Motivation for Monday: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! As we head into 2013, we are bombarded with messages about resolutions. Whether you choose to resolve or not, you may have some goals that you want to accomplish this year. If not, maybe these FREE printables will help you. Your goals can be lofty or small. Either way, write down your goal and place it on a cork board, in a jar, or in a notebook. Go back and date it when you've accomplished that goal. I've also attached a FREE printable page of Bible Verses. These verses are meant to help you and encourage you. Rejoice when you accomplish your goal! When and/or if  it takes longer than expected to accomplish a desired goal, DO NOT beat yourself up! Grace is often the hardest thing to give others and ourselves, but God gives it freely (II Corinthians 12:9).

Below, you will find some Scripture to encourage you. I believe that when you apply God's Word to your everyday life you feel closer to Him. His love & wisdom are more readily available in your mind when you freshen up your thoughts and your heart with Scripture. It is so important to me that you know God loves you. He is for you and not against you. He is always with you and will never leave you. The world's lies are numerous. So many don't know any better than to believe the world. The only thing that can replace those worldly lies is God's Truth. I hope you find these verses helpful, insightful, and encouraging. 

FREE Printable:

1. right click

2. save as

3. save to an easily located file folder

4. print to fit (8x10)

5. enjoy!

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!

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.

Motivation for Monday: Halloween Bag Tags

Happy Halloween! I love to share. It's my turn to bring kiddie snacks for Bible Study on Thursday. I created these with digital papers and elements from Sassy Designs Inc.

FREE Halloween Bag Tags!

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 Halloween Bag Tags

6. Fold tags in half & staple to a bag of googies

7. Share it & Trick or Treat!

Motivation for Monday: The Heart

WARNING: I AM GOING TO SHARE RAW EMOTIONS HERE!

It seems commonplace for a young woman or a young man to struggle with issues of self-confidence and self-worth. Outward appearances especially are judged by strangers, peers and figures of authority alike. 

I can remember when 90210 was a popular show to watch. I was an avid viewer. My favorite couple on the evening sitcom was Brenda & Dylan. I wanted so much to look like Brenda that I brought the People magazine cover shot of Shannen Doherty to my hairdresser's to give her a visual of the haircut I wanted. My hairdresser in South Florida was awesome and my Shannen Doherty hair came out just like I'd hoped. I am so attuned to this Entertainment Babylon that I still am inclined to bring a picture of a female celebrity to my hairdresser's as a visual directive. I don't know whether that's normal or pathetic. Ha!

Once upon a time, I was 26, and was involved in a Bible Study. It was the first Bible Study that I chose to participate in without any outward influences. I had been married for a year. I had gained a bit of weight and was unhappy with the way I looked. I suffered from Panic Attacks, Separation Anxiety, and depression all at once. I was also in the midst of finishing up my B.A. degree. Life seemed so overwhelming to me. A friend of mine shared a book with me called You Are Not What You Weigh. While reading this book I came across the Bible verse above. This verse in I Samuel freed me of some of binding chains. To know that my Creator, my Heavenly Father thought more of me than I did. I have the eye of my Savior. He thought I was worth saving. The Lord cared about where my heart was, NOT what the numbers said on the scale and certainly NOT what my thought process was when I looked in the mirror. I read this verse over and over and over. Then I started, very slowly, believing Him at His Word. The Panic Attacks, the Separation Anxiety, the depression did not go away over night, but it did eventually go away.

 

I had to bring it home. I had to lay my insecurities down and make them known to God so that He could guide my thoughts in a more healthy way. Don't get me wrong, I haven't turned off E! News or stopped pinning my favorite artists/celebrities. Reality TV, like The Voice and Dancing With The Stars, are my favorite shows to watch. Now that I know where my worth is I can still take in the culture stuff without it damaging my self-confidence. It took a long time for me to get to this place. Like I said, it didn't happen over night. I look at it this way, God is an artist and He creates beautiful people & beautiful things. I get to photograph some of those beautiful people & beautiful things. I am so thankful for beauty because it is lovely to behold. I am also very thankful that the Lord finds my true worth and beauty in my heart. The heart is what really matters. If this brings you anything, my prayer is that it brings you some assurance & hope...

