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Thankful Hands

Okay, I’m not sure there is a more fun art project when you are a kid than tracing your own hands. And as parents, do we ever get tired of seeing them? Several years ago, we started tracing our hands on fall colored paper, and then we would carefully cut them out. We...

Be Your Best Self, Have A Better Holiday

By Kirstin Ricketts

Home Sweet Home, The Blog

The deer on our acreage are getting lazy. Earlier in the fall, when my three-year-old son would yell from the windows, they would look and scatter, jumping the fences and running into the forest. Now, as I ride the tractor towards them, they look up at me and go back...

Be Kind To Yourself

By Kirstin Ricketts

All The Things, Home Sweet Home, The Blog

Do you have that spot where you can breathe? In the hurried, busy, loud and distracting pace of our days, let’s consider a place where we can reconnect, breathe, and get some stillness. If we let our hearts get still, I believe we will be able to hear our God better....

Live Like Your Days Are Numbered

By Kirstin Ricketts

Faith Matters, The Blog

Have you ever noticed as people are living their last days, the trivial things wash away, and their gaze becomes crystal clear? What would I change if I could refocus my perspective and live like my days are numbered? The overflow of my heart often sets the tempo and...

The Gratitude Book Tradition

By Melissa Cheatham

Family, The Blog

This book is my new favorite Thanksgiving tradition! I found this gem at a nearby store and fell in love with the idea. The beautifully created book by Molly Hatch is bound in a soft green fabric and the title tells the entire story... Gratitude. On each page, there...

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Okay, I’m not sure there is a more fun art project when you are a kid than tracing your own hands. And as parents, do we ever get tired of seeing them? Several years ago, we started tracing our hands on fall colored paper, and then we would carefully cut them out. We would then write the names of people who we were thankful for on our hands and talk about why we chose them. Then we arrange the hands on a wreath and hang it over our chalkboard in our homeschool classroom during the month of November. It’s been one of our favorite traditions, and its a practical way for me to teach gratitude to our kids.⠀
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If you are hosting Thanksgiving, this might be a great way for your kids to get involved in preparing for the holiday. Before guests arrive at your home, give everyone in your family a few pieces of paper, a pencil, and scissors. Trace and cut out your hands and write the names of your guests on each hand. Pray for them before they arrive and welcome them in with thankful hands!⠀
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Another fun way to do this is to set a piece of paper on everyone’s dinner plate on Thanksgiving and let everyone take part in the tradition. You can then combine all of the hands into one wreath as a fun gift for someone to take home. It’s a creative, fun way to be intentional this Thanksgiving. ⠀
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#thankful #grateful #hands #crafts #kids #kidsart #kidcrafts #thanksgiving #thanksgivingcrafts #hllf #holdlooselylivefreely #melissacheatham #kirstinricketts

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The deer on our acreage are getting lazy. Earlier in the fall, when my three-year-old son would yell from the windows, they would look and scatter, jumping the fences and running into the forest. Now, as I ride the tractor towards them, they look up at me and go back to eating their acorns. When the kids run towards them, they seem to consider if they should move, and today as I drove within feet of them, they didn't even look up.⠀ ⠀
The deer are too comfortable.⠀ ⠀
As the holidays approach, let's consider and plan for how we will act as we spend time with the people we love. Are we reverting to our old ways and making comments that are better left unsaid? What dangers have become second nature and could put us in harm's way? Would we have more grace on them if we weren't related? Would we ask that question? Could we walk into situations with more understanding? Could we set aside history and enjoyed them in the moment? How might we help out or add to the day if we weren't quite so comfortable, forgetting general kindness, manners, and grace in the ease we feel at home?⠀ ⠀
When our deer come across hunters, it will not go well. They need to reconnect with their standard protocol, and we may need to reconnect with ours too. ⠀ ⠀
Let's not let comfort lead us to be sloppy. Let's be our best selves, with our best people, and we will likely have a better holiday. ⠀
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HLLF, Kirstin

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Do you have that spot where you can breathe? ⠀
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In the hurried, busy, loud and distracting pace of our days, let’s consider a place where we can reconnect, breathe, and get some stillness.⠀
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If we let our hearts get still, I believe we will be able to hear our God better. If we are kind to ourselves in the process, and we can clear space in our minds, then our hearts may be more ready to hear what He has to say. ⠀
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My space doesn’t need to look pretty, but it does need to feel kind. If you need it to look cute or organized or comfy or quiet, do whatever you need so that you have a place. It may be a candle, certain pens, stationery, or soft music. ⠀ ⠀
As I let my heart slow, I notice how a mug given to me by a friend, and the soft blanket around my legs feel like kindness. If I slow and allow myself, I will feel the comfort. Sometimes in the noise of our home, my place is a spot turned away on the couch with my headphones playing instrumental music. ⠀
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Would we be able to connect with an old friend in the middle of the kitchen, sitting amongst all of our kids and their breakfast demands? We may not be able to connect with our God while being stopped for more syrup and spilled orange juice. ⠀
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Find the quiet, both in your mind and in the place. Make your space a priority. Stack the cards in your favor. ⠀
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Consider where hearing from God would be most likely. Not because He won’t speak to you in the tight spaces, but because when you begin to hear from Him consistently, you will see what may have been hidden ever so slightly between time crunches and clinking cereal bowls and you won’t want to miss it. ⠀
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HLLF, Kirstin

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This is a Saturday soup favorite in our home and my favorite way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey! The day after the heavy traditional turkey dinner, I crave spice and this hits the spot. I throw it together in the crockpot Friday morning, and it’s ready whenever our football watchers and black Friday shoppers decide they are hungry for lunch. 😊 I love this soup with all the toppings, so grab your favorites to dress it up as desired. Serve it with chips and salsa, sandwiches, and leftover pie for the perfect lunch to serve your holiday guests. HLLF- Melissa⠀
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CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP⠀
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INGREDIENTS⠀
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1 pound cooked shredded chicken breasts or meat from one rotisserie chicken⠀
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1 can black beans⠀
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1 can corn⠀
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32 ounces chicken broth⠀
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16 ounces salsa (fresh or in a jar)⠀
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1 bay leaf⠀
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1 tbsp Chili Powder⠀
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1 tsp cumin⠀
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1 tsp oregano⠀
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1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes⠀
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1/4 tsp cayenne pepper⠀
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Salt and pepper to taste⠀
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DESIRED TOPPINGS SUCH AS...⠀
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Jalapeños ⠀
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Shredded cheese⠀
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Sour cream ⠀
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Tortilla strips⠀
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Limes ⠀
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Cilantro⠀
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DIRECTIONS⠀
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In a crockpot, add shredded chicken, black beans, corn, chicken broth, salsa, and spices. Stir and cover. Place on high for about an hour and then turn to low for an additional 2-4 hours. Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings. Enjoy!⠀
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#soup #chickentortillasoup #leftoverturkey #blackfriday #gameday #gamedayfood #saturday #thefeed #hllf #holdlooselylivefreely #kirstinricketts #melissacheatham #weightwatchers #healthyeating

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