Wednesday's Printable Words: Mini Advent

Hi there. I made a mini advent printable here for you to have & to share. 

The purpose of Advent is to bring our minds & hearts back to the real reason we celebrate Christmas. This time of year can get so busy & stressful. I designed the printable to have something to read and share with your family each Sunday and then on Christmas Eve & Christmas. 

I hope this Advent Season brings you into closer communion with the Lord. I took these verses from an Advent devotional that I picked up last year by Robert V. Dodd, who is a United Methodist minister.  Here are 2 devotionals that I recommend during the Advent Season:

1. Advent: A Calendar of Devotions 2012 by Robert V. Dodd (.75 + shipping)

2. Celebrating Christmas with Jesus by Max Lucado ($2.29 + shipping)

I am sure there are others out there that are great too, but these are the ones I've chosen to share with my family. Of course, the devotional books have a scripture verse and a reflection/story to read each day. The ones I created above are meant to have a visual. Pin them on your cork board or put them on your fridge. You could even incorporate it with an Elf on the Shelf, if your family has one. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them!

FREE PRINTABLE!

How to Print:

1. Right click

2. Save image as

3. Save in a folder you can easily locate

4. Print in color as a 8x10 {I use heavy white cardstock}

5. Cut out the circles

6. Display them each Sunday, then on Christmas Eve & Christmas

7. Enjoy!

Wednesday's Printable Words: Recipe

Hey there! I am busy in the kitchen today prepping some side dishes and desserts for Thanksgiving Day. I have such fond memories of the Holidays as I was growing up. Mom would bake the best goodies. Now that I have my own family it has taken a little bit to evenly mix traditions from both sides of our families. I want to make celebrating the Holidays memorable for our boys.
I love sweet potato biscuits and want to share this recipe with you. I have tweaked a couple of recipes together to make it my own. These biscuits are best when fresh out of the oven and are SO tasty with some Honey Butter (I use Country Crock) or Pumpkin Spice Butter.
Enjoy! I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday Huesday: Fall Bowl

Happy Tuesday Huesday! I hope you find this fall bowl color pallet inspiring. I made this bowl when I was studying Fine Arts in college. Throwing pottery is so much fun. The glaze colors in the ceramic department were all very earthy, so I think this goes right along with the time of year. I am so thankful for the colors that peak during the fall. This is my favorite time of year. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Motivation for Monday: There is no stopping time

This weekend was cold & overcast here on the Inner Banks. The boys, despite the cold, wanted to go play outside. Friday & Saturday were work free days for me as I was all caught up with photography. I was so thankful for this time. Being able to have time to take pictures of my own boys is a blessing. Julian is 5 and John is 2. I know that when they are teenagers I will be thinking back to this time. I know this because I'm a "Sentimental Sally". My grandma often tells me, "Karrie, enjoy this time. Soak it all up." Probably because she knows first hand. And a song comes to mind, Go listen here. 

BLINK (song by Revive)

Teach me to number my days

And Count every moment 

Before it slips away

Take in the colors

Before they fade to grey

I don't want to miss

Even just a second

More of this

Hope you enjoy the music video. Go love on your babies. Have a blessed Monday!

Tuesday Huesday: Cotton

This field was the last cotton field in my area to be picked. I was shooting a senior session. We were driving down the down with the Senior's grandmother and I said, "Hey! Let's shoot the cotton field!" I'm so glad I did. How amazing is it that these little cotton balls end up being clothing, blankets, and the like. I am amazed at God's creation. Enjoy!

Wednesday's Printable Words: Hospitality

FREE PRINTABLE!

How to Print:

1. Right click

2. Save image as

3. Save in a folder you can easily locate

4. Print in color as a 8x10 {I use heavy white cardstock}

5. Frame it

6. Display

7. Enjoy

Tuesday Huesday + Harvest

Corn Color bar. Fall. Harvest. Autumn. I love this time of year. This season makes me happy :)

Motivation for Monday: Every Action

This shot above was taken by my second shooter, Sonia at an October wedding. Sonia has been my super star assistant for 3 weddings this year. I am grateful for her creative eye and attention to detail. You're a blessing to me, Sonia.

Family, friendships, acquaintances, and strangers. The types of people in my life and your life. I've been reading Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way of Love. It came to my doorstep a few short weeks ago from my sweet sister in law. I have been reading it like I would eat a box of chocolates, one sweet morsel at a time. What a perfect time to read this book, too. We are now in the month of November; the month of Thanksgiving. The idea in this book is simply showing love to those you love, to those you like, dislike, and even those who are strangers. So now you probably want to know who Benedict is. Well, he was a 6th century monk who developed principles for living so that he and the others monks he was living with could grow in Christian spirit together.

Did you know that the simplest form of hospitality is a smile? A smile is welcoming; it extends a kindness without words. Proverbs says that a cheerful look brings joy to the heart (Prov 15:30). What does a smile cost me...nothing and yet it is giving. Hospitality is showing love. Benedict knew that love would only come through practice and effort. It can be exhausting to practice love. Really. I mean, it can't be something fake. It's got to be 100% pure love. Where does love come from? God. Oh my gosh! Do you know what song comes to mind as I write this...Empty Me by Chris Sligh. OH! What a good song.

Our Lord, Jesus smiled upon thousands when He walked the earth. He loved the poor, the sick, the hungry, the outcast. He healed, he hugged, he prayed, he washed feet, he preached, he discipled hearts. He gave all He had for the sake of God and His Kingdom. He gave His life. The very least I can do is smile at a stranger. Lord, empty me of me so that I can be filled with You.