Sripture Sunday

Jeremiah 31:3

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovngkindness have I drawn thee.

As we approach February, the month of love, I have been often reminded of God's love towards me. I am so thankful that he showed His love by sending His son to die on the cross for my sins so that I could one day spend eternity with him.

This verse is awesome! In the middle of the verse God says, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Do you know how long everlasting is? Forever! This includes not only here on Earth but also all of eternity. This also means He will continue to love us no matter what we do! He knows exactly where we have came from, what sins we have committed and all that we do - yet, He still loves us unconditionally.

What an amazing and everlasting love!

Good-Bye Debt!

Woo hoo!! I just paid off my camera!

I am so excited! What does this mean for you? I'm so glad you asked, I want to spread my excitement! Today only if you schedule a session you will receive $25 off! This session can be scheduled for anytime this year! Email me at memoriesblessings@yahoo.com to schedule your session! I look forward to hearing from each of you.

The fine print -

1. This offer can not be combined with any other offers.

2. This offer is good for new appointments only (not for those already scheduled).

3. Offer must be used on a full session, offer will not be given for mini-sessions.

Truly Blessed,

Megan

Wordless Wednesday - A Selfless & Sacrificial Service

Carson, The Birthday Boy

Carson just recently turned three years old! He's such a sweetie, and my Eli's best friend, so naturally I was so excited to take photos of him. The Saturday of his session it was cold and rainy so we took advantage of one of Oak Ridge's attractions  - the American Museum of Science & Energy.

We were met with some friendly faces and then we basically played the whole session! I think Carson was having so much fun that he forgot sometimes we were taking photos. He was all smiles, which made my job a whole lot easier! Thank-you Ben and Candice for allowing me the opportunity to capture such sweet memories for your family.

Here are a few of my favorites from Carson's birthday session at the American Museum of Science & Energy.

If you haven't been to AMSE in awhile and are looking for a cheap and fun thing to do, go check it out! We had a great time plus, I got to half-way check something off on my Goals of 2012 list ... #2, Photograph in two new locations! Awesome!

So, until next time I leave you with Carson's video! This song is just so perfect and so completely true ... they're only little for awhile!

Scripture Sunday

Psalm 27:14

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 is one of my favorite verses; however, it is a verse that I am constantly failing to follow.

Wait on the Lord ... patience - this photographer is bad at being patient. I hate the waiting game! However, I must remember that by waiting God will bless.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart ... This simply means that if you have faith and put your trust and hope in the Lord he will give you stregnth while you wait. I love that God straight up tells you that you're going to have to be patient sometimes but he also tells us, better yet promises us, that He will give us strenght in the process! Our God is so good.

Wait, I say, on the Lord ... Really, back to the be patient thing again? It must really be important if God felt the need for David to write it twice in one verse! Our timing is not always God's timing, but God's timing is perfect!

What are you waiting on? Remember this verse the next time you're waiting to see what God is doing or has in store for your life!

Truly Blessed,

Megan

Daily Photo Journal

Happy Thursday! I hope that you have had a fabulous week and are looking forward to a great weekend with your family. I am so excited because I get to do my first session of 2012 on Saturday! I'm doing a sweet little boy's birthday pictures at the ... wait for it .... American Museum of Science & Energy in Oak Ridge. I am super excited! I think we'll get some great shots. What three year old boy doesn't want to play with electricity, space and all things Science? Doesn't that just scream FUN! So, keep an eye out for Carson's birthday photos this weekend.

For a photographer, January is usually a slow month. Not too many people want to brave the cold for family photos :) Understandably, I don't brave the cold for photos of my family either. So, during my "free time" (is that such a thing for a stay-at-home mommy of two?) I have began a Daily Photo Journal on my personal Facebook page. I have really enjoyed it so far. The photos aren't edited, they aren't taken with my business camera - but the photos are of my favorite people in the world, my family.

