Life Lately - July 2016

If you have a Steel City Pops location near you (we just got one in Louisville!), you should check it out.  They gave out free pops last week to celebrate launching their Snapchat account, so we made it into a spontaneous date  night.  I recommend the Guava!

This is going to rock your world (at least it did for me) - Protein Waffles!  Derrik got the recipe from someone we follow on Instagram: BeyondFitMom.  All you need to do is mix these ingredients:

• 1 scoop of protein powder

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp almond milk

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Stevia to taste

We love to make these waffles multiple times a week for breakfast.  They're so good and packed with protein.  If you try these out, I also have to let you in on our secret weapon: Walden Farms Pancake Syrup.  It's liquid magic I tell you!  It is by far the best sugar-free and calorie-free syrup we've tried.  Pictured above is their Strawberry Syrup.  Very good, but the original Pancake Syrup gets 5 stars in the Nelson house.

These flowers were in full bloom at the house where I photographed baby Peter meeting his sisters.  I love pink flowers!

I also helped photograph my first wedding this month!  This building across the street from the church caught my eye so I circled back after the festivities were complete to take some photos.  Often times it's simple things that re-energize my creativity and love for what I do.

Peace in the Morning

Something I miss most when I'm out of town is being able to start mornings with my husband reading our Bibles.  Our eyes may feel a little heavy, there may be a yawn or two, but it's a daily practice my soul needs.  I recently heard that even if you don't feel a big emotional lift or connection from practicing daily Bible reading, that we can be encouraged to know it's a habit that honors the Lord - one the Holy Spirit can use it in his time, how he pleases. 

One of my favorite Christian apologists, Greg Koukl, once said on a podcast that reading chapters at a time in Proverbs can be like eating an entire chocolate cake in one sitting - it's rich!  If you're looking for an idea to start reading the Bible more, reading a chapter (or even just a few verses) of Proverbs could be a great way to start.

I've been giving a lot of thought to how photography fits in - how I can honor the Lord, serve others and fight against the temptation to chase after glory for myself.  I think photography has become an extension of worship in my own life.  It encourages me to notice beauty and inevitably leads me to reflect on the creator of that beauty.  Celebrating marriages, the birth of a baby, the excitement of siblings meeting their little brother for the first time - I can't help but walk away in awe of the Lord.  That's my ultimate hope for these pixels on your screen, every image, that it would be crafted with a grateful heart that acknowledges God and points you to him.  I hope you leave this little space encouraged.