It's Art! It's FREE!

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. Enjoy...

7. Remember the promise.

Motivation for Monday: Pinterest Fail!

Did you get my mixed message there in the title. The word motivation and fail in the same word sequence. Well, it happens right? You try something and it doesn't work. If you frequent Pinterest like I do, then you probably have all your boards categorized into groups. I'll say that you can tell a lot about a person by visiting their Pinterest boards. Anyway, let me continue before I lose my train of thought.
I have a board for Homeschooling and a board for Boys Boys Boys and then another for Books for Kids. All in the name of love. I want to be a good mom. I want to put a positive and lasting impression on my boys about learning. Learning should be fun. At least that's the perspective I hope my boys will have toward learning. I was pinning the other day and saw this REALLY cool idea for upcycling an oatmeal container into a planetarium. The boys had just received a book from a family friend called Seeing Stars about the constellations. So I thought I would actually give one of my "pins" a try. Take a look at the results.

As you can see it makes a design on the ceiling in the dark, but the pattern of the constellation is not very clear. I don't know if I did it correctly or not. Maybe it has something to do with the brightness of my flashlight, or that my container top is clear-ish and the example from the pin had a black container top. I don't know...so you're probably wondering what is so motivating about this failure. Simply put; I tried. I'm proud of my effort. The boys are pretty happy that they have this container thingy to attach their flashlight to. Even though the result wasn't successful, I tried it. And it makes me want to try something else. 

Be encouraged Fellow Pinners. If you have tried making a pinterest recipe or created a pinterest craft I want to hear about it. Successful or not. Comment to share your pinning story.

Hope your Monday is a Happy one!

Motivation for Monday: {Carrie} Guest Blogger

Meet Carrie! She is the Children's Pastor at our church. She is such a sweet person. Carrie's love for children is so evident when you talk with her. She does an amazing job with the children's program at church. I have asked Carrie to be a guest blogger for Motivation for Monday. Scroll down to see what she has written...

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." -Jeremiah 1:5a

We forget that we are important sometimes. We think how can God have time for me when there are so many other people in the world. Storms are hitting places, children are dying because they don't have food, women are even being sold, why would God have time for my problems? It is wonderful to know that before we were even born God not only knew us, but set us apart to live the life we have for him. He promises us he will never leave us. We will go through things in life we don't understand, but we must remember that we are His children and he loves us like not other!

Motivation for Monday: Meet My Beau

I am honored to be the first ever guest blogger for Karrie Drake Photography! I am extremely proud of my wife for successfully juggling 3 jobs all at once as a Wife, Mother, and a business owner!  She asked me to write the Motivation for Monday I assume because of my profession being that of a football coach, it should be a natural fit for me to say something inspiring right? Well one thing I have learned in life is that sometimes we who inspire, also need inspiring! Those who lift others up also need lifting up too!  Just yesterday I was feeling very drained and worried about various things in life.  However last night I learned something from watching the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.  (Yes for those of you who do not know me I am a football fanatic and can't get enough of it even though I do it for a living.  I mean how many Doctors watch Grey's Anatomy or I wonder if lawyers watch reruns of Law and Order?)  Anyway all the players being inducted had one thing in common throughout their speeches.  Each of them had at least one or several people in their lives who inspired them, who transformed their lives, gave them hope, or blessed them with encouragement.  It allowed me to realize that often our greatest work of inspiring others is during routine encounters, which we make a positive comment/compliment,  encourage someone who is down, or just give a smile or hug to someone needing it.  People remember those things and it takes such little effort to give those types of blessings to others who are hurting.  Watching this I realized that while I may never go into any Halls of Fame myself, and though I may never attain the dream of coaching my beloved Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl, I do have the ability to impact lives everyday while I am on this earth.  And it would be a shame and a waste of talent to not live everyday trying to inspire, encourage, and bless others!   William Shakespear once said "the pen is mightier than the sword."  Well I would have to disagree a little, cause I believe the tongue is mightier than the pen or the sword, as spoken words can heal or cut leaving a lasting impression to all those who receive them! Therefore I challenge everyone this week to make an effort to bless, inspire, and encourage at least one other person. You never know what kind of greatness will sprout from it! 