Here's how it works, each day I snap a few photos of things we do. I then pick a favorite and make that the photo of the day. I usually wait a couple of days and then upload the photos to my Journal album on Facebook. You write the date as the caption and then I write something about the photo. What the kids were doing, etc. I think it'll be so neat to look back in a few months and see what we were doing on January 19th. No one may enjoy looking at my photos but me but for me it's helping me capture memories of my own children. I hate to say it, but sometimes I'm so busy capturing memories for other people I forget to do it for myself. So , the daily photo journal is helping me to do just that.

Here's a link to my journal. Will you join me in this adventure? Simply start a new album and begin filling it with photos of your every day life! Leave the link on the Memories & Blessings' Facebook page under this blog post, so I can take a peak into your every day life as well! You too can "capture God's blessings in your life!"

Truly Blessed,
Megan

And the Winner Is ....

A few days ago I posted a new contest here on my blog. All you had to do to enter was go visit my website, www.memoriesblessings.com, and send me your name, email address and you and your Sweetie's anniversary date. The contest is officially over and the winner is ready to be announced. Thank-you to all who entered. Here are the participants and the number they were given (the number was given in the order the emails were received).

1. Marie Brown ~ 9/26/75

2. Teresa Owens ~ 1/19/02

3. Lillian Cox ~ 2/14

4. Frances Henderson ~ 1/26/08

And the winner is .....

#3 - Mrs. Lillian Cox

Congratulations Lillian! You will receive a half-priced Sweetheart Mini-Session on February 11th at the UT Gardens on the UT campus. Please message me to set up your session time.

Also, a special congratulations to Mrs. Teresa Owens who will celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary to her husband in just a couple of days! All other particpants will receive $10 of a Sweetheart Mini-Session on February 11th. If interested, message me to schedule your session time.

Keep an eye out for future contests - thanks for playing!

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Changing of the Year, Means a Year of Changes!

I know that we are half way through January but it's never too late to make some changes! 2011 was a fantastic year for Memories & Blessings Photography and I am so eager to see what God has in store for Memories & Blessings in 2012. After reading other photographer's blogs, I have decided to sit down and make a list of goals to reach for this year. Here is my simple list of twelve things I hope to accomplish in 2012, the items are listed in no particular order.

1.   To photograph a session in Cades Cove.

2.   To photograph in two new locations.

3.   To start a blog.

4.   To give away a discounted session, at least once a month.

5.   To receive 2000 likes on Facebook.

6.   To photograph a session in a big city - Nashville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, etc.

7.   To photograph at least 125 sessions.

8.   To redesign the website, business cards, labels and forms.

9.   To do a "Trash-the-Dress" session.

10. To photograph at least 20 new clients.

11. To photograph at least 75% of my past clients.

12. To photograph a session of my children at least every other month.

I have already been able to mark a few of those items off my list! For example, you are reading my new blog - so there goes #3. I have been working on #8 - to redesign the website, business cards, labels and forms - and now get to cross it off my list as well! Take a look at all things new at Memories & Blessings Photography. (Please excuse the pictures, they aren't that great, I took them with my regular point and shoot off of my computer screen).

The new business cards!

The new Photo CDs!

The new website! This has been a work in progress! I posted a design last week and just wasn't in love with it - here's the new and improve site, which I happen to love! Check it out, www.memoriesblessings.com.

The new Client Access page!

The next photo is of something I have been wanting to do for some time now. It's a brand new "Loyal Client Reward Card". I have so many great clients who return to me every time they need new photos. Why not be a blessing to you just like you are to me? At your first session in 2012, you will receive a "LCR Card", with one stamp, in your envelope along with your Photo CD, copyright and DVD slideshow. Collect four stamps on your card and receive $25 off your next session. You will get a stamp with both mini-sessions and full sessions. Please keep in mind, it is your responsibility to bring your "LCR Card" to each of your sessions.

The brand new Loyal Client Reward Card!

Can you help me mark any of my goals off of my list? Just email me or message me on Facebook to schedule a session.

But, before you leave the blog today I want you to help in completing one more of my goals. #4 - To give away a discounted session at least once a month. Facebook rules have changed (once again) and page owners can no longer have contests on their pages. If they get caught doing this Facebook will delete the page and not allow you to make a new one under that name. But no fear, I have found another site that will allow me to do contests and connect them to my Facebook page so you will still have access to them. There will be a link to the other site on my Facebook page whenever I do a contest. However, that's not the type of give away I'm doing today. 

