Advent | Nashville Family Photographer

Those of you who have read my blog for the last few years know that I have a thing for writing during Christmas & Easter.  Just something about this time of year makes me reflective and I have to get it out.  So if you only are here to look at pictures then you might as well scroll on down. Today is the first day of Advent.  A day where we begin the anticipation of the coming of the Lord.  This morning in church we were encouraged to "engage" ourselves during this season of Advent.  I though a lot about that word - engage.  One of the definitions that I found was "to participate."  So then I ask myself - "what does it look like to participate in this season of Advent?"  I can think of all the Sunday school answers quickly: pray more, have my quiet time, make Jesus the reason for the season, serve dinner to the homeless, etc etc.  Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying that any of these are bad.  They are all very good and holy things.  But I'm just thinking that maybe there is more than doing all the right things.  What if engaging with Christ this Holy season means that I just learn to be.  Wait for Him.  Long for Him.  Listen for Him.  Look for Him.

And maybe then I could find myself participating in the greatest story the world has ever known.

{Disclaimer: I could not find a way to tie in these beautiful photos to my above post.  But I am adding them anyway... Enjoy this amazing gorgeous family!}

The Help: A Review | Nashville Photographer

Walking in the movie theater with a friend, feeling a little apprehensive about a book turned into a movie.  Especially a book I really loved.  See I'm one of those that despise book covers that have the movie scene on the front.  Books turned into movies never live up to the imaginative dream in my own head.  Fast forward two hours later (plus a little popcorn) and I was a believer.  A believer in the power of those that have the gift of bringing that imagination before our very eyes.  It was beautiful. On the ride home my friend gave me a compliment that I may never forget.  She told me that I would have been a Skeeter.  Skeeter was not the most beautiful or the most popular.  But she was a strong woman who fought for justice.  She didn't accomplish this through picket lines or politics.  Skeeter told stories.  Her own story and the stories of women who did not have a voice.  I truly believe if we listened to the stories of those around us then we would be more apt to have compassion instead of judgement, love instead of hate.

My question to us all is whose stories are we ignoring today?  Especially in the upper-middle class, American, Christian community.  Everyone has a story.  And each story matters.  Next time you have a judgmental thought towards someone, stop and think..... Or better yet stop and ask.  What is your story?  Because I believe if we knew the words that made up a life then we would begin to love instead of hate.  And that could change the world.