![\"Parchment](\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Parchment-Hearts.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/span>We had dinner with four friends a couple of weeks ago and it was such fun.\u00a0 <\/span>There was delicious food, uplifting fellowship, and loads of laughter.\u00a0 <\/span>It was actually more like a business meeting but our hostess Aletha knows how to set a festive table.\u00a0 <\/span>In honor of Easter she made these little favors for each of us out of parchment.\u00a0 <\/span>She actually sewed parchment paper together in the shape of a heart with little candy Easter eggs on the inside.\u00a0 <\/span>You had to literally break open the parchment to get to the goodies.\u00a0 <\/span>Each heart had something different handwritten on it in gold lettering like joy, faith, peace, love, grace, etc\u2026 <\/span><\/p>\nI was touched that Aletha would put that much time and effort into doing that little something extra that turned something ordinary into something special \u2013 especially for old friends she sees all the time.\u00a0 <\/span>I had hosted this meeting the previous month and ordered pizza.\u00a0 <\/span>It was great pizza but it was just pizza.\u00a0 <\/span>But in my defense\u2026I tried to serve it with lots of love and used my wrinkle free (throw them in the washing machine, toss them in the dryer) cloth napkins and placemats!\u00a0 <\/span>So I guess, in my own way, I tried to do a little something extra even with the pizza.\u00a0 <\/span>But there is always someone around who makes us look bad.\u00a0<\/span> Extra cheese on a pizza can\u2019t <\/span>compete with handmade parchment hearts filled with candy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Aletha along with Betty and Karon are what I like to call my \u201cMartha Stewart\u201d type friends.\u00a0 <\/span>Sometimes I try to live vicariously off their \u201cdomestic diva\u201d vibes.\u00a0 <\/span>My husband thoroughly enjoys them since they serve delicious, homemade meals \u2013 the likes he rarely sees at home anymore, since the kids have grown and moved out of the house.\u00a0 <\/span>He learned to fend for himself when I was working full time.\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s not a great cook but loves fruit and green salads \u2013 two of his specialties.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n To be honest, my \u201chosting the formal meal\u201d days are long gone.\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve passed down my \u201cwash by hand\u201d fine china, \u201cbuff \u2018til it shines\u201d sparkling crystal, and \u201cneeds to be polished\u201d silver to my daughters.\u00a0 <\/span>They didn\u2019t need to wait until I died to divvy up the spoils.\u00a0 <\/span>My new philosophy is \u2013 if it can\u2019t go in the dishwasher I\u2019d rather not have it.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometime my family says, \u201cMom, you don\u2019t need to do all this.\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s too much trouble.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not really a lot of trouble because I take the easier route.\u00a0 <\/span>Martha Stewart need not feel threatened by me.\u00a0 <\/span>But what if it is a little extra trouble?\u00a0 <\/span>Isn\u2019t that part of the gift of love?\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s a way of saying, \u201cI love you and you are special!\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In Matthew 10:42 Christ tells us that those who give a cup of cold water to little ones are blessed.\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve often wondered why he makes a point of saying the water is cold.\u00a0 <\/span>Room temperature water can quench a thirst just as much as \u201ccold\u201d water.\u00a0 <\/span>I can\u2019t help but think that the water being cold is that little bit of extra love that makes it all the more special.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n So thanks, Aletha, for giving us a little extra love.\u00a0 <\/span>You turned an ordinary evening into something special.\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We had dinner with four friends a couple of weeks ago and it was such fun.\u00a0 There was delicious food, uplifting fellowship, and loads of laughter.\u00a0 It was actually more like a business meeting but our hostess Aletha knows how … Continue reading <\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Still\u2026 I occasionally manage to cook a yummy meal and set an elegant table using my Corelle dishes instead of Noritake, Libby glasses instead of Mikasa, and Oneida flatware instead of antique sterling silver.\u00a0 <\/span>(See picture\u2026)\u00a0 <\/span>I especially like to do this for family get-togethers and holidays.\u00a0 <\/span>At these times I like to use a nice table cloth that doesn\u2019t need to be ironed, plus cloth napkins with various napkin rings to match the d\u00e9cor.\u00a0 <\/span>And sometimes I use place cards.\u00a0 <\/span>They aren\u2019t all that fancy but they are place cards just the same.\u00a0 <\/span>In my own way, I try to make it just a little special.\u00a0 <\/span>My six-year-old granddaughter loves to put the place cards on the table.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n