bruschetta can round the display nicely.

A noon wedding usually requires heavy hors d’oeuvres or a light lunch.  The afore mentioned reception menu plus stuffed mushrooms, chicken and beef flank steak skewers with dipping sauces, or delightfully filled filo cups.  These may be plated or served buffet-style.  If it is lunch you are serving, let your caterer know what you would like or ask for creative ideas and suggestions.

An evening wedding will warrant a dinner or very heavy appetizers for hungry guests and also serve as a balance if alcohol is served.  Dinners may be plated or buffet depending on where they are held and what facilities are available. Prime rib and steamship round beef carving stations are great additions here.

Let’s not forget about the brunch; a wonderful way for a morning wedding to be followed.  Usually served around ten or eleven in the morning, everything from scrumptious pastries, tasty pasta salads, to ham and turkey carving stations are found in brunches.  Coffee bars with plenty of flavors and condiments to accompany along with mimosas and wine.

Many other creative options are out there as well from mashed potato bars, dessert receptions, themes from around the world and whatever your imagination thinks up. Remember this is your wedding – your food!

Born and raised in Texas, Lynette Theisen knew she liked telling stories.  During her two mile walk to and from school each day as a young girl, she would dream up various characters and stories in her head though she never really shared them with anyone or thought to write them down.  Years later, when she felt a calling to be a published writer, it took her by surprise.

A stay-at-home mother of four,  Lynette began questioning her purpose in life.  “We all have a purpose, and I thought mine was to raise great kids.” But after months of feeling that she should be doing something more, she realized she had a passion to write.  Luck was on her side when the local owner/editor of her hometown newspaper needed a story covered.  Before long, she was working part-time for The Town Charter.  She quickly gained popularity, which resulted in a weekly inspirational column.  She also had several articles published in the Lifestyles magazine. When one of her readers approached her and suggested she write a book, Lynette giggled at the notion.  “I didn’t have the confidence to take on such a tremendous task,” she said.  However, when several more of her readers suggested it again, she became intrigued with the idea and considered it whole-heartedly.

The release date of her first book Through the Night is scheduled for early April and the book is stirring some real excitement.  Complete with humor and battles between supernatural forces, this exciting love story is filled with plenty of suspense and inspirational messages for the soul.  Through the Night will keep the reader captivated to the last page.  For more information, visit www.lynettetheisen.com.

As you change your wardrobe from winter to spring it comes as no suprise you will want to change your hair as well.  Winter can be harsh on your hair leaving it dry, dull and lifeless.  A glaze over your natural tones or lightened hair will leave your hair healthy, glossy and rich looking.  This spring we are seeing a lot more natural colors and natural looking color placements transitioning into lighter brighter colors as summer approaches.

Spring hairstyles are demanding one thing; “oomph.”  It’s a welcome change to see lots of curls, texture, and volume, volume, volume. Versatility and quick-change looks are also big this year.  Add soft weightless layers to any hair length for desired volume and ease of style change. Razor cutting is great for removing weight and adding movement and versitility to hair styles.  When done correctly, it gives layers a soft look and grows out beautifully.  Changing your hairstyle at home can be easy with a few tips from your stylist and great products.

We invite you to visit our website at www.headrushsalon.net to help you choose a stylist that is right for you and make your quick-change into spring simply beautiful.

Impacting Generations One Step At a Time

By Stacey Duncan

As an eighteen-year-old college freshman, she had it all: a new red Mustang for graduation, the latest designer clothes, and some great friends . . . when suddenly she discovered she might be pregnant.

What would she do?  How would she find help, information, and a caring, listening ear?   A friend told her about the Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource Center, a clinic that offers free pregnancy testing and information on all pregnancy options. Woman to Woman is an organization that offers practical assistance to women and their families facing unplanned pregnancies.  But Woman to Woman doesn’t only serve pregnant women, it also offers services like STD testing, relationship education, and peer counseling at no charge.

Woman to Woman is a nonprofit organization supported through monetary and material donations.  New and gently used household items, furniture, and clothing are donated and sold through the Twice as Nice Resale, located at 413 East Oak Street (at the corner of Bell and Oak) in Denton.

This year’s Walk for Life offers an opportunity to gather pledges and walk a short two mile distance to benefit this local organization that has been providing practical assistance to women in unplanned pregnancies since 1986. Multiple locations offer supporters a convenient location to walk and enjoy family-friendly activities.

