Memories from the Three and Four Year-old Sunday School Class

Last year, I had the privilege to help in the three and four year old Sunday school class. So before I completely move on, I wanted to write down some of my favorite moments from this experience so that I can look back on them in the future. These kids have been a blessing to me. I'll miss getting to learn and play with them every week.

1. One of my favorite memories from the three and four year old Sunday School class is when a little three year old would excitedly greet me with "Hi, Caroline!". This little girl was usually pretty quite during class, but always greeted me with a big smile and a warm hug, which always made my day!

2. After the Bible lesson, we would occasionally play hide and go seek inside. The kids took turns counting. It was a little boy's turn to go and count. So he counted, and the other children hid. There were about three kids that decided to hide under a rug. It was obvious they were underneath it because it looked like a little hill. When the little boy came to find them, he decided to jump on top of the rug. It was pretty hilarious (no kids were hurt).

3. One lesson we learned in Sunday school was about how Jesus calmed the storm in the boat by saying "Be still". I remember we had a big blue bed sheet with a boat pinned in the center. All the children grabbed around edges and shook as hard as they could. They loved it. Then we quoted the word's of Jesus, "Be still," and everyone would stop shaking the sheet. It was just a wonderful reminder to me of how God is in control of everything.

4. It was the Sunday after the terrorist attack in Nice. For those of you new to my blog, my sister and dad were in Nice at the event where the shooting took place. If you would like to know more then click here to see the blog post I wrote after it happened. Anyways, a little girl picked out a book for me to read. I do not remember the name of it, but it was such an appropriate book for me to read. The animal characters in the book symbolized God and his people. The story showed how God has a plan for our lives and how He protects us. I wish I could remember more about the story, but it was so fitting after what happened to my family in Nice.

5. On my birthday the last day I helped in the three and four year-old Sunday School, a little boy told me something I will cherish as I wrote his name on his paper. He said "You are someone who cares for me." My heart melted. 

Why do I Blog?

Welcome to my blog! There's really no theme here. You will find crafts, thoughts on teaching, contemplating on God's grace, college & home organization, story times, life lessons and other random posts. If any of that interests you then I would love to have you stick around. Today, I am going to talk about what inspired me to blog!

During my very first semester of college two years ago, I took English 101. I loved this class. I remember really liking it because it taught a lot of grammar, which has always been a favorite of mine. It was an online class, so I never met my teacher. I am not exactly sure what inspired me, but my teacher (or something we read in the class) suggested making a blog. I just remember falling in love with English and loving writing. It was November 11, 2014 when I posted my first blog post. It was the end of the semester, and I was losing motivation. So I wrote about how to get through finals. Sometimes writing about something can really clear your mind and help you to focus.

So I told you how I was inspired to blog, but why do I blog? I blog for fun. I blog to express myself. I blog to clear my mind. I blog so that I can go back and look at my memories in the past. I do care what others think about my blog, but I really blog just because I enjoy it. It's a place I can express myself and not really care if my grammar is spot on. I hope those that read my blog benefit from it too. I hope that they enjoy my crafts, my college organizational tips, my love of teaching, and my reliance on God's grace. It's a place where I feel more comfortable expressing my feelings. It's a place I express my love of crafts and creativeness. It's a place where I cherish stories and things I have learned. On my blog, I can go back and look at lessons I have learned and memories I have made. I can revisit the things I learned from my very first year of teaching, look up the methods I used for cleaning out my closet, or remember the compassion I felt after the terrorist attack on Nice.

How I Organize my Ballet Class

It's been two weeks since I started back teaching ballet. I only have three students, and so far it's been fun. I'm really excited to have the opportunity to get to spend more one-on-one time with these precious students. They all have such different personalities. I am excited to see them grow in abilities and encourage each other! In order for these things to happen, I have to be organized, though. So here's how I organize my class.

First over the summer, I sat down and made a list of what we were going to learn each week. This is always tentative and more than likely to changes. Most of the time, I'll run out of time and occasionally I'll have extra time to fill. It's just a guide line of what I hope my students will learn. It also depends on the ability of the students in the class to how much we are able to learn. So far, my students have been learning rather quickly!

Each year I teach ballet it is a little different. This year I have a "Book of Accomplishments" for each student. The book (as you probably guessed) contains the student's accomplishments. I wanted something where they could visually see how much they have learned. They get to put a sticker by movements and ideas once they learn or do them. I'm excited to see how it works out!

Since I have my week to week agenda already planned out I don't have much preparation to do. Usually, Thursday night I pick out music and come up with combinations for class. If we're reading a book, then I'll pack that up in my bag. I try and keep preparation minimum, but I also like to do exciting things for the kids. For example, I plan to have one day where the students get to make up the combinations for the class for fun. I want my students to learn and have fun. We almost always close with a fun game that they can incorporate their dance moves into.

Overall, I'm really excited about this new school year with these precious students! I think it's going to be fun!

