Faith Archives - The Way Home

The Circle

On a recent last minute trip to Nashville, the girls and I were able to experience our first Grand Ole Opry show. Being Thanksgiving weekend and one of the busiest times around the Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills Mall, I was surprised to find some balcony tickets available and knew it would be a fun to experience the Nashville country flavor in a family friendly environment.

Carrie Underwood introduced the evening through a prerecorded video that explained the history behind the “circle” of different colored wood on the stage, and the emotion that artists feel as they walk into that circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage. I was surprise to learn the Grand Ole Opry is coming up on 100 years running.

The show was a blend of old and new talent and featured more than just vocal artists. I appreciated the spotlight given to the instrumentalists on stage and we were blown away from the talent of a harmonica player.

As the show moved from one act to the next, what caught my eye was the limber camera man in the shadows who would stretch and contort himself to film varying angles of the artists and instrumentalists. He knew how to project the artists in the best light to shine for the audience on the big screens.

More than any artist on stage, it was this camera man that I resonated with. I have spent many years in the shadows finding and casting the best light to tell the story of children, families, and various events. I am at peace when I am able to fulfill this creative role in my life.

Sitting on one side of me was a daughter who didn’t particularly want to be there, but allowed herself to relax into the show and enjoy the experience. Understanding music and playing the clarinet in the school band, I envisioned her on stage as an accompanying musician. The other daughter on my other side was excited to see the stage where some of her favorites like Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash once performed. She is developing a vocal talent and I could see her standing in that circle one day with a microphone in hand. As much as she can see herself also in the circle, she fears the spotlight corrupting her strong moral character. Her fears light a fire in me to guide her to be a light in this dark world!

In Life

Whether you are called to be in the circle as the lead performer, backup singer/musician, or the one recording the event, be proud of the role you play to deliver an excellent show to the spectators.

It is always more fun to participate in life than to be a spectator.

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life, Travel

Let Your Light Shine

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

While we were on our family vacation to Utah, I knew I wanted to find a red rock background to photograph Sarah Beth in this dress we purchased from SHEIN. The Double Arch at Arches National Park at sunset turned out to be the perfect backdrop!

Each year we challenge our Spoiled Rotten Photography photographers to find inspiration in a work of art, or work of another photographer that speaks to them and experiment with different lighting, setting, clothing, etc. to produce their own work of photographic art.

I have been a fan of LJ Holloway’s soft environmental portraits for a while. I recently came across this senior session she did with a red rock environment, and it got my wheels turning for what I wanted to capture in Utah with Sarah Beth.

The reality of taking portraits at a popular National Park is the image on the left. There were a good many people crossing our path while trying to take sunset portraits. Never underestimate Photoshop to save the day.

After working with several angles, using the sun and the arches to our advantage I just happen to catch an unexpected magical glow of the sun through a tiny hole in big rock to the left of the Double Arch. I adjusted my camera settings to freeze the sun’s rays as it burst through the hole at the perfect angle and we photographed a couple images adding a touch of light from an external flash Savannah held off to the left.

I love the effect in the following image with the natural light source, the sun, and the artificial light source bursting in unison.

The look and determination on this image owns me! Only Sarah Beth would climb the Double Arch barefoot and in a dress as a reward for letting me take portraits in front of the arches.

Sarah Beth you radiate the Lord’s light and I have no doubt you will continue to Let Your Light Shine throughout your life.

Are you traveling to an amazing destination? Hit me up, I’m always available for hire to travel and capture you and your family in amazing places!

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Categories: Faith, Life

Are You Stuck in a Rut?

Do you ever feel stuck in a rut?

As I got out to walk in the neighborhood on this beautiful warm February afternoon, I noticed they were paving one of the streets. Before paving, they will send in trucks to create ruts in the asphalt to create a surface for the smooth new layer of asphalt to stick to. As I stopped to admire the texturized mess that had been created before the final product was applied, a million life lessons hit me like one of those dump trucks on the road.

I feel like I am slowing digging myself out of a personal rut I allowed myself to fall in. Over the course of the past 2 years I have lost a sense of my personal value and self worth. Confident in my abilities, but feeling like people were tired of what I had to say or the style I could offer, waiting for permission to shine, or feeling like I had to take the backseat to the ego of others.

I am here to tell you, ruts in the road of life are not a bad thing. (unless you trip on them and break your shoulder, but I’ll save that story for another day) A lot of clarity can be discovered by pulling yourself out of those ruts. It is during these times that it imperative to be honest with yourself, allow your emotions to rise to the surface and let go of them.

I am so bad about trying to figure everything out on my own and not allowing others to help me or fully surrendering my thoughts and desires to the Lord.