Motivation for Monday: Everything

{The above image was taken in Edenton, NC}

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:13 {NIV, emphasis mine}

I don't know what you are going through, but everyone is going through something. It may be the loss of a loved one, the inability to let go, a break-up, the loss of a job, having difficulty making ends meet, struggling with a habitual sin, or lacking the energy to finish something that needs to get done. Whatever it is, you are not alone. Your issues, your problems, your inadequacies, are all important and they matter to the One who breathed life into you. Your issues, He will resolve them. Your problems, He has a solution for them. Your inadequacies, He will fill the void. 

God has a plan. The Bible is filled with His promises. We have the power to remember them and to claim them over our lives and over the lives of our loved ones. He is able to equip you with everything you need for this life on earth. You can do EVERYTHING through Christ who gives you strength. Everything is everything, not some things, not the easy things...everything! Believe it :) 

Have a blessed Monday!

Motivation for Monday: Church

Isaiah 54:13 - All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace.


We moved here a year ago. Some transitions were easier than others. Beau & I both agreed that finding a church home would be our first priority. We visited 6 or so churches. Researching online and listing the local churches was something we'd do during the week in the summer of 2011 when we weren't unpacking boxes. God has blessed us with some amazing church homes in our past that we were confident to find one here. 


One of the last churches we visited was Open Door Church in Edenton. I instantly loved it. As we walked up with our boys I could hear the praise & worship music coming from the sanctuary. I'm a singin' fool. I love to clap my hands and sway to the music. Music is important to me. The people who greeted us at the door and showed us to the children's ministry were very welcoming. When you're new feeling welcome in an unfamiliar place puts you at ease. We were also very impressed with the children's program, which was another important factor in choosing a church. Julian comes home with graphing calendar for the week. One side has a Bible story and verse references and the other side is where the parents write down the date and verse they read to their child during the week. The children's ministry at Open Door encourages parents to read the Bible to their children during the week. I really loved this idea. What a great way to keep parents accountable. All in all, we really enjoy attending Open Door Church. We consider it our church home. It is so worth the 30 minute drive. 


When I was pregnant with both boys I prayed that the Lord would capture their hearts at an early age. Julian recites Bible verses and John sings "Jesus Loves Me". I know God is answering my prayers. This verse in Isaiah really spoke to me this morning. It's promise reassured me that the Lord is indeed capturing their hearts. I am so thankful for this. If I do anything right as a parent it'll be that I introduced my children to the God who created them and told them about the One who saves. This brings me peace. 

Motivation for Monday: A Female Tangent

Balance. Balance. Balance. Sometimes I wonder if it even exists. I've heard and read of so many woman/mother/homemaker-gurus who claim to know the recipe for balance in a busy woman's life. I have yet to hear or read about the recipe that suits me and my life. 

---Beware: I'm going to talk frankly with you in this post.---

These woman/mother/homemaker-gurus know and write about what they have experienced in their life, which I think is all well and good. Thanks for sharing. But let me share something with you, cleaning my kitchen sink doesn't give me the motivation to clean the rest of my house. It just doesn't. I clean my kitchen sink because I have to. I clean the rest of my house because I feel like it is my job to ensure that my husband & children live in a clean sanitary home. Usually, I clean my house twice a month. Another shocker is that I don't do all my cleaning in one day. I do it in 2 or 3 days. I like to pace myself :) That may seem gross to some, or it may seem like too much for some. Either way, I do it because that is what works for me and my household. I so loathe to clean. Oftentimes I kick my boys out of the house so that I can just do it and get it over with. (I may be speaking to some of you and some of you may think I'm crazy. That's alright with me.) I clean much faster and efficiently if I'm cleaning to music...loud music. You're probably wondering to yourself, "Karrie, what are you talking about?...and what it is, please get to the point."
I'm getting there, my friend.
Some women enjoy cleaning. More power to you, girls! I like enjoying my house after it's clean. Some women enjoy doing the laundry. I enjoy when the laundry is folded and put away. I enjoy when the chores have been checked off all the way down the list. That rarely happens though, and I mean RARELY. When I check off one chore most of the time I'm adding two more to the list. That's just how it goes sometimes. I'm not at peace with it, but it's reality.
What irks me a little bit is when I sit down and talk to some of my friends about balance in the home and I instantly get something like, "Oh, you should go to so-and-so's website. They have such good advice about balance in the home. It all starts with a clean kitchen sink." (insert rolling eyes here.) Really? Wow. How many hours would I have saved worrying about the balance in my home had I known that it all started with a clean kitchen sink. Dang!
The fact is, every woman has a lot of "stuff" on her plate. The plate consists of work, chores, intimacy with husband, quiet time with God, exercise, lunch with friends, doctor visits, grocery shopping, laundry, and the list goes on...
Not everyone's ratios look the same. I give so much credit to the woman who has to do it all by herself because she is either a single parent or her helpmate has a demanding job. My heart goes out to the woman who has no choice but to work a 40 hour week to help her husband pay bills and put food on the table and then has all the "stuff" I mentioned on her plate on top of that and then some.