You {Doughnut} Want to Miss This Story

The other day my sister and I went to Krispy Kreme with a few friends. The case was full of delicious looking donuts. Of course, I got one with colorful sprinkles on it. There were not many people in Krispy Kreme except for a father and his six young kids. After eating my doughnut, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. However, the little girls (there was either three or four of them) who were there with their father beat me to the restroom to wash their hands. They struggled with opening the heavy door, so I helped them open it. Also, the light was difficult to turn on so I helped with that, too. I don't think they said anything to me. I don't remember a "thank you", but I do remember appreciative smiling faces. As they washed their hands, I waited outside the restroom. Their father apologized. Why did he apologize? I have no idea. They were there before me, so they have the right to wash their hands before I do. They didn't cut in line. They weren't rude or rowdy children either; in fact, they were quite the opposite. After they had left and I washed my hands, I passed by them to go back to my table and they smiled at me. Later, after we left, my sister forgot her bottled water so I went back inside to grab it for her. As I grabbed it, one of the little girls waved to me. I thought it was so sweet. They seemed overly grateful for my tiny act of kindness. It gave me so much joy that I could help them in a small way. I was only with them for one minute, but I kind of grew to love them and how sweet they were. As the day went on and I thought about our encounter, I actually missed them because it was such a joy to help them. So I prayed that God would bless and protect them. Helping these children also made me realize the amount of joy I receive when I have opportunities to help children. I love working with kids, and it's always a blessing to be able to help children or invest in their lives. Becoming a teacher, means that is the kind of stuff I will be doing every day! Thank you to the little girls at Krispy Kreme for filling my heart with joy. Thank you for reminding me how much I love helping children. Thank you for reminding me why I am studying to be a teacher. I need those reminders.

Thank you for reading my little story.

A Birthday to Remember

     My birthday was Sunday, and it was one to remember! My birthday was full of surprises. On Friday leading up to my birthday, Sarah, my sister, told me that she wanted to go shopping that afternoon. We went shopping at a few stores, got some popsicles, and then we headed for home (at least that's what I thought). However, we pulled into the Target shopping center in front of a frozen yogurt place. My sister asks "Do you know where we're going now?" I answer with a "no". Secretly, I am hoping that we are not going to have frozen yogurt right after having a popsicle. Thankfully, that is not where she is planning to take me. Instead she surprises me with a pedicure! We had to wait a while, but it was relaxing and fun. Once we finish, I barely have time to let my toes dry because Sarah is in a rush to go. So I clumsily march out to the car in my styrofoam flip flops trying not to trip in them. We listened to Hamilton on the way home. It was a fun day, but it got better.

   When we got home, I walked in the door and saw balloons. I was very confused why there were balloons. Then some of my sweet friends popped out of their hiding places and yelled "surprise"! I was shocked. I'd always wanted a surprise party! It was such fun getting to hang out with a small group of my ballet friends. I want to give a big shout out to Laura for the idea of giving a surprise party and to my mom and sister for doing the planning. Y'all did a great job because I didn't suspect anything, was very surprised and had a wonderful time!

Saturday was a lazy day and we did not do much. Sunday came, and it was my 21st birthday. The plan was go to church and then go out to eat. There was a possibility that Sarah and I might work in the three and four year old Sunday school class. I didn't expect they would need our help, but I am glad they did. It really made my day getting to spend time with these sweet children. I got several hugs, and got in a few good laughs. While I was writing a boy's name on his paper he told me "You are someone who cares for me". My heart melted. That totally made my day.

These are the things that made my birthday so special! I wanted to write them down so that in years to come I can visit these sweet memories again.

Back to School Supplies and Organization

I love school supplies! So in this blog post I'm going to show you some of the school supplies I have bought and little bit about how I organize my school stuff.

The very first thing I do, is I color code. I assign each class a color and then choose binders and planner stickers based on that color. To know more about my organizational method check out my Back to School Organizational Ideas blog post. Next, I label everything, so I don't get confused.

Now for the school supplies! Let's start with planner stickers. I bought a little book of cute planner stickers for 50% off at Micheal's. It has 1,486 stickers so I'm probably set for a long time. I also purchased some customizable stickers off of Etsy for my classes. To learn more about how I use my Etsy planner stickers check out this blog post, here. Want to know what planner I use? Click here.

"Be Still" Pen

Pen & Pencils on my desk.

Now for pens and pencils. I love these gold pencils! I mixed them with my #2 pink pencils on my desk. My pens I purchased from Kristin Schmucker. She has a lot of cute items to buy.

Gold pencils from Micheal's. 

Now, for the cutest eraser ever (purchased from Target)!

We all make mistakes.

What are some of your favorite school supplies to buy? I hope everyone has a wonderful school year! As always thanks for reading! Come back next Thursday for a new blog post! 

DIY: Painting My Desk

With lots of help from my mom and some insight from my grandparents, I painted my desk! The light color really brightens up my room, and I am loving it! Have you ever wondered how to paint a desk? There's actually more steps than I though there would be. I absolutely love seeing things transform into master pieces, so I thought others would enjoy it, too!

Before & After

The desk we painted was a desk we picked up for free off of the side of the road several years ago. The finish of the desk had lots of small scribbled engravings. The desk needed a little bit of wood glue here and there before we could start on anything. After that, we cleaned the desk with Murphy's Oil to get rid of all the dirt.