Lately I have been finding comfort in…

Daily Bible reading and prayer
Limiting sugar and eating whole foods that will nourish my body
Quality nutritional supplements to support weak areas
Chiropractic adjustments
Walks in the sunshine
Journaling emotional triggers and feelings
Discussing my thoughts and emotions with my core 5 people who matter

I can tell a huge difference in my outlook and attitude when I stay consistent with each of those things.

As I continued on my walk around the neighborhood, after dwelling on the ruts in the road, my mind took me back to the Summer after 8th grade. I was at an FC Summer camp and a teenager gave a morning devotion that pricked my heart. I don’t remember all the words, but it had something to do with not living your life in a rut. I grew up knowing what I needed to do to be saved, but it was that night I finally gave my life to the Lord and accepted Jesus as my Savior and was baptized in Lake Martin. I love how the Spirit gives us gentle reminders along the way to remind us that he is still with us and wants to help guide us out of the big and small ruts we find ourselves in.

If that triggered memory wasn’t enough, this sweet reminder was in my daily Bible reading app…

Psalm 40: 1-3 (ESV)

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

We can’t put a price tag on our worth, because we have all been bought with a price that we can’t do enough good works to repay. Today I am thankful for this gentle and humbling reminder that my words and actions could be just what someone else needs to hear to take the steps to get out of their own personal rut.

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Categories: Faith, Life, Printables

Verses to Dwell on for a New Year

Do you have Bible verses that you cling to and dwell on at the beginning of a new year? The first of the year is met with a fresh start and new intentions. Many people set resolutions, others choose a guiding life word for their year. My mind works well with themes and I have always fallen into the second category. My word for the year is “dwell” and I am committed to spending more time in God’s word than ever before. I have always been a book and paper reader, but I have chosen to follow the digital BibleProject | One Story that Leads to Jesus, One-Year plan that can be found in the YouVersion Bible app. I figure my phone is always with me, so there is no excuse for not following the plan with daily reminders. 🙂

Back to themes… I wanted a simple way to pull together verses that would help me focus to begin my year. This year, unlike any previous year, there is a stirring to turn down the noise of the world and turn up the words of comfort and hope as God’s children, we are given for our future within the pages of the Bible.

This list of 30 Bible verses would be a great exercise to read through, as you begin a new year or possibly a new season, for promises of renewal and strength that are scattered throughout the Bible.

I hope you will find refreshment for yourself as you read through and dwell on this set of 30 verses for your new year.

BibleVerses-NewYear Download

Click here to download the set of 30 verse cards.

You can take the files for the individual cards and print on a home printer or send to your local one-hour or home delivery photo lab. I sent the files to my local Walmart and printed 30 4×6 prints at $.09 each. A complete set cost about $3 and will be durable for toting around.

Ideas for using individual verse cards

Slip them into your daily planner or calendar
Hang on your bathroom mirror as daily reminders
Send to a friend in the mail
Flip through and read verses on the go as you are waiting in lines
Share the digital .jpg on your social media
Save the files to an album in your phone for easy flipping
Commit each verse to memory as you read each day

Let me know how this reading plan and printable cards work for you. Also let me know if you would be interested in having additional thematic verse cards and suggested reading plans! I have ideas for other sets that could be created.

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life

Be Thou My Vision

I spent this cold weekend peacefully working on this puzzle that my sister-in-law Katie gave me for Christmas. I think right now many of us would give up many of the comforts of our modern society to dwell in such an idyllic small town as depicted in this painted panoramic puzzle. This scene reminds me so much of Walnut Grove from the Little House on the Prairie show. Those old episodes that I grew up watching have been such a joy to share with my girls this past year in the midst of current sketchy programing options.

On Sunday we sang the old Irish hymn, Be Thou My Vision to end our worship service, socially distanced outside in family groups – because that is how we currently do things. In the back of my mind I could hear this tune with bagpipes and strings as a memory of my father’s love of Celtic music he used to play in the evenings at home. But then it was the words of this song that drew me in and caught my attention. It was personally the perfect bridge between 2020 and 2021. My word of the year for 2020 was Vision. I wanted to see things as God sees them and not as my own limited sight. My thoughts were in the future and what could be, not just stuck in the now. As I move into 2021 the word that has been calling my attention is Dwell. I want the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to dwell within me and guide my thoughts and actions more than ever. I want peace to dwell in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in this year. I hope to share more thoughts on that word later.

I will leave you with the words of the hymn as a comfort to begin your week…

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

By Eleanor Hull

As I was finishing the puzzle last night, I was skipping around on Youtube listening to ALL the versions of this song. Do you have a favorite version of this classic hymn?

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Categories: Faith, Life, Photography

The Great Conjunction of 2020

The Great Conjunction of 2020, or “Christmas Star” captured people’s attention all over the world on Monday, December 21. I have seen some amazing images that were taken through telescopes and cameras.

