why can't life be easy.... or at least moderate??

I feel like over the past few years (say 5-6) my life is either one big up or one big down. No, steady going along as normal. Mind you I don't know what "normal" is. I don't know that our culture knows what "normal" is- well, at least I don't want to accept what "normal" might include.

I have been thinking and praying a lot about life-- what I like, don't like, need to change, want to change, what I can do better, etc. Ya know, it's that time of year- New Years resolutions.

So stay tuned. I might have unrealistic expectations- but it's time my life get put together and not be so "on the brink of who knows what" every other second.

This isn't the person/ life I thought I would be/ have when I grew up. Maybe this year I can start the curve toward a better me and a better life, faith, marriage, friendships, bank account and so much more. I am a control freak-- I want things to go the way I think they should in my head-- when they don't I feel like a failure. I need to work on that!

Stay tuned for a prescription for the new me! If it doesn't happen now-- my life will change completely in some very bad ways.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas. Ryan and I will be enjoying time together and then with my family later in the week.

I hope that each of you finds the center of your holiday to be the real reason-- the birth of Christ our Savior.

"He had a different kind of faith. He had a different kind of Kingdom. He wore a different kind of Crown."

A friend of mine had this up the other day.
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.”
[Ephesians 2:4-5]

We celebrate a baby boy being born in a manger, the reason for grace. How do we celebrate this happy occasion? Is it by sitting around a tree? Is it by ripping open presents as fast as we can? As you get older Christmas time only gets more chaotic and hectic. It becomes easier and easier to lose your focus. You have presents to buy and desserts to be made. There are so many obstacles to prevent us from focusing on Christ. We are given tasks and deadlines for items we must buy and meals we must fix which is divine as long as we remember. Remember why we do these things for our loved ones. We are celebrating the fact that we are made new in Christ, this baby boy who was sent from up above. We cannot forget the happy occasion that brings us together. Through His humanity we have been saved. Grace became flesh and was wrapped in swaddling clothes. There is no better reason to celebrate for we are no longer dead but alive because of this infant savior. Emmanuel – God with us.

Merry Christmas!

A little less stress....

I have been stressing about this album and getting it on time since when I ordered it the estimated shipping date was later than it should have been. But to my merry Christmas the book was shipped today!! YAY! That means I should get it in Wednesday. Perfect!!! Now, because I am worried old me, I am just worried that it got printed right and the quality is good!

I will keep you posted!
ck

cutie--

A couple weeks ago when I was in the Lansing area shooting a wedding-- I had the oportunity to spend some time with my dear friend and her cute baby. It was the night before the wedding and at 11:00 she was wide awake and soooo happy! Isn't she sooo happy!!!

Thanks to my Husband I am much closer to being ready for Christmas- he got all the shopping done today and now I just have to finish up getting his stuff. What a guy I tell you!!

I finished the album-- it turned out great-- just waiting for the actual published copy to arrive so I can HURRY it over to them for their Anniversary!

Now I am on to gradually going through the wedding photos and getting proofs ready as well as a special project for my Grandparents.

I will post more pics of the album on my photo blog once he gives it to her--- it's a surprise!!

ok-- done spitting all the thoughts in my head out onto the computer! Maybe I can get some sleep tonight- I am running' a little low on sleep.

If I don't blog again soon-- Have a GREAT Christmas!!!

ck

done

In a way I feel as though I have just run a marathon. Only it consisted of working running home and sitting in front of the computer for more work. But I am done! I finished the book-- a total of 76 pages of funky couple bliss!

He loves it-- it's off to the printer-- praying that mail and printing cooperate. It should be here in time for me to get it to him for his Anniversary.
They are a super fun couple and really inspire me to be a better person. They are funny, genuine, faith filled, encouraging, and loving. On the funny note please click the above image to enlarge and check out their HILARIOUS Christmas cards-- please notice the faces of the people their baby is eating. HAHAHA!

Anyway- I am off to go finish my dish to bring to the potluck at work. Oh- and as closure to the drama at work-- we have no bosses anymore :( Truly a sad story-- if it was going to happen at any job I have had-- these are not the bosses I would have wanted to go. Let alone right before Christmas. Many prayers for them right now.

Ok- no focus on Christmas.
ck

what have i been doing????

Christmas shopping? nope
Getting in the Christmas spirit? nope
Baking? nope

I really haven't even thought about Christmas. I seem to have over committed myself for December and I have been working on a project for a videographer I met in October who liked my work. I am putting an album together as a surprise for his Wife on their 5 year anniversary.

Here is a glimpse at a couple pages.
I'm having a lot of fun doing it--- the end product will be an 8x10 album hard cover coffee table album. A true keepsake for them and their loved ones.

Hope you are ready for Christmas!
ck

Fight Terrorism-- Buy a chair

Went to church tonight and heard about this furnature co. in Moraco- well they are in Michigan right now-- but moving to Moraco to help the poor people have jobs and feed their families.

Check out their story and their stuff

http://greensaharafurniture.com/handcrafted.html

(for some reason the link thing isn't working-- cut & paste address or google Green Sahara Furniture)

ck

whiped out!

