Be a light unto the world

You can be the inspiration.
Indeed, you must be.

I must?

Who else is there?
How can I begin?

Be a light unto the world, and hurt it not. Seek to build, not to destroy.
Bring My people home.

How?

By your shining example. See only Godliness. Speak only in truthfulness. Act only in love.
Live the Law of Love now and forevermore. Give everything, require nothing.
Avoid the mundane.
Do not accept the unacceptable.
Teach all who seek to learn of Me.
Make every moment of your life an outpouring of love.
Use every moment to think the highest thought, say the highest word, do the highest deed. In this, glorify your Holy Self, and thus, too, glorify Me.
Bring peace to the Earth by bringing peace to all those whose lives you touch.
Be peace.
Feel and express in every moment your Divine Connection with the All, and with every person, place and thing.
Embrace every circumstance, own every fault, share every joy, contemplate every mystery, walk in every man's shoes, forgive every offense (including your own), heal every heart, honor every person's truth, adore every person's God, protect every person's rights, preserve every person's dignity, promote every person's interests, provide every person's needs, presume every person's holiness, present every person's greatest gifts, produce every person's blessing, and pronounce every person's future secure in the assured love of God.
Be a living, breathing example of the Highest Truth that resides within you.
Speak humbly of yourself, lest someone mistake your Highest Truth for a boast.
Speak softly, lest someone think you are merely calling for attention.
Speak gently, that all might know of Love.
Speak openly, lest anyone think you have something to hide.
Speak candidly, so you cannot be mistaken.
Speak often, so that your word may truly go forth.
Speak respectfully, that no one be dishonored.
Speak lovingly, that every syllable may heal.
Speak of Me with every utterance.
Make of your life a gift. Remember always, you are the gift!
Be a gift to everyone who enters your life, and to everyone whose life you enter. Be careful not to enter another's life if you cannot be a gift.
(You can always be a gift, because you always are the gift -- yet sometimes you don't let yourself know that.)
When someone enters your life unexpectedly, look for the gift that person has come to receive from you.

What an extraordinary way of putting it.

Why else do you think a person has come to you?
I tell you this: every person who has ever come to you has come to receive a gift from you. In so doing, he gives a gift to you - the gift of your experiencing and fulfilling Who You Are.

When you see this simple truth, when you understand it, you see the greatest truth of all:

I HAVE SENT YOU
NOTHING BUT ANGELS.

(From "Conversations with God" Book 2, by Neale Donald Walsch; pgs. 175-176)

Enchantment and Dreams!

This past weekend (Feb. 27th & 28th), I had the opportunity to hang out with some wedding colleagues, as well as meeting some couples who are planning their 2010 and 2011 weddings.

On Saturday I enjoyed the Grand Opening and Fashion Show presented by Enchanted Bridal Shoppe in Fair Oaks. Situated in the Quail Pointe Shopping Center (corner of Madison & Sunrise), Enchanted Bridal is owned by the Baker family. Jeff and Sandy Baker run the business, their daughter Jennifer (formerly of Lake Natoma Inn) is the Director of Sales, and other family members add their expertise to the business.

My booth was situated next to that of Adagio Weddings & Events, and I "caught up" on local wedding news from Adagio's owner, Katy Baker. I also took at peek at some of the beautiful invitations created by Linda Walker, owner of Creme de la Creme Paperie (Citrus Heights).

Sweet Cakes by Rebecca gave out samples of their delicious (and beautiful) cakes, Joan of Beautiful by Nature Florist had a gorgeous display of flowers, and Carmita Restaurant offered dolmas and other Mediterranean taste treats. (Vegan food; yay! And they're located in the Quail Pointe Shopping Center. I'll be back!)

Phill of Sheffield Multimedia captured the fun and fashion (and shared a funny story!) The fun photo booth was courtesy of Chris Terry of Encore Photo Booths. Debbie Brown Photography was the official photographer; Debbie is also mother to three of the beautiful "brides" in the fashion show. Gorgeous young ladies, and they looked stunning in the wedding gowns. Watch out, Debbie!

And kudos to Carlene Herrera, also formerly of Lake Natoma Inn, for her wonderful coordination of this event!

Those are just a few of the wedding professionals who participated in Enchanted Bridal Shoppe's grand opening celebration. Thanks again, Jennifer, for inviting me to your party!

And then, on Sunday, I was part of the Dream team, as I participated in The Dream Wedding Show!

Sunday was a beautiful, sunny day, and the Exposition Center at Cal Expo was filled with brides and grooms, parents, and bff's all eager to see what the local wedding professionals had to offer.

There were too many exhibitors to name in this blog. All I can say is most of THE BEST in Sacramento were there.

My booth was perfectly situated. On one side was Jensen Wedding Videos -- always a classy booth, and Mike seems to attract the very best clients!

And on the other side was Chocolate Fountains of Sacramento. I loved watching people's eyes light up when they came around the corner and saw the chocolate fountain. Jim would ask, "Would you like a sample?" and almost without exception the response was "Oh, why not?!"
And when they bit into the chocolate-covered cream puff, their dreamy-eyed look told me it was dee-licious!