I went out with a 50 mm lens that was capable of photographing the planets as seen with the naked eye from earth. Jupiter and Saturn definitely looked like the brightest stars among others in the southern sky. I saw images online taken through telescopes and with telescopic zoom lenses that were able to isolate the planets up close and actually see the details and rings around Saturn along with the planet’s orbiting moons.

Much like the great solar eclipse in 2017, this was a once in a lifetime astronomical event that everyone wanted to see and capture a memory of. What struck me as I saw friends posting their pictures on social media last night was many unmet expectations. It was cloudy for those in the Northern states. Cell phone cameras turned out blurry blobs of light. Views may have been blocked by trees. It was if people expected to walk out and see a glorious giant beaming star of light as often depicted by artists in children’s Bibles of the Star of Bethlehem that led the wise men to Jesus.

Lesson Learned

It made me think… It really does matter the perspective with which you view the planets (that appear as bright stars with the sun’s reflection). Or with what lens are you choosing to view the event? Given a clear Southwestern view, you couldn’t miss the bright splendor of the 2 planets side by side with your naked eye. That view could be enhanced with a telescope or telescopic camera lens to see detail and accompanying moons.

Wasn’t it also true with the timing and arrival of Jesus the promised Messiah? Malachi, the last prophet over 400 years prior, left the Jews with the hope of an Elijah who would prepare the way for a Savior who would enter the world at just the right time. Yet in the 30 years that Jesus lived on this earth interacting with so many, how many failed to have the right lens to recognize who he was and the simple message that he brought for a promised kingdom greater than an earthly kingdom they were looking for.

Whatever you believe to be true with the planetary alignment and timing of it all in 2020, Jesus is the fulfillment of Scripture. He is the Word. He is the Light. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through Him. Jesus has fulfilled every single prophetic word.

⁹The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:9-12

I hope The True Light has brought you peace and comfort in 2020.

I enjoyed being able to enjoy this astronomical event with 2020 vision. Were you able to catch a glimpse of the Great Conjunction of 2020?

You can view some great images shared from around the world HERE.

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life, Photography

Among the Trees

Life is lived among the trees.

Nearly 40 years ago my father began planting cedar trees in rows on a couple acres of land in Lawrence County, Alabama. This land was were my mom’s grandparents settled years ago and much of her family has dwelt and developed their own homes within 1/2 mile of this property. In the 1980s my parents owned the old white house that belonged to my great-grandparents and it was a place we would visit on the weekends. At one point my parents considered raising their family “in the county”, but things worked out better for them to stay in the Birmingham area for job and school opportunities. The house became too much to maintain for my parents, and was sold to my aunt who always dreamed herself of living in it with her family.

My dad kept about 5 acres of land to the side and it became his playground for the next 20 years or so. We would still often “go the country” on the weekends and stay with my grandparents. My dad meticulously planted rows of cedar trees along the land, built a split-rail fence, cleared brush into the woods and down to the creek. It made him happy to be outdoors working with his hands. They say when I was younger, I was his little shadow, often following along behind with my own wheelbarrow. I remember in the preteen years begging to drive the tractor and help cut grass.

My parents thought they may one day retire to this land and build a house among the trees, but God had other plans in the works for where they would settle to retire. About 10 years ago, my dad sold his remaining acres of land in Lawrence County to one of my cousins, who has since built a beautiful home for his family among these trees.

During the week of Thanksgiving, we took all the Sauter cousins “to the country” to recreate a favorite portrait that we originally took in front of the old wooden corn crib back in 2010. My mom and sister and I enjoyed walking through what use to be an open pasture and seeing the beautiful, magical meadow of full-grown cedar and oak trees that shade this land, that has been so well loved over the years.

I absolutely adore this picture of my mother that we snapped on our recent trip! It is such a full-circle moment, and if you know my mother you know she definitely lives among the wildflowers. She has always been as strong as a weed, blowing in the direction she was needed to land to produce life and cultivate those she was tending to. She is able to bloom wherever she is planted, and I hope her and my dad are able to enjoy the fruits of their labors among the trees at Arkadelphia Acres in Cullman County in the years to come.

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life, Printables

Back to School 2020

Back to School 2020 – Those few words have never been met with such controversy and unknowns about the year ahead. After 5 months of the longest Summer Vacation, my girls are excited to head back to a classroom today, even if it will currently be for 2 days a week.

They are ready for:

Social interactions
Routines and structure
Knowledge and growth
A chance to develop and practice their talents

As we embark on the beginning of middle school and high school, fears and anxieties have run through their minds. More than ever, those feelings are not alone. Every student and teacher will enter those halls with fears and anxieties more than usual this year.

We are all trying to learn and do the best we can, and grace and patience will be required from all parties to navigate this school year.

We can’t always see the big picture and why we are being asked to endure situations that don’t always make sense to us, but be assured you can shine in the space you have been given.

