Life Lessons

The semester is drawing to a close. I've finished two of my classes before Thanksgiving (yippee!), and there's more finals just around the corner. I have learned a ton of lessons throughout this semester. Here's just a few things I've found. 

1) You can’t do it on your own. You can’t tell yourself, “Today, I am going to be kind, patient, and faithful”. If you do, you will be disappointed. Growing fruit takes a long time. Can fruit be grown in a day? Of course not! A seed cannot grow by itself; it needs someone to nourish it. Let God nourish you, and pray that he will produce in you good fruit. This is something I've always known, but this was shed in a new light for me this semester. 

2) Trust God is in control. I worry a lot. I always imagine the worst case scenario. Yes, it makes me prepare more. However, most of the time worrying just drains me and makes me tired. I was sick this semester. It was so hard to balance school along with trying to get well. I had so much to catch up on after I felt better. I really learned to trust God through that.

3) Don’t get too close to just one person. Try and meet as many people as you can. As an introvert, I can’t begin to tell you how hard this is for me! Meeting and making new friends can be awkward. 

4) Don’t be afraid to confide in a friend. Don’t misunderstand me, your friends probably won’t like it if you always have drama and problems. However, I recently had a problem that I kept trying to fix, and it just kept unraveling again. I didn’t know what to do. I finally decided to confide in a friend, and she told me that she had gone through the same exact thing! She was able to offer some advice that really helped. God put her right there when I needed her most.

5) Do what you love, and use it to help others. My church doesn’t offer much for college-aged students, so this year I am helping in the 3's and 4's Sunday school class. I love it! I look forward to working with these little ones every week! It’s such a joy to do what I love and help out the children’s ministry at my church.

6) Relax, it can’t be perfect; go with the flow. Life throws curve balls all the time (like getting sick). I'm a planner by nature, and I like everything to be perfectly planned out. I have high expectations and am disappointed when they are not met. Life isn't perfect and it's full of unexpected surprises. If anything, teaching kids has definitely taught me the moral that things rarely go as planned.

7) Be humbled by your mistakes. Have you ever said or done anything that you wish you could have taken back? Maybe it was a snide remark or a selfish action, but it made you look and feel guilty. It happens to all of us, and it's very humbling. Let God use it to show you how much you need a Savior.

Maybe you can relate to something I've said. Or maybe you can learn and take something away from this. If something stood out to you, or if you have a lesson to share with me, please leave a comment!

Thanks for taking your time to read my blog!

Why a Teacher?

The first response I get when I tell people I want to be a kindergarten or first grade teacher is, "oh my, you must have a lot of patience!" I can't tell you how many times I have heard that. What's ironic is that I am generally not a patient person. God has definitely grown me in patience, but he is still at work. So why do I teach? It's definitely not because I have patience, because occasionally there are days I do not have patience. Here are four reasons why I teach:

1) Children seem to have a very genuine love and are eager to learn. Children speak their minds. If a child says your shirt needs to be lint rolled, it probably does. If a child says he loves you, he probably does. I find young children are generally more accepting, open, and trusting. Generally, they also are more willing and ready to learn.

2) I love to watch the progress children make. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a student understand. Progress in students is encouraging and makes the job of a teacher worth while!

3) One of my favorite things to do is to get to know each child's personality. I laugh at the outgoing one who makes a funny comment, or I watch as the shy one slowly starts to feel more comfortable in the classroom. Every child is different, and it's so much fun to see that!

4) I learn things from my students. I'm the one who is supposed to be teaching, but I usually end up learning something new, too! It's funny how that works! They unknowingly teach me classroom management skills. Other times, they help me teach the lesson by giving me clever examples.

 I love working with kids! Every day is a surprise! It has taught me a balance of flexibility and preparedness. It has also taught me patience. Maybe I'm not always a patient person, but maybe that is what God is molding me into.

It's Craft Time!

Have you been looking for a fun and easy craft? This one is perfect. Today, I'm going to show you how to make an adorable picture board holder! It's super simple, inexpensive, and a thoughtful gift for friends.

1) First you will need to print pictures. I cut mine down to 2.5 by 2.5 inch squares so I could fit 6 pictures on the board.

2) Pick out a board. I got this small one at Hobby Lobby. I know it doesn't look fancy, but when we get done it will look fabulous!

3) Paint the edge of the board. In the end, this will give it a finished look.

4) Since you already have the paint out, take 6 tiny clothes pins and paint the tops of them. This will tie everything together in the end.

5) Grab the jar of Mod Podge and a sheet of cute scrapbook paper. Trace and cut the paper to the right size. Then, use the Mod Podge to adhere the paper to the board. Put Mod Podge over the paper, too. It'll try clear.

6) Once the Mod Podge is dry, use E600 to glue on the 6 clothes pins.

7) Clip on the pictures!

8) If you have extra pictures, make a pocket on the back to store them. That will make it easy to switch pictures in and out.

I was pretty excited how mine turned out! Let me know if you give it a try! Thanks for reading!

The Doubts of a Future Teacher

At some point in life, everyone has doubts. Some days I doubt. I doubt whether I should be studying to become teacher. I doubt that I'll have the energy to get up every morning and teach kids. I doubt that I have the knowledge and wisdom to be a teacher. When moments like these overwhelm me, I step back and look at the lessons I have learned in life.

Everyone is asked the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" multiple times in their life. Kindergartners are asked. High school graduates are asked. It's a tough decision. For me, it has always been clear. Ever since I was a little girl, I told people I wanted to be a teacher. As I grew older, it became even more clear. God has given me a passion for teaching little kids. I enjoy getting to know children and their personalities.

Although fun, working with kids can be exhausting and energy draining. If it is God's will for me to teach, he will give me the energy I need. I know this from experience. Let me tell you a story. During my senior year in high school, the role I wanted most in the Nutcracker Ballet was the Sugar Plum Fairy. I was thrilled and surprised to be given the part. However, what concerned me most was the level of stamina it takes to dance Sugar Plum. I wondered if I was really cut-out for the part. I prayed that God would give me the strength and stamina to dance my part well. God gave me the strength I needed, and I made wonderful lifetime memories dancing that coveted part. All that goes to show, that God will provide.

There is so much I don't know about teaching. Some days I doubt that I have the knowledge to explain well. Others, I doubt I have the wisdom to know how do handle difficult or emergency situations. I have learned a lot in my first year of teaching ballet classes, but I know I still have a lot to learn about teaching. I must apply myself and ask God for wisdom.
I believe doubting oneself is not uncommon. Everyone at some point in life experiences it. Sometimes a little bit of doubt can be good. When I doubt my choice to be a teacher, I pray. When I doubt that I will have the energy needed to be a teacher, I am reminded how God provides. When I doubt my abilities and wisdom, I think of ways to improve and gain knowledge. What things in life do you doubt? How do you handle doubt? When in doubt do you turn to God and know that He has a plan for each one of His children?

Thanks for reading the doubts and thoughts of a future teacher.

Summer Cleaning: 10 Tips for Cleaning Out Your Closet

This last semester, I eagerly awaited summer. Probably not for the same reason many of you look forward to summer though. I wanted to deep clean my closet. Here is what I did, and a few tips for de-cluttering your most dreaded closet.

1) Take every thing out! As you take stuff out organize them into certain piles, so you have an idea where certain items are located.

2) Sort through your items and have trash bags ready. One for items to get rid of and one for trash. If your closet is as messy as mine was, you'll need way more than just two trash bags.

3) Be prepared for a mess! Slowly sort through items. Don't get too attached to things. Be willing to throw stuff out or get rid of it. Always ask yourself how often you use the item.

4) Clean out the empty closet with a dust cloth and Clorox wipes. Get rid of that dirt! Don't forget to vacuum too!

5) When sorting through clothes. Ask yourself the following questions: How often do you wear it? Would you buy it, again? Is it still in a good condition?

6) Use scarf hangers to organize belts, headbands, or ribbons.

7) Use the same kind of hangers to save space, reduce tangled hangers, and achieve a uniform look. Also, try hanging them backwards. After wearing clothes, hang them normally. After a few months, you will know what clothes to get rid of.

8) If you are a shoe lover like me, I highly suggest you invest in a shoe rack. I love mine! Also, keeping your shoe boxes is an easy way to store shoes.

9) Have two bins (one for light-colored clothes, and the other for dark-colored clothes) in your closet. Having these bins in the closet has helped me to put my dirty clothes in the correct spot instead of just leaving them around my room.

10) To save space, fold t-shirts like the photo below. I also folded the t-shirts that were too small for me and put them in a storage bin. Maybe someday I'll make one of those t-shirt quilts.

Don't get discouraged if you don't get this done in a short amount of time. I've spent a week on my closet, and still haven't found a home for all the items I've cleaned out. It's better to take your time and do a good job, than to do it quickly and sloppily. Don't forget to step back and look at all the work you've done! Look at the bags of stuff you cleaned out, and all the space in your closet! It can be an overwhelming task, but the outcome is rewarding.

I hope you are inspired to tackle the messiest closet in your home now. Have fun cleaning!

A Ragged Old Treasure

I want to tell you about something that is old, imperfect, flawless, beautiful, unique, and thrifty. It is a blanket; such a beautiful quilt. It was made, I believe, by my great grandmother, which makes it a special quilt. Its many worn holes show its imperfections, and yet that’s what makes it flawless to me. The holes show it’s been loved for many years. It has probably seen rough years and that adds character. Despite the few holes, which I have learned to love, it is really a gorgeous quilt. At first glance, it is very colorful. So many beautiful patterns dance all over the quilt! This is what makes it so unique. There are so many patterned fabrics that normally I would not have thought to put together. This is probably because the fabric squares of the quilt were once fashionable clothes before they were worn out and made into a quilt. There is even a square from the skirt my Mimi wore in the fourth grade, which makes the quilt all the more special. This beautiful quilt, in some ways, reminds me of individual people. Individuals are all unique and beautiful in their own ways despite their flaws. God has created us in unique and intricate ways that I know we would have never thought about if it had been up to us. Thank God for making you the beautiful and unique person you are today! 

Are You Stressed?

School is crazy right now, and I am stressed. I have so many exams to study for all at once! For those of you who are stressed like me, here is a prayer I quickly wrote. I hope it is encouraging.

Dear Father in heaven, stressed and tired, I fall at Your feet. I send a pitiful cry for help. I know only You can give me  the rest and strength I need. You constantly protect me, but I rarely acknowledge it. And yet, when I run to you in time of trouble, you are never disappointed or unloving. So here I am, again looking up at Your glorious face for help. Help me realize You are always there holding my hand. Hold it tightly to reassure me that nothing is out of Your control. Thank for for Your unconditional love. Amen.

DIY Valentine's Day Ideas

No matter if you're in a relationship or single, Valentine's Day should be a day to tell your friends how much you love them! My friends and I had a fun night together! Here's a few things we did. Take a look! Who knows maybe next time you're with friends, you might want to try these out.

Raspberry Floats
You will need: 1) Paper Straws 2) Glass Jars 3) Raspberry Sherbet and 4) Sprite! It's pretty self-explanatory, just put the sherbet and sprite into the glass jars and enjoy! They are delicious! They are super cute for Valentine's Day since they are pink!

Craft Time!

You will need: 1) Mason Jars, 2) Paint, 3) Sticky Stencils, and 4) Something to paint with. I  bought some adhesive stencils at Micheal's and they worked well. Just stick them on the jar, and let your creative juices flow! We were able to wipe the stencils off with Wet Ones and reuse them. 

Food!
For the food we had fondue with pretzels, marshmallow, strawberries and heart cut brownies (shown in picture at right). We also had some delicious cucumber and dill finger sandwiches, as well as cream cheese cranberry sandwiches on pumpernickel bread. Oh, and of course we had pizza, too!

Easy Decorations 
These Valentines decorations were so easy. For the heart chain on the left all you will need is construction paper, a stapler, and scissors. Cut the paper into long strips, form into a heart, and start stapling the chain together. For the banner on the right, all you need is construction paper, string, tape, letters, and scissors. Fold the construction paper into eights to cut out the triangles, tape the triangles to the string, put the letters on the triangles, and you have made a banner!

Many of these ideas came from pinterest and Bethany Mota's YouTube channel. I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I hope you give a few of these a try!

Breakfast in a Hurry!

How many of you skip breakfast? I thought so! I skip breakfast most days as well. Here’s a super easy way to eat a yummy breakfast either in a hurry, or on the go! I love it, and best of all, it can be made in 5 easy steps!

1) Grab a mason jar!

2) I started by plopping some blueberries into the bottom of my mason jar, but you can use whatever fruit you choose.

3) Then I scooped some vanilla Greek yogurt in next. 

4) After the yogurt, I added raspberries because those are the best!

5) Add some old fashioned oats to the top!

                                Now place it in the fridge and it’s ready for tomorrow’s breakfast!

Before you start, let me warn you: do not fill the jar up all the way to the top because you will want room to stir the fruit, yogurt, and oats up together. I hope you enjoy it! It is SO delicious and makes life so much easier in the mornings! School starts tomorrow morning. Can you guess what I’ll be having for breakfast?