My lovely assistant, Carrieanna, handed out flyers listing helpful questions to ask when choosing an officiant. (And periodically she volunteered her services in "quality control and tasting" for the chocolate fountain!)

A busy, productive, FUN weekend for this Reverend!

RJM

Where there is love, there is life

Last Saturday, at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, Meena and Bret combined their cultures, their families, and their lives in a beautiful ceremony of marriage.

Meena, a fiscal analyst for the State of California, met her beloved, Bret, when his company was hired to do some work for her department. She told me that when they first spoke on the phone, she knew he was someone special. He says that when they met in person, her beautiful smile immediately caught his attention. And thus, their love story began, growing into the love that brought them to Clarksburg on February 20th to be joined in marriage.

Meena included her Hindu heritage in many ways. She and her mother met many times with Gloria and Kerry of Howe It's Done Catering, cooking and sampling to ensure that the food for the reception would include authentic Indian dishes.

The bride and her attendants wore traditional Indian wedding attire; their red and ivory saris brought color and passion to the celebration, enhanced by the beautiful bouquets and floral arrangements created by Meena's sister, Savita.

Bret and Meena's children and grandchildren were important participants in the ceremony. Bret's son, Eric, was also his best man, while one-year-old grandson, Conner, nearly stole the show as he ran up the aisle with enthusiasm to give Bret the ring pillow!

Bret's daughters, Sarah and Emily, each presented readings. And Meena's son, Keaton, escorted his mother down the aisle, and later performed a violin solo (Ode to Joy) in tribute to his mother and new father.

Along with the traditional vows and exchange of rings, Bret and Meena performed the Rite of Sacred Fire and Seven Steps, wherein they affirmed their love and declared their union in this traditional Hindu ritual.

The ceremony and reception were flawlessly coordinated by Katy Baker of Adagio Weddings and Events, with Jasmine Renee Photography capturing all the unique beauty of this beautiful couple's celebration.

Congratulations, Meena and Bret! May you be blessed with many, many years of living and loving together!

Rev. Jeri

Perfect Sounds to the rescue

Joseph and Feliza had been planning their dream wedding for quite some time, and today was The Big Day!

I arrived at Lake Natoma Inn 30 minutes before the 5:00 p.m. ceremony -- and found the groom's mother in tears. The DJ they had hired had not shown up yet. (He/They should have already been there and set up.)

Erin, the Event Coordinator at Lake Natoma Inn, called the DJ company in question, and was told that they were on their way . . . from Stockton. There was absolutely no way they would arrive in time to have the music ready for the ceremony.

So Erin called Raymond at Perfect Sounds in Folsom, explained the situation, and he came to the rescue. Within minutes -- literally -- he was setting up his sound system, putting microphones on the groom and the officiant (me), and playing soothing background music while guests were seated.

With minimal instruction, he not only played the perfect music for the processional, but also surprised us with some lovely background music as Joseph and Feliza presented their mothers with a surprise gift of roses.

The "tardy" DJs showed up at 6:00 p.m., and were setting up their equipment when I left. (I'll post their company name in a future blog, called "Buyer beware." Sometimes "cheap" is just that.)

Raymond, you were our savior this evening. And you do deliver the Perfect Sounds!

In gratitude,
Rev. Jeri Murphy

PS: Congratulations, Joseph and Feliza!!!

Promises and Vows

The wedding ceremonies I write usually include "promises" and "vows." Periodically I've been asked to explain the difference; I've given a sufficient response.

However, I found the following explanation in Caroline Myss' book, "Entering the Castle" and I really like it.

She's talking to her 13-year old niece, Rachel, who asked about the difference between promises and vows.

Caroline says, " ... promises are agreements that [you] as a person make between [yourself] and [your] friends and family. They are agreements of honor. When you break a promise, the part of you that lets you known you've broken your word is called your conscience.

"Unlike a promise ... a vow is an agreement that your soul makes with God. You make a vow when you are ready to make a commitment to live your life a certain way. Even in cases where you make a vow to another person, you are also making an agreement with God, so a vow is sacred and therefore has cosmic consequences that promises do not. Vows are so powerful ... that most people can live up to the demands of only one or two vows at the most over the course of their entire lives. When and if the time came for [Rachel] to make a vow, she would have to make certain that her soul was in complete agreement with all that the vows would require of her."

(Photo by Bakari, Lifetime Photography)

Rev. Jeri

Field trip to Loomis

Today I went on a field trip!

Joined by two favorite wedding girlfriends, Diana Miller of Diana Miller Photography and Anna Hernandez of Whitebird Ceremonial Dove Releases, I visited The Flower Farm Inn, a delightful B&B in Loomis.

We had lunch at the little cafe, then strolled the grounds enjoying the whimsical garden sculptures, the plants -- those currently in bloom and others still hibernating -- and the Gypsy Chicks!

We're planning a return trip in March, when more of the flowers are bloomin'.

Care to meet us there?

Rev. Jeri

New Year's Resolution - 2010

"Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

-- Mother Teresa