I was reminded of a common theme with Joseph, Esther, and Onesimus and Philemon in our Bible study last night. We never know when our situation has aligned to be a friend to someone who needs us most, to cheer on and support a teacher, or to be a positive example that stands up for the truth.

Genesis 50:20 – You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Esther 4:14 – Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.

Philemon 1:15 – For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while that you might have him back forever.

Join me in prayer today for a hedge of protection to be around each of our children, teachers, and administration for this school year.

Pray Over Your Kids

Whether your school year looks like in person classroom learning, remote elearning, or your own version of homeschooling, here is a graphic reminder of verses you can pray over your children today and any day.

I would love to hear what school looks like for you and your family this year! Comment below and let me know if you have any specific prayer requests moving into this school year.

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life

National Rainbow Day

Did you know that April 3 is observed as National Rainbow Day? This morning when I learned that Friday, April 3, 2020 was National Rainbow Day, I couldn’t help but think of a better symbol of hope our nation currently needs after 3 weeks of many families practicing “social distancing” and staying home to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

Rainbows are caused when rays of light from the sun hit water droplets which reflect some of the light back towards an observer. The water droplets are usually rain drops, but could also be spray from a waterfall, a fountain, or even fog. To see a rainbow, you must have the sun shining behind you and the water droplets in front of you.

Throughout time rainbows have been seen as a sign of beauty, hope, and promise.

In a time period where we are fearful of a virus contained in human water droplets, let’s not forget how we can reflect the Son’s (Jesus’) rays of light that are shining through us to create a beautiful portrait of hope and promise that is bigger than any virus and assurance that we will make it through this period of uncertainty.

The sun may be shining where you live today so hunting down a rainbow is out of the picture, but there are many ways you can create a rainbow to spread hope in your home or local community.

A list of 20 Rainbow themed activities you can use to spread BEAUTY, HOPE, and PROMISE today.

Tie-dye t-shirts
Draw rainbow chalk drawings on sidewalks
Bake a rainbow cake
Paint rainbows on the windows of your home
Skittle Rainbow Experiment
Dye hard boiled eggs for Easter
Rainbow Shaving Cream Marbled Art
Torn paper rainbows for preschoolers
Make Fruit Loop cereal rainbows
Rainbow handprint rainbow for toddlers
Coffee filter rainbow craft
Make rainbow fruit kabobs
Paint rainbows and messages on rocks and leave on neighbor’s front steps.
Read classic children’s books like The Rainbow Fish, Elmer the Elephant
Make rainbow slime
Rainbow yarn art
Make recycled rainbow crayons from melting crayon pieces
Make rainbow juice popsicles
Go on a color hunt throughout your house photographing single color items and merge them together for a rainbow collage.
Write message of hope and encouragement on colored post-it notes and stick on friends and neighbor’s front doors.

Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

Make sure to share your rainbow activities on social media and incorporate the following hashtags to inspire and encourage others.

#NationalFindARainbowDay
#FINDaRainbow
#MAKEaRainbow
#BEaRainbow
#CreateLightInTheShadow
#TheWayHomeLife

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Categories: Faith, Family, Life

Let It Go

Let it Go, so you can grow…

I recently joined a small group book study on the topic of moving in and moving on when moving to a new city. The theme of the first several weeks has been all about Letting Go of what you are leaving behind in order to settle into your new life.

This past year Jonathan and I made our 5th move since we have been married. After being transferred to Atlanta in 2013, we had the opportunity to assess in 2019 if now would be the right time to make a move back to Birmingham. While this was the first move we were able to make the choice about, it doesn’t minimize the effects of starting over with new schools, new church family, trying to figure out what circles you fit in, etc.

I was telling a friend today that one of the biggest blessings of having lived in various places is the friendships and relationships that are formed. While those relationships may seem severed by not physically being so close, the internet today makes it so easy to stay connected to those relationships. It is in moving to new areas that your mindset is expanded and you develop empathy for different groups of people.

As I was reviewing the story of Abram today in Genesis 12 to share with a class of K/1st grade, I see the direct statement from God for Abram to pick up and leave his country and people to go to a new land on faith that he knew nothing about. In following that direct request from God, he would be blessed through a great nation, land, and through his seed. Abraham would not see the fulfillment of God’s big vision, but he didn’t let that stop him from walking out what was put before him.

While we aren’t all called to pick up and move to foreign lands like Abraham, we can find blessings, growth, and purpose in moving to new cities, new jobs, new communities.

Whether my mailing address reads Auburn, AL, Hoover, AL, Madison, AL, Birmingham, AL, Woodstock, GA, or Birmingham, AL ultimately I want to end up with my address reading HEAVEN and I want to bring as many friends and family members with me to that permanent home.

We are all traveling through this life on our Way Home to the final home that has been prepared for us.

If you have ever changed jobs, moved to a new city, or faced any other major life change, what were some things that were the hardest for you to let go of?

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