I’m still traveling cross-country, returning home from The Big Event, but I want to share two quick tablescapes with you this week.
You may remember when I showed you how I decided on the color scheme for Hope Unlimited’s 20th anniversary event. This was my plan … but as you can see in the picture below, there was a slight miscommunication, and the navy blue cloths I received were the really dark indigo blue — so the colors didn’t “pop” quite like I’d hoped, but no one was any the wiser.
Overall, the mix of small cocktail and tall kiosk tables was a good choice, and the fabulous floral print pulled everything together as I’d hoped. I had forgotten all about the huge “must stay” painting on one end of the room … but didn’t it look great?
I also included a Table for Two as part of the exhibit itself. It just seemed like a perfect fit in the section on Hope graduates. You see, perhaps the thing I am most proud of is that Hope Unlimited doesn’t “drop” kids when they turn 18 like every other organization I know of. Instead, as I shared with you in THIS tablescape post, we provide graduate transition homes to help our students make the adjustment to life on their own.
As many of our graduates eventually marry and start families, we continue to offer them encouragement and emotional support. After all, how easy do you think it would be to deal with even the “usual” challenges of marriage if you’d never had a healthy, positive example set for you? I’ve known of some of our young couples who were truly terrified at the thought of starting families because they were afraid they might fail their children — as their parents had so tragically failed them.
A couple of years ago, in order to equip our young married graduates when their experiences of love and healthy communication were unclear and full of questions …
Hope started hosting marriage encounter weekends. These are couple’s retreats filled with group counseling, fun activities, and Biblical guidance … that culminate with ballroom dancing and romantic, candlelit dinners at tables for two.
Our graduates have shown themselves to be excellent parents — with not a single known case of one of them ever neglecting or abusing their own children. Considering their pasts, that’s nothing short of a miracle.
When the next generation of children is safe in loving homes, only then does Hope consider its work to be a success …
What’s the best advice you received as a young married —
or the advice you like to give?
or the advice you like to give?
* * * * *
DEFINITELY would give the advice to not sweat the small stuff. There are so many things that can go RIGHT in a marriage, so why dwell on the stuff that goes wrong? That’s my 2 cents worth! Thanks for sharing the tables. I am a total sucker for the white with platinum banding!!!
Your tables are lovely, and the reasons behind the party are what really shines through to me! I have not heard of this organization, but I have served on our county protective services as a board member so I sort of understand your missions. May God bless you in this great undertaking! I am so proud that your students are proving to be great parents……worth all the work!!
Well first, I loved both HOPEFUL tables. That blue really is smashing and looks wonderful by that painting. I agree!
Second, I would tell them to love the LORD more than they love each other. Only in love for Him can they grow the kind of love that makes a relationship work.
And if I can give two: Pray together from the very beginning. Pray FOR each other and over each other.
And OK, three; LIKE each other. Be best friends.
Lovely party, awesome reason. You are so right that we all need guidance, well past 18. Best advice, hmmm. tough question. I’ve been married for 24 years and it hasn’t been easy. Try to remember what brought you together and let the rest go.
– The Tablescaper
I think these are just awesome, and YOU are awesome, too!
DO you have something I can steal and put on my sidebar… a logo? I really want to post a link on my sidebar about this.
XO,
Sheila
Tables are lovely as usual, Susan, and you can make any color work perfectly. 🙂
My advice to all married couples is pretty simple. GIVE.
Sheila (and anyone else who would like to join her), feel free to copy/paste the Hope Unlimited logo on my sidebar and use it on yours. Then just link the logo to the Hope website: http://www.hopeunlimited.org Bless you!
Wonderful God glorifying idea! Best advice, pray together and for eachother. Sacrifical love!
Beautiful!
Yvonne
How wonderful to follow these young people as they face some of life’s most important passages. My advice? Marriage should not pit one person against the other. Remember that you are on the same side.
Very romantic table!
What wonderful work you do! I think it is so inspiring. And think of how it will move down the generations, each having the example of the one before. It gives me goosebumps! What beautiful tables! I read something the other day when a man about to be married asked an old man who had been married many, many years what their secret was. He said, “I made a promise.”
Love the tables…one of the conversations at our table to honor my parents were the years my mother was involved in “Internationals”…where young woman that were here in the states while their husbands were in college, came through our house. This organization helped them to adjust while sharing the love of Christ with them,
So I love hearing what you are involved in…knowing that one day your children will also tell about these days to their kids.
You have provided such a beautiful setting.
Greetings from Hong Kong!
I, too, enjoyed reading about this ministry for couples. HOPE is a powerful word I love! That HOPE lies in our faith in Christ for marriage, not in each other as a spouse. Good work you do!
Lovely, lovely atmosphere and ambiance you created in this space. Peaceful and romantic. Memorable in every way. To God, all the glory.
Kelley of Kelley Highway