---Newsflash: There is no perfect formula.--- 

No one person outside of your home, Super Nanny included, has the answers for you. No one lives your life, except for you. The one thing I can honestly say that has worked for me is this, God knows you. He knows your thoughts, your "to-do list", and what's important to you. Ask him to help you prioritize the list. Some weeks, months will look different. It may be random, it may be organized, it may formulated. It won't look just like Mrs. Jones' list. It's not going to look like the balance your mommy group leader seems to have. It'll be yours though. Just yours. There's peace and sanity in that, I think. I encourage you not to stress about your to-do list or to worry about the balance of your home. I also encourage you not to compare yourself to the woman who seems to have it all together. You're not in a contest with her. Be true to yourself. Be honest with yourself. Do what you are able to do today and leave the rest for tomorrow.

**Side note: I am convinced that the only reason my sweet husband endures the ranting about my distaste for cleaning is because he knows I'll make a nice dinner. 


Cleaning Day 1:
1. clean & disinfect laundry room, kitchen, dining room, and living room
2. break for lunch
3. clean 2 bathrooms
4. take a shower
5. light scented candles
6. make dinner
7. store left-overs and do dishes



Cleaning Day 2:
1. laundry
2. clean, dust, disinfect 3 bedrooms
3. laundry
4. break for lunch
5. finish laundry
6. make dinner
7. store left-overs and do dishes

White Chicken Chili (served with sweet corn muffins)

Ingredients:

1. McCormick's White Chicken Chili seasoning packet

2. 1 lb. cooked boneless chicken breast

3. 1 cup of water

4. 1 can of pinto beans

5. 1 can of kernel corn (drained)

6. a dollop of sour cream

7. diced ripened avocado

8. sprinkled cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. combine ingredients 1-5 and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. scoop a helping into a bowl

3. add ingredients 6-8 for extra flavor.

4. serve with Martha White's sweet corn muffin (one pouch makes 6 muffins)  

Enjoy!

Motivation for Monday: Your Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2b ~ "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: ...a time to plant and a time to uproot."




Farmers work hard. I had no idea how hard until I moved here. There are so many factors that go into growing a good crop. A farmer knows when to plant certain seeds and approximately when he will be able to harvest his crop. There is an order of things. God created this order. The right seed has be planted in the right season. We can purchase apples through out the year, but apples are always best in the fall. It would rather silly for us to light a pumpkin lantern in the spring. Why? Well, the spring is when you plant the pumpkin seeds so that you can harvest your pumpkins in the fall. 
Consider that you are a seed and that God is our Farmer. If He created you to be a pumpkin, a lantern of Jesus' light for the world, then you're season is not the spring. It's the fall. If He created you to be a poinsettia, a festive plant to bring cheer during the dead of winter, then your season is winter, not spring. Our Farmer knows when to till the land to prepare for your time of harvest. He knows that the irrigation of God's Word and the Sun light of Jesus are going to help in our growth. God, our Farmer, created you for a purpose. Don't try to rush it. Your season is coming. Have a blessed Monday!

