Nouvelle Vie Photography: friendship

For some reason, this week has been rather burdensome. In fact, to put it bluntly, my heart feels as though it's been used as a punching bag. Repeatedly. Hard to handle when you've been hanging out on the mountaintop for such a long time. I know that "mountaintop" experiences are monumental blessings from God and I also know that they are temporal. We must go through the valleys in order to appreciate and learn and lean. Lean, press into, squish up next to, and heavily snuggle into Him. I think this is why my heart is so heavy this week. I haven't done much of that. I miss Him. I need Him. I think it's time to fix this.

What does this have to do with roses you may ask? I came home today, was inflicted another blow to my already battered and bruised heart, when what do I see sitting on the kitchen table? A dozen STUNNING, GORGEOUS roses! One of my absolute favorite colors even; yellow, tipped in red. Yes, yes, I know..... from my husband? Roses that stand for "friendship blossoming into love"? It's exactly what I needed. His love, yes, but his friendship, acceptance, time, thought, effort, companionship; I needed his friendship more than anything today. Not romance, not red roses.... these. I really needed this at this moment in my life.

I am married to the most amazing man. Not because he buys me roses, not because he helps do the dishes, not because he works so hard that I can stay home with our kids; yes, all these things are important and I cherish them greatly, BUT... The reason I think he is the most amazing man ever??? He stayed. He has committed to stay with me. Always. He has committed to love me, to seek God with his whole heart and stay. It hasn't always been easy, in fact, there were many times I wasn't sure we'd even make it. By God's grace, we have. Greg has been faithful and he has stayed the course. I am blessed.

Gorgeous roses, when my heart couldn't take anymore squeezing... a MAJOR added bonus :D

Aren't they AMAZING?!?!?!

Playing with a little texture...

Soft and Subtle..

I must say though, I think this is my favorite of the processed ones :)

I have the joyous pleasure every Tuesday to participate in something so wonderful, so heart warming, so uplifting and so beautiful it makes my heart smile from here to Kalamazoo. CBS. No, NOT the tv station (heaven forbid, lol!), Community Bible Study. I joined CBS almost 8yrs ago. I started because my life was falling apart. My dad had just died suddenly of a massive heart attack (2wks before they were going to be here for Christmas). We were trying to sell the house (9/11 had just happened), my husband was living an hour away (we only saw him one day a week) and I was raising 3 little kids (two babies) all by myself. Life was a living hell.

I needed help. I needed "Him", God, Jesus. Him. The only way I knew how to survive was to find Him. The only way I knew how to find Him was to attend a Bible study. There had to be answers there, right? Right :D Not only did I find Him, I found an unbelievable support group in women that loved the Lord and sought after Him with their whole hearts. Women that went through even greater tragedy than I had but continued to serve Him with their entire being. Woman who can cut a joke and roll on the floor laughing one minute and then turn around and speak immeasurable praises and thanksgiving to Him, praying for the deepest needs of loved ones, crying out to Him for each other. This is where I was meant to be. Always, every year. This is where EVERYONE needs to be.

I joined the leadership part of CBS I guess about 6yrs ago. This is my "core group". And I have the best one ;) (insert inside joke here). CBS runs during the school year and breaks when public schools break, all holidays and during summer. Even though we "officially" take breaks, we still get to see each other in the summer with a luncheon once a month, we get to have a beautiful Christmas dinner with each other every year, and this year we even did something extra special. We had a fall fellowship. We made special designs in pumpkins, baked and decorated cookies and played games.

The goal of this was to celebrate friendship and God's changing of the season. Since my family doesn't set up for Halloween, I wasn't too certain if I wanted to carve anything and if I did, what in the world would I do, lol! He reminded me that He is the light of the world and that others needed to know that. I decided to google scriptures on "light". When I read John 8:12, I knew what I would do.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,

“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

These women are such a testimony to me. They love with a love that is so deep and so real. They love, sharing in each others joy or sadness, making it their own. What a beautiful gift He gave me. Not just in His word, but in His women. I love you all from the deepest depths of my heart. Thank you for all you have been for me over the years. Thank you for being willing vessels and "letting your little lights shine"!

Even the dog had fun, lol!!!

Cookies.... YUM!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVED the collaborated efforts on this fairytale/cinderella pumpkin! Sooooo cute!!! She used an apple corer and melon baller to make the polka dots.