If you would like to help Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource impact generations by participating in the Walk for Life, pledge forms are available at Twice as Nice Resale after March 15th. The Walk for Life will be held Saturday, May 1st. If you have any questions, email info@dentonprc.org or call 940-383-3150.

Woman to Woman is impacting generations one step at a time – won’t you walk with us?

by John Henry Theisen
Senior Pastor, Midway Church, Aubrey/Pilot Point

Broken roads can create a great deal of confusion, doubt, and outright fear.  They can also lead to incredible blessings.  The Bible tells us about two travelers on a road following the death of Jesus Christ (Luke 24). A third man joined them and carried on a conversation during the journey.  They discussed the events of the past few days and how they were puzzled and confused about the man they thought would be “the one”, the hoped-for Messiah.  He had died, and although there were reports of his tomb being empty, everything seemed so unclear.   Their broken hearts led to a temporary “blindness” and they were unable to perceive that the third traveler was none other than the resurrected Christ.

“Bless the Broken Road” is the title of a Grammy Award-winning song that has been recorded by several American Country and Christian music artists – most notably, Rascal Flatts.  The lyrics tell a story of pain and confusion culminating in a blessing unseen during the turmoil of the moment.

Every long lost dream
led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way
into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
(It’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true)

We may be blinded, numb, and confused on our own broken road.  Perhaps the loss of a relationship, job, health, finances, or some other trial has brought us to a crossroads.  Our limited insight makes it difficult for us to understand why God would allow us to go through such an experience.  This is all part of a grander plan.  Some of God’s greatest blessings are unanswered prayers. Eventually, Jesus revealed His identity to the confused travelers over a meal.   He had been with them all along.  When He broke bread and blessed it, their eyes were opened and they realized that even in the darkest moments of life, God was in control. As a matter of fact, He was providing the salvation they longed for. When King David of Israel was on a broken road, he wrote:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;  He rescues those whose spirits are crushed (Psalm 34:18 NLT).

Broken and blessed is not what we would choose, but it is often what God uses to make Himself known to us in a greater way. Even when we cannot see His hand, we can trust His heart that a greater plan is underway.  We don’t have to be afraid to continue down our broken road because God will meet us there.

We Can Work It Out

by Mark Sandel
msandel@twu.edu

There’s good news, bad news, really bad news, and some interesting news for men, and it’s all about the recession.

The good news: The economists tell us that the recession of the last three years is easing.  Of course, this is no comfort to those who have lost jobs, homes, and in some cases, hope.

Now the bad news for men: over 7 million Americans have lost jobs during this recession, and about 80% of them were men. And the unemployment figures do not include the hundreds of thousands of men who have given up trying to find work, those who don’t even bother to register for unemployment anymore.  There is a new category for them: “discouraged” workers.

And now, the really bad news: some men are suffering more than others. Men aged 35 to 54 have been hardest hit, and those bountiful mid-career years have traditionally built retirement plans and inflated Social Security retirement benefits. For men in mid-life, the recession may have a negative effect that lasts a lifetime.

Unemployment among black men has soared to alarming levels, in large part to downturns in certain sectors of the economy including the auto industry and manufacturing.  Here in Texas the slowdown in construction has been particularly devastating to Hispanic men.

And now the interesting news; a social tipping point of tremendous magnitude occurred in February with little fanfare.  For the first time in American history, more women than men were employed.  Of course, the balance shifted dramatically as a result of the large number of men who lost jobs during the last three years, but women have consistently been making gains in both employment and income in relation to men for many years. Several bloggers have cited this development as “proof” that women have taken over, that men can’t get ahead, that society is unfair to men. Is that the case, or is there more to the story?

The recession seems to be accelerating a social change that was born decades ago: the move toward a more equitable society for women. A number of positive things for men have come from this slow evolution of gender roles.  Most men have become better parents and partners, for instance. But the lousy economy and the unemployment that has hit men particularly hard may force us to further evolve as we reconsider our role as providers.

Unfortunately, for the men and their families who are suffering through this crisis, these grand social change perspectives are of little consolation. So, I refer you back to the good news at the beginning of this article. The recession will not last forever and the job market will improve. In the meantime, I encourage men to seek all the support and help they can to avoid becoming  “discouraged” workers. Hope, while in short supply these days, is a valuable commodity.