shutterfly joy

oh joy! not only is has our Savior come, but shutterfly has beautiful cards to adorn the good news! i'm just overwhelmed by the sheer number of options. there are gobs and gobs. if you know me well you can imagine me doing the indecisive dance as i looked at every. last. design. and then went through again to narrow down my favorites. they are all so beautiful! and i love the splashes of color they threw into this year's designs. go see for yourself!

recently i used shutterfly for sam's (shhh) photo book of our engagement.. yes I know i'm way behind on documenting photos of our six years together. i was just amazed at the ease with which i was able to choose colorful backgrounds, upload photos and use shutterfly's quick-slap-the-photos-on-the-pages-for-you option. and they did a beautiful outline that i simply rearranged a bit to my taste. time-saver for sure without compromising creativity.

when a sweet friend of mine posted about shutterfly's FREE giveaway of 50 holiday cards, i was thrilled. all i have to do is review their designs on my blog!? surely i can manage that during this 10 day stay in frigid north iowa:)
next, i plan to use shutterfly to make a personalized calendar. does anyone else need a fun way to escape the guilt that comes with forgetting birthdays and anniversaries? i might make one of these and call it sam's:) wink wink.

okay, on with some favorites. it was SO hard to choose but i loved the word "joy" to describe Christmas. The perfect christ child came to earth to become sin for me so i don't have to endure the wrath of the father? oh, joy! how can i not worship him out of the joy that flows from my heart?

little splash of color and joy:) modern.

a folded card so you can add an update letter inside! oh, joy!

lots of color on this one. i just love the vibrancy!

so, that's all my thoughts for now. the one we chose isn't here on purpose. wouldn't want to ruin the surprise! but christmas is around the corner so the wait won't be long.

now, go get your own free 50 here :)

nothing can keep us from your love...

Since I've been posting songs that speak right to my heart, here is another one:) Based on Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?..NO, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present not things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I meditate on the truths of this song as I cry out to God for healing in every area of my life.

No mountain, no valley
No gain or loss we know
Could keep us from Your love

No sickness, no secret
No chain is strong enough
To keep us from Your love
To keep us from Your love

Chorus
How high, how wide
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep, how strong
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands

Our present, our future
Our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood
We're covered by Your blood

In all things, we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love

yours

Every darkened crevice
Every hidden place
Every secret that’s inside of me
Though I run from You
I don’t get very far
In my weakness You speak tenderly

You heal this heart of stone
I am not my own

I am Yours....

How can I resist a perfect love like this?
It’s like sunshine and the smell of spring
When I’m covered in Your forgiveness
God, it’s overwhelming

You have called me out of shadows....
Out of darkness into light....
Hemmed in by the hands of mercy....
I’m completely satisfied

Bethany Dillon-I Am Yours

time to let go...

Today, today, you wanna run away now
You brake, to keep it together, love
Love is all you need, you're a queen but you've never known it

Life has come and left you blinded
Stole your smile, left you crying
It's not your fault, shame is all you've got now

[Chorus:]
Your heart is tangled up in silence
It's time to let go
And feel the light (find the light)
I know it's easier to hide
But you gotta let go
And feel the light, let go and feel the light

Be brave, brave, the waters all around you
I'll stay I'll keep you from sinking down
(Love) Love is on your side, it's stronger than you'll ever know

So many years of quiet
Building up like a fire inside
Feeling like you gotta let it out now
Just let it out

[Chorus:]
Your heart is tangled up in silence
It's time to let go
And feel the light (find the light)
I know it's easier to hide
But you gotta let go
And feel the light, let go and feel the light

How did you get here
Your locked inside of all this fear
Inside you're crying out
Your mind's at war
Get out, get out and live for more
There's so much more
Live for more

[Chorus:]
Your heart is tangled up in silence
It's time to let go
And feel the light (find the light)
I know it's easier to hide
But you gotta let go
And feel the light, let go and feel the light

Brave, brave waters all around you
I'll stay, I'll keep you from sinking down

Feel the Light-Britt Nicole

birthday treat:)

sweet friend.

sweet gift.

sweet birthday!

puppy-sitting:)

This is how I know my hubby will make a great dad one day....Playing with kleenex and loving cuddles;) So sweet! Thanks Schnee's for lending us your Juniper pup for the weekend as you focus on your new baby girl, congrats!

healing begins

http://tenthavenuenorth.com/journal/entry/healing-begins

I want to share this link to the journal of Tenth Avenue North, one of my new faves in music. I love this reminder that God wants our healing, and it happens as we submit ourselves to Him and others through painful vulnerability...

I pray he will use your confession and mine to heal our broken hearts and bring the wholeness only He can offer!

James 5:13-16 "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed."