The final card choice

Kisses And Wishes Christmas 5x7 folded card

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Shutterfly

We have never sent out official Christmas cards before...we have just printed out a newsletter on our computer with some pictures and updates about what's been going on in our lives this past year. However, now that we have our newest member of the family, Ava Grace, we want to send out real Christmas cards. As I was considering whether I should go with Walmart, Target, PicturePeople, or other places where I could do Christmas cards with pictures, I came across Shutterfly's holiday cards. They are soooo cute this year-lots of fun designs! I think my favorite is the peppermint bliss...very Christmas-y and fun. Since I love all things Christmas, and since we're thinking about doing a silly family Christmas picture...this might be our choice. But we are definitely going with Shutterfly-so many fun options. So be on the lookout for ours in your mailbox:)
On a side note, I just finished making a photobook from Shutterfly of Ava's birth and first days in this world-it turned out reeeallly cute! I used the new design called 'fresh and fun'-it was really sweet for a little girl photobook. I would definitely recommend it!

...How Much We Have. (by caleb)

In 2003 I visited a ravine filled with years of Guatemala City's trash. I learned that over 10 thousand people live off of that dump. I heard stories of families looking for food to eat in the trash dump. I saw dogs and vultures looking for food in the same way. (for more info visit www.PottersHouse.org.GT)

Then I was taken to a ritzy mall (located only 5 mins away from the dump). I was given money to buy lunch. I bought a foot-long sandwich at Subway. I ate half of it and was about to eat the second half when thoughts like these hit me:

1- "wow...I'm about to stuff myself, with a second half of a sub, while there are parents scavenging in a garbage dump to feed to their children just 5 minutes away."

2- "is it right for me to eat more than I need while people nearby are starving?"

3- "is it right for me to have luxuries at the same time that people don't have enough?"

I still don't know the answers to these questions. What do you think?

...Getting Ready (by Sarah)

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth (or very precious) in God's sight." 1 Peter 3

Last Tuesday before Bible study, I was sitting in our car at Elmer Park, getting my 'weekly chance to journal' while Ava napped in her carseat. When I came across this verse, I started to cry. I've heard it so many times in my life, but for whatever reason, it hit me in a fresh way. Perhaps it's because it's been such a transition for me to become a Mommy, and pretty much everytime I experience an adjustment in life, it brings me back to the same identity issues I've always dealt with. Where my 'adornment' comes from is one of my foundational identity issues. When I remembered that God loves a gentle and quiet spirit, that it's 'of great worth' or 'very precious' to Him, it touched something deep inside of me.

When I'm experiencing insecurities about my identity, I do tend to think my 'adorning' should come from something outward: my funny personality, my cute clothes, the skinniness (or not-so-skinniness) of my shape. They're all things I use to get people to like me, so that I'll know I'm ok in life. But God quietly reminded me that He values a gentle spirit. A quiet spirit.
And I know the difference between a gentle, quiet spirit, and a striving, insecure spirit. It just feels different. In how I act. In how I feel. In what I do. It feels like an 'inward adorning.' A beauty that's of great worth.

I realized that this reminder from God was easily applicable in the next part of my day. I spend a bunch of minutes in the morning getting ready: I get dressed, do my hair, eat...they're all things I do to get myself ready for my day. But I hardly ever get my spirit ready. However, I think God's heart for me, and God's heart for all women, is that we would take a few minutes before entering a situation and 'prep' our hearts before Him, so that we can rightly adorn ourselves.

So as I sat there, I reminded myself that I had two options before me. I could go into the Bible study room, ready to use the way that I am (my personality, my looks, etc) to my own advantage, in order to assuage my insecurities. Or I could go with the mindset that pretty much all women have insecurities and I have the opportunity to, with a quiet heart, put mine aside, and use the way that I am to add value to the women around me.

So I did it. It wasn't flashy. Probably no one noticed. But I used my strength and energy to make other women feel welcome, wanted, and valued. And I know that in God's sight, it was very precious.

...Clothing

Okay...so check out this logic and tell me what you think:

I haven't researched this or anything. I'm just developing a hunch.

So what's the deal with the clothing industry?

1. They put out a line of clothing.
2. They market their clothing. (making it seem like you'll be cool if you buy their stuff)
3. And then, as soon as you buy the clothing and feel a little bit cooler about yourself, 'THE STYLE CHANGES'.

Do styles change...or do business owners strategically change clothing styles to create a money making cycle wherein consumers:

1. buy new clothes to be 'in style,'
2. become unsatisfied with an outdated wardrobe at the turn of each season, and,
3. buy more new clothes to be 'in style' again.

...The Purpose of This Blog

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