Motivation for Monday: Real Life

Hello and Happy Monday! I was going to post about the gorgeous purple sage in my backyard and drop a picture of the sage in the sunset that I shot last night. I awoke this morning thinking about it and I strongly felt in my heart that God wanted me to be real with you this morning. 

 Before turning on my computer this morning I made chocolate chip muffins for my boys. They love muffins. As I sat them down to eat their muffins I took a look around at my dining space. This is what my dining room looks like 98% of the time. Sunday's coupons from the newspaper sit on the table collecting dust throughout the week until I make the time to cut them. I have miscellaneous items sitting at the end of the table. This week it's a small box, a book, a dvd, my cosmetic bag that I usually keep in my purse, a few press printed cards for an upcoming promo, my camera manual, and my new white balance lens caps that haven't made their way out of the packaging yet. Then there's more clutter on the floor. I get the idea in my head that I want to start something and it takes FOREVER for me to finish it. The scrapbooking, stamps, and other crafty things have been sitting on the floor of my dining room for about 2 weeks. Their rightful place is on a wire shelving rack in the garage. I'll make time to put them back when I conjure up the energy to clean the house. I've got my 2 camera bags resting in the chair at the end of the table because no one sits there anyway. I can easily tuck them under the table if anyone decides to pop by for a visit. I'm not too worried about that though because no one ever does just pop by. There's the other 2%, by the way. The percentage of time that my dining room doesn't look like this is when I clean my house, organize, and declutter. 

Am I complaining? No, not really. This is just our normal. I have had to rest in God's peace about the mess my house stays in most of the time. I am "type A", very particular, and a perfectionist. My dining room doesn't reflect those characteristics at all; I know. My husband has taught me to relax, rest, and not worry about such meaningless things. Beau often shares his godly revelations with me. This is what he shared:

"What really matters in life is not what job you had or how much money you made. What really matters are the relationships that you had while on earth. All the other stuff won't be remembered." It's true. I don't even remember whether my great-grandmother ever had a job or even what she did if she had one. I do remember that she loved to ask me questions and she liked to watch me and my siblings play on the floor when we visited. She used to make these amazing knitted and crocheted creations. She would let us pick what we liked to take them home. I especially liked the knitted slippers she made. I wish I still had some that fit my feet. 

This got me thinking about what my kids would remember about me. Whatever they remember, I want the memories to be good ones. Not that I had a clean & organized house, but that I let them play and make a mess without hovering over them with a grimace on my face. Not that I worked on my computer for 3 hours in the morning, but that I stopped what I was doing no matter how "important" to care for them. Not that I stood up all the time, but that I got down on their level to talk with them and to play and to read to them. This will be my meditation today, that the Lord would be so gracious to bless us with time and to allow us not to dwell on faults & imperfections. To have a thankful heart and fill our minds with good remembrances. 

Motivation for Monday: Memories

This weekend has been fun-filled and packed with outings. One of our outings was to the Sylvan Bird Sanctuary in Scotland Neck, NC. We met some friends of ours and their sweet children to enjoy the bird park and have a picnic lunch. The day was sunny and gorgeous. We were supplied with a scavenger hunt on our way in. It was cool for the kids to find and identify some of the birds we observed. Within the bird park, there were separate entrances to see the birds in their habitat up close. On one of the pathways we found this little duck that had escaped. Julian & John instantly spotted him and began to follow him. Watching our little ones follow the duck, Beau chants, "waddle, waddle, quack, quack". This chant took me back to my childhood. I can remember visiting my grandparents near Sebastian Beach, FL. They had a little vacation spot near the beach. Their development had a swimming pool. My siblings & I loved to visit. It was part of our summer vacation. We usually visited around the 4th of July. We would swim until our feet and fingers were pruned. On our way back to the house from the pool my grandmother would chant, "waddle, waddle, quack, quack!" as she walked behind us. Our wet feet rubbed against our rubber flip-flops as we walked. It made a squeaking sound that resembled a quacking duck. I can remember like it was yesterday. Great memories. Today, I am thankful for my childhood memories and for the memories that I am making with my children. Thank you, Lord!

