Venue Sweet Venue

We have a venue! Praise the Lord! What a load off that is! To know that you have found a beautiful location on the Manatee River not far from your apartment where you can have both your wedding and reception in the same place is convenient and comforting. It incorporates what you both love: Ayla near the water and Rob near the boats in the marina. With gulls and pelicans flying by, this will be a lovely place to stand before our Lord and say your vows, then celebrate as the sun sets behind.

There is lots to love about this location aside from its proximity to your home and the beautiful riverside location. There is also the organization of the banquet hall, its layout designed to accommodate weddings, nice-sized dance floor, bride's dressing room, excellent food (very important to you both) and large deck for an outdoor ceremony (not to mention a Plan B location indoors if it rains). And the fact that it comes with a wedding coordinator! Ahhhh, I know you both as full-time employees and your parents who are far away are grateful to God that we have found such a perfect full-service place.

There may be some folks who say, "But it's not a church." To that we would ask, "What is the church?" If the church is not a building, but rather a gathering of souls who love and worship the Father, then we should have the church covered. Plus with your Daddy doing the ceremony, God will be all over this. We will praise His name and lift Him high. If there are folks there who do not have a relationship with Christ, they will certainly hear about Him that day.

May this location be a holy place where God blesses your union, where He will be glorified, where you will have a sweet celebration and precious memories. Add where you can come back and reminisce and celebrate future anniversaries. 

Discussion: What are some hopes you have for your wedding/reception location? What are ways you planning to make this location a holy place for your nuptials?

Prayer: Father, we thank you for this beautiful place where in less than 10 months, Rob and Ayla will be united together in You. We pray for your Holy Spirit to be present and to bless not only Rob and Ayla but all who attend and the location itself. We also ask for prayers for those who will set up, prepare food, clean up, decorate and the coordinator who pulls it all together. In Jesus, Amen.

Snuggle Chair

Around last Thanksgiving, Daddy's recliner in the man cave died. It's wouldn't recline. And in the words of your Daddy, "What's the point of having a recliner if you don't recline?" So when Grandpa Lauritzen and GranDonna asked what we wanted for Christmas, I told them money towards a new recliner for your Daddy. However, when we went out shopping for one, we discovered the chair-and-a-half. Not quite as wide as a loveseat, this chair forces its occupants to sit hip-to-hip. And the icing on the cake ... it reclines! So we talked about it and decided to move our other squishy chair and ottoman into the man cave and put the chair-and-a-half in the living room where we could watch TV together.

Let me tell you this is one of the best purchases we have ever made (and gifts we've received). We sit in it nearly every single night next to each other whether watching a movie or TV, scrolling through electronics or just sitting and reading and talking. It is comfortable and snuggly, thus we've dubbed it the Snuggle Chair.

Your Daddy says every couple should have a Snuggle Chair. Prior to having the Snuggle Chair, I was on the squishy chair and he was on the couch. Same room, but very different dynamic when you are sitting apart. But this Snuggle Chair, you are right there, side-by-side, feeling the warmth of each other. Ecclesiastes 4:11 says: "If two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?" It's therapeutic. I mean, how can you be angry with someone you're sitting right next to? Your Daddy will watch my shows just to be next to me, and like wise, I will sit there and watch sporting events just to be next to him.

So this is our advice: GET ONE. It should be your first living room purchase. Park that chair-and-a-half wherever it works for you and snuggle. It will be one of the best purchases you ever make. You'll thank us for this later.

Discussion: Where do you both typically sit when you are together? Why do you think the Snuggle Chair is therapeutic?

Prayer: Lord, we know how important touch is in a relationship: hugs and hand-holding show us how much we care. And Father, we thank you anything that forces us to spend time together. We love you, Lord. In Jesus, Amen.