by Kimberly | Aug 5, 2014 | Shepherding Children
Music. You know that song that gets stuck in your head and you sing it for the next 4 days…as you bide your time waiting for another song to take its place?!
Its a small world…
This is the song that never ends…
Any Christmas carol…
One of the very first songs that most church kids learn is Jesus Loves Me. Simple. Catchy. Memorizable.
As I’ve been singing this with my children as we sit at the table or drive around town (Atlanta traffic usually offers much time for sitting in the car…still…on the interstate or at traffic lights)…I always get stuck on one line.
“For the Bible tell me so…”
Such a powerful truth of this song that is oft overlooked – and one that we as Christian parents need to teach our children from the beginning.
The Authority and Truthfulness of the Word of God.
If you don’t believe the Word is accurate and truthful and without error in what it says – then why believe it? That is precisely why I hate political ads in our country. You can never believe what is being said. There is no use even trying to figure it out. The good thing with the Bible is you don’t have to figure it out.
God said that the Word is true, living, active, useful for instruction.
The best thing the Bible teaches us is the Gospel. No other way will we know that we need a Savior but by the Word of God. And if we don’t believe what it says than how are we to believe what it says about us, or about Jesus, or about his love for us, His Children?
So, while you have the chance (Deuteronomy 6), please teach your children that God gave us His Word and it can be wholly believed and rested upon as they grow up, walk with Christ, and serve him in anyway He has for them.
by Kimberly | Aug 4, 2014 | The Charming South Kitchen, Uncategorized
Do your weeks ever change on the fly and fly by all that once? Well, ours definitely changes from time to time, depending mainly on my taste buds and my time in the kitchen. So, I’m going to start just posting menus for the week but not really putting days with them unless they go with a specific moment in our week.
This week I have several friends coming to visit. And I’ve totally changed our eating. And we get a raincheck to celebrate the mister. All good things.
Garden Fresh Baked Frittata featured on my favorite AR eggs company’s site.
Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki sauce and grilled zuks
Chicken Casserole with frozen vegetables
Crock Pot Maple Pork Chops (with greens)
Green Smoothie
Salad featuring Red Grapefruit and Avocado – perfect taste of summer
And there you have it. As you can see – pretty grain free. I think its hard to go grain free for breakfast (eggs get boring) and lunch (because I love sandwiches and pizza)! But, its working so far and I feel better!
Banan
by Kimberly | Aug 3, 2014 | Sundays in the South, The Charming South Kitchen
I grew up listening to country music…they always talked about Sundays in the South. I love Atlanta on a Sunday. No one busy going anywhere. Families out enjoying the green space. Church. We love our new church.
Tonight, as we do on every Sunday that we celebrate Lord’s Supper, we have a fellowship time. It was desserts! My husband did great and went through the line for me and the boys and just brought me fruit which I asked him to do. Though I did steal a bite of Sebastian’s Banana Pudding and a bite of Elijah’s rice krispie treat. The watermelon and canteloupe were so good though. Perfect summer fruits!
Enjoy your Sunday. Relax. Love on others. Rest up for the long week ahead! Weekend’s are just too short!
by Kimberly | Jul 30, 2014 | creatives, Uncategorized
Do you ever find someone so delightful that they leave a lasting impression on your soul? Do you ever taste food and enjoy company for what it truly is – an artform and a perk of living in the south? Do you ever watch a storm roll in and hope that it doesn’t rain to ruin in your party and pray that it does just so you get a chance to feel the rain on your face and dance in some puddles?
All of this happened while I was in North Carolina this week and eating dinner with the lovely Maghon Walker of All She Wrote Notes: the totally southern calligraphy gal that loves gold, food, running, and all things celebration.
We ate dinner (my first time) at Top of the Hill which is a staple for any UNC-Chapel Hill grad. Then we stopped by the decadent Sugarland Bakery down the street (which provided our wedding cake) and in between stopped and took some photos of the shimmery Maghon.
Why calligraphy? Because she loves to celebrate. Most of her calligraphy orders are done in order to help someone celebrate? My new motto is intentionally creative – so this was perfect. She is creative – and helps people celebrate.
Celebrations come in many forms: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, promotions, or you could just celebrate the fact that it is Thursday – and you need something to celebrate.
Maghon also directs new creatives (so, anyone, really) to not try to copy others and their work. Be your own and you will be successful. So many out there find a certain style of lettering and copy it and call it their own. In the writing business that is called plagiarism and in same goes for the lettering front. Be your own person – find your own style – be successful at being you!
If you are in the need of anything southern and prettily lettered – contact Maghon and she will be happy to help you.
If you are ever in Chapel Hill – go to Sugarland and Top of the Hill.
If you are ever in a rain storm – dance in the puddles!