Philemon 1:4 ~ "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,"

Motivation for Monday: Learning & Deep Thinking

I'm always learning something. I love to learn! Being a student requires me to sit quietly, listen, and digest what I am being taught. Spiritually speaking, it's being in  a constant state of humility. Don't get me wrong though, it's not easy. Far from easy. My pride kicks in every once in a while. Who am I kidding, it kicks in more than once in a while. I like to think that I know a few things, that I could be in the position of teacher.
Truth is, I have so much more to learn in many aspects of life. Praise God for the miracle of life.

I have been watching my little ones play outside. They are so different, but I am so thankful for their differences. I can see Beau & I in each of them. Julian loves to play dress up with his ECU pirate gear. Beau used to play back in high school and college. John nurses many boo-boos with his Ironman icy pack. He is in the "cause & effect" phase right now. You know, "I wonder what would happen if I did this?" They're learning...from me, from Beau. They are watching us and listening to our conversations. They observe us and they learn our reactions and behaviors. It's amazing, isn't it! Having them has given me more purpose than I dreamed of having as an adult person contributing to society.

As a stay-at-home mom, it is easy to get stuck in the mind-set of mainstream thinking. To think that you are not contributing to society is STINKIN' THINKIN'! It's just not true. You are important in the lives of your little ones. They look up to you. They rely on you. You are teaching them how to socialize, how to use their manners, how to have a conversation. You are teaching them everything about life. You are not only contributing to society, you are touching future lives. You are growing a meaningful little life that has Divine Purpose. SAHM, you're job is the most important job. God has given you an opportunity to nurture, to teach, to create memories with, to nurse, to feed, to proclaim over your child(ren). Is it any wonder that God's Word declares that children are a blessing from the Lord, that they are a reward (Prov 127:3). Grandchildren are a crown to grandparents (Prov 17:6). Rewards and crowns. These are precious things and something to be thankful for. How wise of the Lord to give these examples in relating to the worth of children. He knows what we value. He knows the way of our thoughts, beliefs, opinions. The Lord wants us to see the value He puts on children. He had to give us an example that we would understand. Rewards and crowns. Investing time, energy, love, patience, prayers, laughter, and tears. I promise it is time well spent.

Dear Lord,
I praise You for You alone are God. Thank you for the beautiful rewards you blessed me with in Julian & John. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer. Be my strength when I am weak. Give me words to speak when I am at a loss for them. Pour your love and peace over me each day. Fill me up so that I may fill up those You have given me. To You be the glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

My Dearest Julian & John, 
I love you! You have more worth than I give you credit for. I am so thankful for you. I want you to always know that I love you. You are important to me. I'm not perfect. I will make mistakes, but I will not give up. As long as I have life & breath I will praise God for the blessing that you are. I am proud to be your mommy. I am honored that the Lord has blessed me with 2 beautiful boys. I rejoice in the Lord for the boys and soon-to-be men He created you to be. May you always know that when I fail, Jesus loves you and will never fail you. He will always be right there by your side every step of the way. Know Him, Love Him, Serve Him.
I love you so much! ~ Your Mama

Motivation for Monday: A Little Peace

Trials, hardships, troubles, distresses. These words do not bring us peace or comfort, but they are a reality that we all face in life. Personally, this season has been difficult for me. A friend of mine introduced a daily devotional called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. The subtitle is: Enjoying Peace in His Presence. I could definitely use some that. Peace. This devotional has been a blessing to read. The Truth really helps me understand the lies that I've come to believe in my life. Listen to an excerpt from today's reading, "I have promised to meet all your needs according to My glorious riches. Your deepest, most constant need is for My Peace. I have planted Peace in the garden of your heart, where I live; but there are weeds growing there too: pride, worry, selfishness, unbelief. I am the Gardener, and I am working to get rid of those weeds."  
After venting to my grandmother one day about needing more patience among other things, she reminded me that I already have it. The day I asked Jesus to come into my heart He took up residence. He moved in. His Holy Spirit planted the fruit. It's already there. I just have to actively seek it out. So, the peace that I need so badly is already in my heart because God planted it in there when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Believing it is a decision. Displaying it in my life is going to take work. Those weeds of pride and selfishness often pop up, but they always will. I have to expect them. I won't be rid of them until the Lord takes me home to be with Him. He doesn't expect me to be perfect. Jesus took care of that for me on the cross. Peace be with you today!

John 14:27 ~ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Pansies & Giveaway Winners

Did you know that flowers have a meaning? When I was a cheerleader in my senior year of high school we had a very special luncheon for all the girls and their mothers to celebrate the ending of a great season. Our cheerleading captain had a huge bouquet of flowers. As she spoke about the victories of our cheer season she began to read off the names and characteristics of each member calling them up to the podium to claim their flower. Along with the flower and characteristic she announced the meaning of each flower we were getting, which corresponded to our characteristic. I felt so special that day. I had no idea that flowers had meanings until that day.
A couple weeks ago I randomly picked up some pansies that were on clearance at Wal-Mart. I bought just enough to line the sidewalk to our front door. They're not perfect, but I so love flowers. The purple and yellow that color the petals of these pansies are just the right amount of contrast. It was a windy day as I sat shoveling dirt and planting flowers. Pansies are so delicate; it surprised me that the petals didn't just fall off with each blow of the wind. I was so proud of my planting job. It's amazing what some flowers can do to the aesthetic of a front yard. I called my grandma to tell her. My grandma used to own a flower shop; she loves flowers too. When I told her what kind of flowers I planted, she sighed. {It was a good sigh.} I asked grandma what she was thinking and she shared such a sweet memory of her grandmother who would always pick pansies and lay them in the pages of her Bible. I am so glad she shared that memory with me. After I got off the phone with grandma, I looked up the meaning of this dainty flower. Pansies mean "loving thoughts".  How fitting. This reminds me to write down the memories and stories my grandma tells me so that I can one day share them with my boys and God-willing, my grandchildren. Thank you for reading. I hope your day is filled with Loving Thoughts.

P.S. Giveaway Winners: You ALL win! Be expecting a little package in the mail by the end of next week. Thank you for entering and thank you for your support. xoxo.

The Birds

{The above image was taken at the Miami Seaquarium}

We've been watching a lot of RIO around here lately. My boys love to hear the music and dance around the house. I have to admit that I really like that movie too. Never underestimate the subliminal messages of a cartoon movie because RIO has definitely persuaded me to consider travelling to visit Rio de Janeiro. The culture, the music, the people, the colors all seem so vibrant. Plus, I think it would be really cool to see the Christ the Redeemer statue. 

Watching RIO has made me ponder what birds think. Yes, I realize what I just said. Stay with me :) Birds, were created to fly and to be free. Do they worry or wonder where their food will come from? Do they worry if they'll make it to the south for warmer climate in order to avoid a harsh winter? God didn't create them to worry. He gave them instincts to just know what to do.

I could seriously type out a laundry list of worries and anxieties. I'm the "what if" kinda girl. Well, what if this happens...I need to have an action plan for that. And if that happens then I'll have to do this that and the other.  My list ranges from when will I have time to go grocery shopping, to I have no idea what to get my husband for his birthday, to am I doing an alright job as a SAHM, to how much money should I invest in my business. I looked in the mirror today and realized that worry doesn't make me sound any more wise than the next person and it sure hasn't done a positive thing for the wrinkles that are very prominent in between my eyebrows. Seriously, if Jesus says that we shouldn't worry, then we shouldn't worry. But it's not that easy, is it? I know it's not that easy for me. It takes practice. Worry, for me, is a daily practice. So maybe I'm practicing that wrong thing here. The opposite of worrying about this that and the other is trusting in God. When we trust in God we experience His peace. When we have the peace of God worry is no where to be found. It tries to pop up and if we go into our old practices of worrying, it'll reign in our life. The birds of the air don't worry because God their Creator provides all their needs. Consider how much more valuable you are. The next time you find yourself worrying about something, minute or significant, practice saying out loud, "I trust in You, Lord. No matter what happens I know that You have a plan for me. Your Word tells me that Your plan for my life is to prosper me and not to harm me. I pray for Your Peace to replace the worry that repeats in my mind. In Jesus Name. Amen." Now, please know that I am no expert. I am just sharing with you what I feel the Lord has told me through my quiet time. This spiritual journey is lifelong. I hope you feel encouraged today. 