I shot (as in photographed-- not hunted) a wedding this weekend. It was tons of fun-- however I am super tired and feeling like I am totally over committed right now.

So I am sorry if i am sparse in the blogging-- I am sorry.

What fun did you have this weekend?

ck

A gift?

In my post the other day I made reference to the fact that this is the season most contradictory in the church-- it's about peace, patiently waiting, excitement-- three things that we (as adults) don't often feel when December hits. The holiday rush with shopping and keeping up with the neighborhood lights and decorations, holiday parties, gift giving (which can often be out of pressure to give to co-workers, and others who give to you- that you might not had any intention of giving to). You see out focus has gotten lost! Our focus has shifted from grateful and appreciative to consumers who won't be "happy" no matter what. There is always that thought in the back of our heads.... "if I just had this".

The message at church on Sunday was awesome. Chris Seay a pastor from Houston was our guest preacher and he rocked. He was hilarious-- but int he end his words tugged at my heart and got me thinking about my own life. He talked about a mother having a baby (I know there are several of you expectant mom's who read). The last month he says the anxiety and expectation and worry, and excitement that it could be any day is amazing. When I think of that I think of Mary and how difficult it must have been to be her and how much of her life was in "upheaval" at the time (especially in the last month of her preg.).

It's funny that during Thanksgiving we focus on how blessed we are - and the next day we seem to forget that as we rush to the mall and stack our carts full of our "must haves".

Mars Hill (our church) has a advent link online (click here). The page on gratefulness says this: "If the only prayer you say in your entire life is 'Thank You,'" wrote Meister Eckhart, “that would suffice." As I look ahead to what we will spend on Christmas and who is the One we celebrate and how are we celebrating- how are we showing that gift. I think of the many things that we could do to honor him as part of the season. There are so many who won't have any gifts this Christmas (and yet many will be more grateful than you or I).

I remember as a child collecting gifts for children who wouldn't have any- I remeber going to the woman & children's shelter with my mom and taking Santa Bears from Hudson's-- that would be put on some child's bed on Christmas morning and that would be the thing that lit their eyes with excitement. I also remember taking gifts up at "Jesus' Birthday Part" at church-- those gifts also went to some child who otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas.

Who would Jesus give to? The least of these. What do you do to give back at Christmas? I haven't decided in what way we will give back this year-- maybe it will be through the potters house (a inner city ministry at our church). Maybe it will be giving to the Z project at Mars. Maybe it will be serving dinner to some homeless people on Christmas morning. Regardless of what it is-- I want it to honor God. I want it to be our OFFERING.

What do you do to prepare and get your family ready for Christmas (an advent calendar, drive around looking at lights, family celebrations, etc)? Do you do anything in your community?

Regrets--

I always say I don't regret things in my life because I think that they have all made me into the person that I am today... however I am sure we have all done stupid things.


Take these boys for example. I am sure they think that it is more than "cool" that they made this video and put it on youtube. While they can't dance, they did really spend some time on this.




My brother and I as well as my cousins used to make videos when we were younger of us singing or dancing to songs. We have a classic clip of my cousin and I... I am doing cartwheels in the background while my cousin and I are singing "Like a Virgin" by Madonna. SERIOUSLY-- while I would have likely thought it was cool at the time to put it on you tube-- I think it would have come back to haunt me.

Did you do any stupid things with your siblings when you were younger? Oh boy I think I could go on and on.

what's on your list?

Having worked in a church there was not a busier time in the year than Christmas-- which is a little contradictory to what the season is about. But-- it's a reality.

I will have some more thought about consumerism later this week-- but for today I wanted to say--- what's on your list?

There are many things I want-- most of which I could buy. There are a couple things that I would love to have-
1) Canon 40D

2)Subscription to Digital Scrapbooking Magazine

But for those of you who just aren't sure what you might want--- here are a few things that I have no idea who would want-- but they are gauranteed to make you laugh!

In case you wanted something "exciting" in your bathroom! However isn't the toilet every fishes greatest nightmare-- it is after all where we "bury" them.

(FYI- the toilet tank is seperate from the fish bowl-- no fish are harmed in the flushing process)

Do you stand on your feet all day-- what better thing to come home, sit down on the couch and strap into these:
Because I am sure none of you have anything to do when you get home and you can just sit on the couch looking fabulous in these when your hubby comes home!

or if you have a headache maybe you can play power ranger and strap this gizmo on your head for a massage.


If that doesn't work try these:This is an "eyezone" massager-- I think it's just a good excuse not to see the mess in your house.

And for when you don't have the stress of work but are out playing on the golf course and want to relax and not pay too much for beer or wait for the beer cart to come around-- you can always get this:

And for all you mom's out there who can only get peace and quiet in the bathroom (and that's only if you are lucky). Or all you guys who just want an excuse to stay in there a little longer-- You don't need the Nintendo DS brain age-- you can just slip away and do this:
I hope I have helped you get a good laugh- for those of you who don't like gadgets and would prefer clothes-- there is always this:

Please- leave me your thoughts on these and other "fabulous" gifts that you have seen or heard of!

Have a fabulous Sunday!