I do totally think the phrase suits Maghon to a T. Thanks Averi for showing me your Kenan Hill Print.
by Kimberly | Jul 30, 2014 | Bible, Uncategorized
Most of us, if we are Christians, know that we are to read the Bible – the Word of God. But, so many of us feel intimidated to open the book up so often times it sits on a shelf – even decorated pretty with flowers or other books – and collects dust. Or maybe we just let others study the Bible for us and we are tempted to stay only with a book study with questions already done for us.
There is so much you can get out of studies already written, but I challenge you to dig deeper and study the Bible for yourself. The good thing of being a Christian (among others) is the the Spirit lives inside of us and gives us His guidance when coming to the Bible to read it and gain wisdom, joy, and abundant life.
This blog post isn’t exhaustive, but I hope it is a start to your journey in studying the Bible or yourself. And believe me, when you do this – it will help with your parenting and your marriage relationship and your relationship with friends and neighbors. The Word of God is impactful for every area of life.
Start:
1. I would start with a Bible (I use the ESV Journaling Bible – there are wide margins for you to take notes and there aren’t any notes from other authors – only the Word of God).
2. Other things that would prove helpful to you are pens, pencils, and a notebook.
3. If you are curious to what “experts” say – go to them later. At least first sit down with just a Bible and the Holy Spirit and bathe in the Word for yourself. It is living and active and you can understand it!
4. First things first, take time to read through the Word. Just read it. Most of the smaller books of the Bible can be read in one sitting. Do that. While you are studying a given book of the Bible, I would encourage you to read it often. Get an app on your phone and read it while waiting in line or sitting in the carpool line for your children. You would be amazed at how much you remember when you read it often.
5. Then I would challenge you to write it out. Thats what the journal is first for. Write it – even though you have read it writing it will bring new findings to your mind. Make note of those!
6. Then ask yourself these three questions: (and there are other methods, but these are mine) – which I think are maximized for what you need for growth in The Lord and in the Gospel. What does God say about himself in these verses? What therefore do you learn about yourself in these verses? How do these verses point you to the Gospel.
7. For further study: look at commentaries, read or listen to sermons on that particular book of the Bible, ask questions, look at the rest of Scripture to see what the Word has to say about that passage. But, first – let the Word of God speak for itself! The Holy Spirit will be your Guide
You may be in a book of the Bible for a long period of time – but in time you will learn much about God, yourself, and the Gospel. Let it soak in. He is worth your time!
by Kimberly | Jul 20, 2014 | Uncategorized
Sundays in the South…
Church. Porch Swings. Family. Lemonade. Football. Books and blankets. Flipflops. Sand.
All the good things in life.
If I lived in my dream home – I think this would be my working island (bar) in front of a glorious window to suck up all the sunshine and see the blue sky or enjoy a good stormy day.
I love lemonade – but I want to cut the sweetness of it. Maybe this one would hit the spot.
Since I’m in the gym these days working on my shoulders – I think this dress in its glorious purple hue might just be a good motivation!
Sundays definitely mean football, but football is also played on Saturday – and I love the Gators.
Church: more than hats and gloves and cool jeans and loud concerts or short preaching. More about community and the Gospel. Build a culture of community (living the gospel) in your church and home.
by Kimberly | Jul 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
Big announcement: Prayers for the Journey: Ephesians edition is finally on Kindle! That’s right – I have a self-published book on Amazon!!!
Here is a review of it on the CBMW site via my friend Courtney Reissig
If you haven’t heard of Prayers for the Journey – it is a kindle book devotional with journaling pages that literally walks through specific verses in Ephesians (or other books of the Bible) and helps wives know how to pray the word for their husbands. I’ve been writing these since I got married, but have been learning about praying for my husband for two decades.
There are so many people to thank:
My parents and in-laws : thank you for always being an encouragement and my greatest fans
My Mister: thank you for being one who sanctifies me and prays for me – and also my first editor
Amy Torcasso: My designer – who also did the work on Treasuring Christ when I was writing it – but now we stay in touch through this! Super talented and selfless
Sarah Popovczak: My editor for this edition of the Prayers for the Journey – she’s about to be a mom too!
Amelia McNeilly: A great publicist and encourager and the one who got this worked out for Kindle
Phyllis Robshaw: Amazing mentor and the one who lives out this act of praying for her husband and family and me – by praying the Word.
My Little Misters: Dudes that will make amazing husbands one day – and I’m already praying for them as they will be husbands to precious wives.
Margo Bowen: a mom of many and grandmom to many and a wife to one. Thank you for loving my Mister as a son and for writing the introduction to this edition.
Future Editions: Nehemiah is available now on the blog for free. Colossians is being typed up now and getting ready to be sent to my editor before she has her baby. James is being written and prayed. 1 Peter is the the next one in the works.
Thanks all. Please feel free to get the word out. 2.99 is a great deal and its for your kindle!
by Kimberly | Jul 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
July is gonna be one busy month. And since I’ve buckled down on the healthy eats (cleaner food, healthier food) to get off this baby weight and just weight I’ve put on since being back in Raleigh in 2010 – it may change things up a bit.
The Mister and I were talking in Hilton Head this weekend about how I’d miss eating fun food. Most fun food is not healthy – like massive sweet potato pancakes drizzled with pecan brittle and syrup. Doused with whipped cream – the real stuff. I mean come on. But, he helped me to see that you don’t have to cut out fun food entirely – just limit it and have smaller portions. And make clean healthy food fun too! It sure is pretty!
I also have a friend coming in town who loves to adventure, cook, and take photos as much as I do. And we have a date night this week! 🙂
Monday: A kale quiche with havarti and turkey sausage
Tuesday: Panzanella and Grilled Chicken
Wednesday: Date night!
Thursday: Grilled Peach Pizza m Love and Olive Oil
Friday: Leftovers and random food all wknd since the Mister is at a conference.
Other times: macarons and zucchini muffins
by Kimberly | Jul 8, 2014 | Coffee with...
Love the way that people weave through your life at random times and bring light and sunshine each time they enter.
I first met Mallory when she was in high school when I was chaperoning a ski retreat with a church I used to be on staff with in Florida. She had an eye for celebrating the everyday even then. I love her pursuit of others, her craft, her friends, and her Jesus.
Now, she is in Woodstock for just a brief journey in life before she moves to Australia early next year, and we’ve reconnected – she’s come to our home and eaten at our table, she has given me lots of places to try out for coffee and good eats, and she has shared some of her life with me again.
Let her glimpse through her lens open your world to its love and light.
The above picture is a sweet newborn session with our dear friends Jack and Maizey. Love this photo!
1. How did photography come to have such a grip on your life?
Ever since I was a little girl, I would always take my mom’s camera and take pictures of anything I could. I always loved watching her reaction when all of these random photos came through on her camera, she knew I was discovering a hobby, yet little did I know it would become a passion. I had a friend in high school that would always take photos with me. We would pose, go on adventures with our cameras and play with natural light. Sometimes we would even skip morning classes to catch the perfect early morning haze on the island. I graduated high school in 2009, and that’s the year that I pretty much realized that I was really in-love with the beauty of a photo. My sister’s friends who had families started contacting me wanting me to do photo sessions of them, and then I just kept shooting. Everywhere I would go I would have my camera with me. I started taking my friends at college and around the area on photo adventures and just using them as models to expand my photography portfolio. So here I am- 5 years later, with many clients, and the same ones I started with who have supported me since the very beginning.
2 What would be a dream fulfilled for you and your lens and your soul?
A dream of mine when it comes to my photography would definitely be to use it as a way to record the adventures that life takes me on. When I went on my first mission trip to Haiti a year ago, I absolutely loved the way I was able to communicate with the Haitian kids through the power of a photo. It literally was like they had never seen how beautiful they were before. I would love to travel, and just take photos of different cultures, people and nature.
3. What do you most like to be peering at when holding your camera?
Nature & people. Nature because of the sincerity of it and people because… well, people are just awesome. I absolutely love capturing couples during an engagement session because their love is so powerful it explodes through the photo. I love to put people in nature because it’s like the beauty of trees, flowers, or a sandy beach changes their perspective and gives them a sense of freedom and happiness. Children, also, are amazing to capture. They are so innocent and happy. Eyes, skin, smiles- there is so much beauty in everything!
4. Is there any place you are dying to do a photo shoot?
I don’t think I could pick one exact place to do a lifestyle shoot. There are far too many amazing places in the world I have yet to see. Definitely would want to choose a place that if authentic, unique and natural. From an alley in Paris to a field in Ireland… I really couldn’t pick just one!
5. What are three words that describe your photography?
Beautiful moments captured.
by Kimberly | Jul 8, 2014 | photo shoot
Friends…life is much sweeter with friends. This sweet girl’s momma and I were friends in seminary, I attended her parents’ wedding, and now, all these years later, we are living next door to each other. Sharing life. Sharing celebrations.
This family was in Florida for E. G.’s actual birthday but we are celebrating today by taking her first year portraits.
One of the great aspects I love living in the Atlanta Metro area is the lovely green spaces all over it. Yes, traffic is a mess. But, if you can traverse the traffic jams you get to the beautiful grounds of all these parks. East Cobb park is one of them. Only about 4 miles from us, it is a joyous place for our children to play together.
Here’s to so many more sweet years Elysa – enjoy the new found joys and experiences of toddler-hood!