Everyone knows that February is a month for love. February 11th I will be doing a day of "Sweetheart Mini-Sessions" at the UT Gardens on the UT Campus. These sessions will be for couples only, no kids allowed! If you need to bring your children there will be a babysitter on site that you may leave them with for $5 a child. Here's your chance to win a half-priced mini-session (can not be combined with any other offer) on that day. Simply visit www.memoriesblessings.com and take a look around. Once you click on the Website photo, leave your name, email address and you and your Sweetie's anniversary date (when you got married or when you began dating) in the comment box on the left. I will give each email a number according to how I receive them.  You can also enter by leaving the same information as a comment on this blog post (not on the link on Facebook, but the actually post). I will give those comments a number as well. I will then use the "True Random Number Generator" on random.org to choose a winner. You have until Monday, January 16th at 8pm to enter.

Thank-you for taking the time to read this extremely long blog post! I look forward to seeing all of your anniversary dates and seeing who wins the half-priced "Sweetheart Mini-Session" (can not be combined with any other offer). If you don't win, you should still take the opportunity to get photos made with your Valentine. I still have a few spots available. Message me today to make sure you get a time slot!

Truly Blessed,

Megan

To Be Like Tebow?

(Photo courtesy of google.com)

How many times over the past few months have we seen this young man in this position? Tim Tebow has received recognition over the past few months for his courageous stand for his belief. What he is doing is certainly admirable and can teach many of us other Christians a lesson. He is not afraid of the criticism he receives from the world - he continues to share his faith in every way he can. What a platform God has given him! The NFL. All the announcers and fans call his story the Cinderella story of NFL, I call it God blessing one of his people.

To be like Tim Tebow? No, I want to be like Jesus. But, I can definitely take some pointers from Mr. Tebow. I don't want to be afraid to share my beliefs and I want others to know I love my Savior and have a desire to worship and live for Him.

God has given me a platform. Definitely not as big as the NFL, but in my own corner of the world I do have a platform. I believe God gave me Memories & Blessings Photography to be a blessing to others. Yes, it is a business, but I want my clients to know what a blessing they are to me and that God is good all the time! I will not push my faith on others, but I want to be a loving example of my God's love and mercy.

Thank-you for the opportunity to share a little piece of my heart. God has been so good to me and I want to make sure I tell everyone I possibly can!

Truly Blessed,

Megan

The Stubbs Family

Merry Christmas (again)! I had the honor of capturing the Stubbs family's first Christmas with their new baby boy, Landon. This was the first time that I had photographed the entire family together. I have done a couple of sessions of just the kids but was excited to get Mom & Dad in some of the photos as well.

When I arrived at this sweet family's house it was pouring down rain and very cold! But inside was filled with warmth and laughter. You could certainly tell that the kids, especially Jake, were ready for Christmas! Just a few days after our session little Landon was admitted into the hospital. He has since been released but please help me pray that he stays healthy and his family is able to enjoy him at home where he belongs!

Here's a few of my favorites from the Stubbs family's Christmas mini-session. Thank-you Jennifer for allowing me the honor of capturing these sweet moments for your family.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Memories & Blessings Photography blog! Having a blog was a 2012 business resolution of mine. I am so excited to be able to write down some thoughts of each session as well as post their images. I have been given the awesome opportunity to meet so many wonderful people - I want to share it with everyone!

This is how it will work ... the night of your session you will still receive 10 sneak peak images on the Memories & Blessings Photogaphy Facebook page. Once all your photos are finished being edited I will share some of my favorites on this blog along with a little something about your session.

God blessed us with a fantastic 2011 and I can't wait to see what He has in store for this year. I look forward to "capturing God's blessings in your life" in 2012.

Truly Blessed,

Megan Burnham

Special thanks to Leah Nicole Photo for the photos of my family! We're not the easiest group to photograph :)