Motivation for Monday: Light of the World

John 8:12 ~ 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."

My husband has been telling me that the sunrises on the beach are phenomenal and that I should go check it out one morning while he is at home. Most weekend days I am so tired from the week that I just want to sleep in, you know what I mean?  Well, I did end up going to the beach last weekend, after all it is maybe a mile from our house. I brought my camera because I was expecting God to perform for me. I mean, since I got out of bed and drove down to the beach I wanted to see a dramatic and beautiful sunrise. It was down right cold outside, but I waited. I walked around for a while and found some stray drift wood that washed up on the shore. Still waiting for the Artist to perform, I walked the drift wood to my car. The time ticked on, the sun was surely rising, but what I saw was disappointing me. The sky was severely overcast and the only color that I saw was on the horizon. I was missing the sunrise because the clouds we in the way. Man! I got up out of bed for this...
I heard the Lord speak to my heart. He said, "Karrie, be still. Stop moving and look up." So, I looked up in the sky. I still see dark clouds, but this time I noticed that little rays of lighted color started to show through the dense clouds. The Lord spoke to me again. "I am able to use the darkness. You will see My Light shine through at the darkest point. I will penetrate the thick darkness. You will have hope & strength. Remain in Me." All I had to do was stop looking at the obstacle, which in this case was the clouds. I had to look beyond the darkness to see the lighted color of the sunrise. I began to see with my eyes and with my heart what God was telling.
Everyone's darkness is different. Finances, unemployment, the loss of a loved one, health issues, guilt, any kind of doubt, any type of uncertainty, maybe even depression itself is your darkness. God is able to use it to glorify Himself in your life and through your situation. He is able to provide everything you need. He is able to heal. He is able to move the mountains of doubt into the deep ocean. Trust in Him. He will show up you just have to look beyond your darkness. Love you friend. Be encouraged today!

Motivation for Monday & A Father's Wise Words

Julian wanted a "Big Toy Robot Godzilla" for Christmas. He reminded my husband & I often. When he ate a new food, he mentioned Big Toy Robot Godzilla. When he was sharing, he mentioned Big Toy Robot Godzilla. He wanted to see a picture of it on the computer whenever Beau or I would check our email. He asked so much that we finally just printed a picture of it to put on his wall in his room. Beau & I looked and looked for this toy and bought it for Julian to open for Christmas. Then after we bought the toy, we would laugh knowing that he was going to get it, but he had to wait until Christmas. Julian was very persistent.

The Lord has brought 2 things to mind when thinking about this memory with Julian:
1. Think about how much you love your children and the extent you would go to make them happy.
2. Think about how persistent Julian was with his desire of the Big Toy Robot Godzilla. He asked until he
    received it.

I am BLOWN AWAY by the places and times God speaks to me and my husband regarding our children, our marriage, and our daily walk with Him. I have wondered how much God really loves me. I know what the Bible says. I hear what pastors and facilitators tell me the Bible says. I want it to be tangible. This weekend God used my husband to speak to me. Beau shared with me a very tender revelation he heard from God in his quiet time. "Think of how much you love your sons. Your love for them isn't even a tenth of how much I love you." Whoa! Dude! Not even a tenth. I can feel, hug, kiss, hold, and say "I love you" to my son and he can reciprocate. This is the tangible love God has given me to experience a greater love than myself. If God has given you a help mate, friend, sibling, parent, child, even a pet, that is a tangible love that He has given to you. He can do all things; He can love you through anyone or anything He chooses.
Now, about Julian's persistence. He didn't stop asking until he received what he wanted. It made me ponder my prayer life. How often I pray. What I pray about. How often I've stopped being persistent in prayer because I don't see what I want coming. I give up. The Bible is clear about the benefits of hope and the importance of persistent prayer. I've been convicted to revisit my prayer list and prioritize it and make it more a priority.
I want to share 2 verses today that came from my devotional Jesus Calling.


1. Romans 12:12 ~ Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.

2. Romans 15:13 ~ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may
                          overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I hope you have a blessed Monday!