Mother Daughter Banquet

I grew up in a small town in Missouri. My parents still live there, as does my sister, niece, maternal grandmother, aunt and uncle. That's where we go for our visits. We love to visit!

My childhood church has a Mother Daughter Banquet every May. I wish I knew how many years they have been doing it. My hometown is a really old town. Their 4th of July Celebration has been an annual event for over 100 years. So, I know the Mother Daughter Banquet has been around for a long time.

I always loved going as a girl. It's a potluck dinner so the best of the best food is presented {oh how I always looked forward to LM's homemade breadsticks!}. There was always so much anticipation about which table would get to line up first to eat. Another highlight for me was the place setting we brought. I don't know why I always loved bringing our divided plates, or wicker paper plate holders, or whatever we brought. And I even enjoyed looking at what the other mothers and daughters brought for their dinnerware. At the end of the banquet they would give away prizes (usually potted plants) to the oldest mother, youngest mother, mother who traveled the furthest, newest mother, mother with most children present ... you get the point. Then they would dismiss to the sanctuary for a little program.

After we moved away out of state, we stopped attending because it's always on Sunday evening and that would get us home too late. I do think we went back right after I had Kyndal. That was 15 years ago.

This year my mom's church group was in charge of hosting the banquet. A few months ago my mom asked me if I had any ideas for it. Actually, I did. It was based off a table I decorated at one of my daughter's mission fashion shows. We came up with decorating ideas and door prizes.

The theme for the banquet was "Time" based on Esther 4:14 and Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. We asked the ladies of the church to bring a clock with special meaning to place in the center of their table. We made wooden plaques with the scriptures from Esther and Ecclesiastes. And we made napkin rings to look like watches. The centerpieces were the clocks and potted herbs that we gave away as door prizes. (Keep in mind this is a tiny church, so we were so excited with how our tablescapes turned out. This picture does not do it justice!)




After we ate dinner, the guest speaker took the podium.


Recognize her?

Talk about being nervous! I spoke to some ladies who taught me as a little girl in Vacation Bible School or Sunday School, one of my elementary school teachers, my favorite high school teacher (she was my English and Drama teacher, so I hope I did her proud!). Then there was a group of women I did not know, so that made me nervous. Then on top of that I was speaking in front of my mother, my sister and my daughters.

I just hope that whoever God was wanting me to talk to heard what He had to say to her.

That someone might have been me.

My program was about the seasons of our lives as mothers and daughters ... the good seasons and the bad. I talked about how God prepares us for each thing He allows us to go through, although ultimately leaving enough weakness in us so that His strength can be shown. I told them what a pastor of mine had often said .. that you are either coming out of or going into a hardship. But, it is just for a season, whatever it is.

Little did I know that Kyndal would be in a serious car accident the very next day.

I was honored to be involved in the banquet.

I was honored to be there with my daughters.


I was honored to be there with my mother.


I was honored to have an opportunity to serve God.