Wrapping Up The Year

I've seen this on a couple of other people's blogs and I thought I would join in. While I did a wrap up of blog posts for 2011- here is a summary of LIFE in 2011. Kind of. Can you ever really sum up life? I didn't think so. But here's to trying.

Looking Back at 2011 and Looking Forward to 2012

Can you believe that it is almost 2012?

It's been a whole year since I really started focusing in on this blog. I had this blog ever since March of 2010. You can read my first post here. But in December of 2010 I decided to really dig in and blog for real. I joined 20sb and bloggers.com. I started to post more regularly. I joined Love Bomb, It Starts With Us, and Love Drop. Through all of this I've made some amazing online friends and some real life friends too. It has been one heck of a year for Love Woke Me Up This Morning. Here are some highlights...

God Is For Us

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas with those you love most. I know I am!

Here is one of my favorite Christmas songs by Casting Crowns - reminding me always of how powerful and wonderful God's love is for us.

Finale - The Beginning

What an amazing conclusion to this album. 

Heartbreak Hotel

"He's really hurt me," my friend told me last week.

We were sitting at Starbucks. It was filled with college students cramming for finals, friends catching up with each other, and an unusual amount of hipsters. I didn't even know that many hipsters existed in our little town. As I sipped my peppermint mocha I listened to my friend's story about her boyfriend. Without getting too much into the gory details, she was feeling insecure and began comparing herself to other women.

A Beautiful Dawn

Bethlehem Dawn (Album Version)

Have you ever seen a sunrise? They are pretty awesome.

I don't like to get up ridiculously early very often - I need double the coffee for that. But when a group of my friends suggest getting up to watch the sun rise together I always have a hard time saying no. There is something about watching the sun rise and the night turning into day that I love. These are some of my favorites:

Gabriel Throws the Party of the Millennium

Glory To God (Album Version)


First... don't press play yet.

Second... don't judge me for posting this song through MySpace. I couldn't find any other full version of the song to put on this post. If any of you have suggestions for better ways to do this please let me know.

OK - now I want you to imagine the angel choir that sang to the shepherds. What do they look like? What do they sound like?

I don't know about you, but when I typically think of the angel choir at Christmas, I picture this:

God With Us

Last year, during Advent I started a series on Todd Agnew's Christmas album, Do You See What I See. This album is so unique and so special - I can never get tired of it's music. My mom and picked it up a few years ago just before Thanksgiving. Normally I am not a big fan of listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. However, this album was the exception. My mom, sister, and I could not stop listening. It is still one of our favorite albums and it doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't listen to it.

Each song is sung by a different person in the Christmas story. The innkeeper, Joseph, Mary, a song for Jesus, Elizabeth, Simeon, etc. It makes you think about what each person may have been thinking, feeling, and experiencing. One thing that I love is that this album truly grasps the ideas of Advent - waiting and hoping for the coming of Christ.

Well, I never finished the series- but I'm going to this year! To catch up check out my Do You See What I See tab and all of the links are there. I'll be updating that page throughout December.

Today... the Wise Men.

December Update

Hello, Friends!

For the last two, almost three weeks now life has been crazy. Which  means I have been behind in pretty much... life. Ha ha.

However, things are starting to calm down. At least I hope they are. For all of you who have kept me in your thoughts and prayers, just thank you again. I know I've said that earlier this month - but you really have no idea how much it has meant to me.

But since I've been behind on life I've realized that I haven't properly introduced you to my blog sponsor swap of the month yet!

End of a Era of Love

For the past year I have have the privilege of being part of an organization called Love Drop.

Once a month they pick out a person or family who is going through a rough patch and drop love on them. It can be in the form of a huge check to help them pay bills, an all expenses paid vacation, service dogs, a car, gifts, cards, hugs - the sky is the limit for this group.

Every month I dedicate a post to Love Drop to help spread the word and share love with people who need it. 

This month is the FINAL LOVE DROP.

Share the Love

Long story short....

It's been a rough week.

I'm doing okay and I'm still breathing. Although any thoughts and prayers sent my way will be very much appreciated.

For all of you who have already been thinking and praying about me (and my friends for that matter)

THANK YOU. 

You have no idea how much it means to me.

But I've decided.... I need some cheerfulness in my life. Therefore I am introducing: