by Kimberly | Dec 5, 2013 | Arkansas, food, Uncategorized
We don’t own chickens, nor do I ever plan on it. Might be nice to walk out and get fresh eggs every morning, but I’d rather rely on a company like Great Day Farms eggs – local, natural, gorgeous, and absolutely healthy and delicious! I heard there company at the AR Women’s Bloggers event here a few months ago – and loved their story, their company, and now go to Wal-Mart to buy my eggs! If I’m going to feed my family, especially my young boys, I want them to be the best eggs they can be!
My plans starting out Tuesday was to make a different type of taco for taco Tuesday, but with small children, plans change almost immediately. So, I had delicious eggs in my fridge and opted for a breakfast taco.
What you need:
Great Day Farms eggs – I scramble mine mixed with half and half and pepper, with butter for the pan (gives it more flavor) – and salt the eggs when they are almost done cooking
seasoned cooked black beans (I use garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and some Cuban seasonings)
Rotel
Corn
Sharp cheddar cheese
Flour tortillas
Avocado
salsa
Super yummy, inexpensive, and delicious and healthy!
by Kimberly | Dec 5, 2013 | creatives, Uncategorized
It is no secret that I love the Southeast, the coast, the beach, history, nature, style, great food…so why wouldn’t I love Savannah, GA? Savannah is a town that has everything you need (or can find it within a short distance). My friend, Stefani, is a fabulous young photographer. I got to know Stefani back when I lived in Louisville through my then future boss in Raleigh. Crazy connections. I’ve seen Stefani grow in her photography skills and she is now featured in The Sunshine Mag – a new online magazine. I thought I would feature her on here because I love her creativity, her heart for learning her craft, and would use her anytime to photograph anything!
How did you find your love for photography?
My first camera was a toy camera that used real film, 110 film to be exact. It wasn’t until I was about 14 years old that I picked up my mom’s nice camera and started teaching myself how to use it. It was also about this time that I started to write poetry and journal incessantly. So, ultimately, my love for photography originated from my love for journaling. Photography is really my public journal in picture form. I want the viewer to see what I see when they look at my pictures.
Why Savannah? 
Savannah is such a unique city–a beautiful, historic city off of the Atlantic coast. One of my favorite things about Savannah is the diversity in culture. Between Savannah folk, SCAD students, and the constant flow of tourists there is always a wide range of culture. Sometimes it is seems surreal that I live in such a beautiful place. I love the quaint coffee shops, the historic architecture, the coastal climate, the broad art community, and the people. Savannah is a great place to be an aspiring photographer and I am very thankful to call it home!
How do you incorporate your love for God in your photography?
Ultimately, I want peoples focus to be on God. Even when I capture beauty in creation or something by created man’s hands, I want people to see The Creator and not just the creation. My desire is that my love for God will flow out through my photography.
What are your future dreams?
I would say I have a lot of ideas, but I wouldn’t necessarily call them dreams. Though any future desires I have may be biblical I know that God is the absolute planner of my steps (James 4:13-15). That being said, I would like to finish my bachelor’s degree, while I continue to seek ways to use my photography in missions, ministry or in any other ways that furthers the gospel. Even though my photography feels like the here and now to me, I am pressing forward always trying to improve on the talents God has given me for His glory. I am not necessarily looking at photography as a career, but a way to serve the Lord.
What is one piece of advice for others who want to be creative with their camera?
I think it is essential to know and learn how to use your camera. Seek out quality classes in your community, get to know photographers, and most importantly, practice. If possible, switch to the manual setting and take time to learn it, the more practice the easier it will be to get the picture you want.
by Kimberly | Dec 5, 2013 | Uncategorized
Do you believe God? Not – do you believe in God, but do you believe God?
So many people (but not enough) believe in God, especially here in the Bible Belt. But, how many of us live our lives every day as if we really do believe God.
We read of this belief in the Christmas narration in Luke’s gospel.
Zechariah, the husband of Elizabeth who was barren but now was going to the mom of John the Baptist, declared the God’s redemption plan had happened. That’s right…past tense…and he hadn’t even met Jesus yet. This was 33 plus years before the cross. How was this man so confident in the redemption work of God?
Because God had ALREADY DONE great things for him. God had given him a son. Not just any son either. Sons were big deals in the time of the Bible.
So, what do we as post-cross Christians need for us to believe God? I’m not talking about saving faith – which actually only comes as a gift from God (Eph 2), but living, active, everyday faith.
1. We need to know the Bible. For us to know the God of the Bible, and to take Him at His Word, we need to know His Word. How can you claim what God has said He will do for you if you don’t know what He said? He has already told us what He will do for us.
2. We need to reject doubt. Doubt is sin. We doubt because we don’t trust. We don’t trust because we allow the cares of this world to crowd out the truths that God has already given us.
Look at all that God has already done for you. Hasn’t He come through? Hasn’t He been good to you? Do you really think He is going to stop now? You can look at the ways God has worked in your life in the past and believe Him for what He will surely do in the future. Your future.
What do you want God to do for you, in you, through you? Has God already said He will do it? If so, then you can count on Him to do exactly what He has said.
Take Him at His Word. Hebrews 11.6 lived out!
by Kimberly | Dec 4, 2013 | food
Real Food. We are trying to eat more of it. And what I love about it is you can find so many beautiful colors in the nature that God created. pomegranates are very beautiful and perfect for the Christmas season
Carrot Raisin Pom Salad
(4-6 servings)
2 1/4 fresh grated carrots (carrots are so much sweeter than the baby carrots)
1/2 cup pom arils
1 honeycrisp apple, diced
1/4 raisins
1/3 craisins
2 T raw honey
2 T raw milk yogurt
Mix all together – serve chilled.
by Kimberly | Dec 4, 2013 | Uncategorized
Peanuts Christmas.
Linus. He’s so cute.
Our son looks like Charlie Brown. with limited hair growth yet.
Reminder that Christmas is about 1 thing and one thing only!
Jesus.
Immanuel.
God made flesh.
by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | Uncategorized
Tuesdays. Tuesdays aren’t very special. Tuesdays aren’t Mondays that get a bad wrap for being the beginning of the work week. Tuesdays aren’t Wednesdays to be known as hump day. Tuesdays aren’t Friday Saturday or Sunday so it can’t be called the weekend.
But, Tuesdays, especially this Tuesday in particular, is good for friends. I drove out to see a friend and spend the day with her and her daughter. As you can see by this picture, we didn’t bring my son’s pacifier so he had to borrow one of her pink ones for him to take a nap. He then managed to hit his head on the coffee table. He wore a pink bib for lunch. He slept in a pink pac and play. I cooked black beans over there that we used for dinner tonight on our breakfast tacos.
We talked about church, kids, hardships for friends, goals for 2014, marriage, running, trips, anniversaries, eating out, etc. We played with our kids. We ate a delicious lunch. I snacked on some Christmas crack (not diet friendly).
It was good just to chill, be real, and sit in a living room other than my own with a friend whom I’ve come to love and just be.
Sit.
Talk.
Eat.
Love.
Play.
(This is linked with Emily Freeman’s Chatting at the Sky Tuesdays Unwrapped for December)
(And I usually don’t let my son have a pink paci – so I can’t believe I’m even posting this!)
by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | parenting
Thought I would tell you the story of how Sebastian came into the world!
I knew he had to be born on a Sunday because I’d already been to L&D twice before and both times were on a Sunday. A little difficult when your husband is a worship pastor. One time was for bladder contractions (due to infection). The other time was because the flu had sent me into labor – but I only progressed to 3cm so they sent me home.
There were only two dates that I told Mister that S couldn’t be born: our anniversary (the 8th) and the night he was gone to Elders retreat (the 11th). Well, we were still able to keep our date to Big Orange (a local burger and salad joint). Although we were both sick all week, it was good to get out of the house. Saturday (after the elder’s retreat), Mister got back about 4pm.
We decided to go take Elijah to Two Rivers for a walk – getting out of the house was a good thing. I was having constant Braxton Hicks and my feet were massively swollen that day (worse than they had been the whole pregnancy). I was telling people as they text that I think this little boy was in there for the long haul because he still hadn’t really dropped and was kicking me all the time.
We got home and had leftovers from a big meal (meatloaf and all the fixings) and put Eli to bed. Sat down on the couch, blogging, reading, playing games. I started contracting about 845 but didn’t tell E because I didn’t want to stress him out on a Saturday night (even though he had a guy ready to go for Sunday morning to lead worship). So, I started researching pressure points in your feet (because I wanted Mister to massage them). So, he happily obliged. One of the last ones I read said it was a sure-fire way to go into labor. Ha, yeah right. He pressed both my pinky toes and held them for a minute, I felt something pop but it didn’t hurt so I didn’t say anything.
We decided to go onto bed, and didn’t think another thing of it – till I stood up….I told Mister to get a towel, I think my water just broke.
Got on the text to a sweet couple here in town that was on Elijah duty if I happened to go into labor at night. Also, I got on the phone with my OBGyn’s wife and good friend to ask her if this was really my water breaking (forebag – long story – just a crack, didn’t really burst until after my epidural). Finally, after there was blood in the water I was dripping (TMI, sorry), we decided to get to the hospital. Elijah was in great hands and we knew it was time.
Started with stadol (sp?) as my pain killer. Nothing really was happening. By then I was only at 5cm and it was about 5am. So we decided to get the epidural. That’s when we found out my water sac was still pretty much intact – it had just been leaking, sorta. So, when the epidural kicked in my water broke, I went to 9 cm in no time, and with 6 sets of pushes Sebastian was in my arms. 830am.
I had a great doctor who was a Gator grad – even though I didn’t know, she was kind and knowledgeable.
I had my husband holding my hand the entire time.
I had a sweet lady photographing the entire thing for me – I will treasure those photos.
I had two sweet women holding my hair, holding my baby (afterwards), and taking care of my husband with food and company.
I did get to pull Sebastian out – just like I did Elijah. This delivery was much easier than Elijah’s was and for that I’m grateful.
Thanking God for the birth of our son: Sebastian Robshaw Campbell. The best thing for our family in 2013!
by Kimberly | Dec 3, 2013 | Books
Parties. Christmas events. Shopping. Mailing packages. Standing in lines. Cooking goodies. Wrapping Presents.
Christmas is so busy.
Love what Kevin DeYoung says: (Crazy Busy, pg 54-55)
(Jesus) was busy, but never in a way that made him frantic, anxious, proud, envious, or distracted by lesser things. Jesus knew the difference between urgent and important. He understood that all the good things he could do were not necessarily the things he ought to do.
by Kimberly | Dec 2, 2013 | food
Thanksgiving is over. I still have some cranberry sauce and green bean casserole in my fridge, but now I can say the turkey has been put to good use. I cooked a turkey breast in the crockpot since there were only 4 of us (and 2 children) for Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted something simple that wouldn’t give me week’s worth of leftovers (and I have no room in my freezer).
I looked at this soup and decided to change it up somewhat, and came up with this: a simple, healthy soup.
Turkey and Vegetable Soup
(serves 4-6)
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
garlic (to your liking)
3 cups homemade turkey stock (I just boiled my turkey carcass with 12 cups of water, carrots, and seasonings for 2 hours on medium).
1 1/2 cup chopped turkey
1 cup frozen corn
1 can diced green chilis (small can)
cumin
chili powder
salt
pepper
cheese or salsa for topping
Heat a stock pot on medium and cook vegetables in evoo for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and green chilis, cook another minute. Add in stock and corn and seasonings. Finally add in turkey and bring to a simmer until heated through. Enjoy with cheese (I liked sharp cheddar on mine with a side of sourdough bread toasted with some unsalted butter on it).
by Kimberly | Dec 2, 2013 | Books, Kids r Readers 2, parenting
We aren’t farmers. I’d love to have an herb garden, but there isn’t enough time in the day. Maybe later!
But, this book is on our sons’ bookshelf. Given to us by a friend, The Carrot Seed is about a little boy who waits patiently, despite much discouragement, for his carrot seed to bloom.
A very simple book but one that can teach many traits to your children:
1. Perseverance. The main character, a child, waits for this carrot seed to sprout. His parents and sibling are not very positive that it will, but he watches every day and never gives up. Our children will need to learn perseverance. We can help our children learn it, but it is also a fruit of the Spirit. Long-suffering. Bearing up under the pressure when the going gets tough.
2. Patience. I have already said this many times to my older son: “Patience is waiting for what you want with a happy heart.” The child in the story has to wait a long time for his carrot to come up. Your children may even think that a week until vacation is a long time, or sitting in timeout is a long time. Carrot growing takes longer. If children learn patience early on (also another Fruit of the Spirit) it will go well with them.
3. Faith. This little boy never gave up on his carrot. He believed that it would sprout. Faith is important for children to have. Not only faith that the sun will come up, his parents will protect him, or that the chair will hold him up when he sits upon it, but more importantly – faith in God. But, what is harder to teach your children is that faith is a gift from God. They can’t muster faith in God. They can’t be saved on their own. Grace and faith both come from God – they are both gifts. God allows us to grow our faith (and help nurture our children’s faith) by reading the Word of God.
Verses:
Ephesians 2:8-10
Galatians 5:22-23
Romans 10.17