Next was sanding. This was probably the hardest step. The sawdust flew everywhere, so I would definitely recommend using a mask and safety goggles so it doesn't get in your nose and eyes. Once most the finish of the desk was all sanded off, we wiped the desk down with a tack cloth to get rid of the dust from sanding.

The drawers after being sanded.

Very first coat of paint!

Next, we did the primer coat. Then, we painted three coats of white paint (lightly sanding in between each coat). Lastly, we put on a wax to seal the paint. Once dry, the handles can go on and the desk is done!

Finished Product!

Thank you for reading this week! I hope you enjoyed seeing my desk go from drab to fab!

God's Protection of my Family in Nice, France

    Exactly one week ago, it was Thursday afternoon July 14, 2016. My mom just got off the phone with my dad, who was with my sister in Nice, France. My heart started to beat faster as she told me something had happened, but they were alright. All we knew was that a truck drove into the crowd. It seemed trivial as long as they were okay. I had no idea it was a terrorist attack or how bad it actually had been. I decided to Google what happened in Nice, France. The title read that 30 were dead, and I discovered what actually happened. Then it hit me how terrible this attack had been. My dad and sister were at the exact event where this terrorist attack happened. They were about 500 to 1,000 feet beyond where the truck had stopped. Thankfully, God protected them.

      There was a large crowd at the promenade celebrating Bastille Day that night. There were beautiful fireworks and music. My sister and dad were listening to a man play some music, when they decided to step out of the crowd. Soon, they saw panicked people running, so they ran not knowing why. A man took them and many others into his travel agency office that was in a basement. This is where they hid. I'm so grateful to this man for finding a safe place for my family until it was safe to go back to their hotel. In scary and hard times, there is always those people helping others. I think it's important to focus on these people because it's so easy to focus on the evil in our crazy world. After about a little over an hour, my dad and sister were able to take the back roads to their hotel and arrived safely.

     As the news continued to update, I learned 84 were killed and 202 were injured. Almost 300 people were killed or injured at the event where my family was, but God protected them. It was a lot to process. My heart rejoiced in God's sovereignty. Yet, at the same exact time, my heart was heavy. I felt for the families of those who were killed. I learned a father and son from Texas had died. I was shaken up, and my family was safe. I could not imagine what it would be like to have a family member killed during the attack. Before this event, terrorist attacks in France seemed so far away. Sure, I thought they were sad. However, after this experience, I have so much more compassion for those whose families were killed or hurt.

     I still went on with my day, but inside my heart was broken and I mourned for all those affected by the attack. I secretly hoped no one asked how I was because I really wouldn't have known what to say. I felt so loved and so broken at the same time. The next day, my dad and sister retraced their steps from the night before and visited the memorial full of flowers for those who died in the attack. It was a day of mourning in Nice. To me, this event served as a reminder that those I love could go home to heaven at anytime. God knows the number of days they will be here with us, but I don't. If it's not their time, God will protect them. God is good.

Thank you to everyone who reached out to us and supported us during this scary time. Thank you to everyone who prayed for my dad and sister's safety. We are blessed to be surrounded by so many caring people.

10 Things to do When Bored

Honestly, I never understood when I was little (and still now) why people could be bored. There's so many things you could do and places to go! Plus, if I ever told my mom I was bored she would have put me to work doing chores. So here's a list of fun things to do this summer.

1. Bake something yummy: It's always fun baking cupcakes or cookies. Try a new recipe, and see how you like it. You could even have a decorating contest with a friend or sibling. Want to try something fancy? Try making macaroons; click here to see a friend's blog post on how to make them!

2. Go on a picnic: This is something fun to do with friends or even family! If you can't all agree on a place to go eat or if your friends are broke, then this is a good solution.  To check out the fun picnic I had with my friends click here!

3. Snuggle with your dog: On rainy days, sometimes it's nice just to relax, do nothing, and snuggle with a soft puppy. If you don't have a dog to snuggle with go find a friend that has one. You're missing out. 

4. Make Bath Bombs: Have you ever wondered how to make bath bombs? Well wonder no more and try it yourself by clicking here to see my blog post on how to make bath bombs.

5. Go to the pool: If it's a sunny day, go get your swimming suit and hang out at the pool. One of my favorite things is just floating in my pink inter-tube in the pool. It's so relaxing.

6. Make an easy bean bag toss: It's really easy to make this fun bean bag toss. I made mine with my sister. So if you want to do it with your siblings too click here to see my post!

7. Go antique shopping: I always enjoy antique shopping. I usually never buy anything, but it's just so fun to look at all the pretty things. My mom and I did a little antique shopping the other day, and it was a blast.

8. Organize your closet: I love to have things organized. Last summer I clean out and organized my room and it was well worth my time! If you need some tips for organizing your own closet then click here to see my blog on that!

9. Make an inspirational board: I have a board with Bible verses and inspiration quotes. I love to read them when I'm stressed or feeling down. If you want to make one, too the click here to see mine!

10. Start a project like painting a desk: This summer I'm painting my desk! I'm VERY ecstatic! If it turns out the way I hope, it'll be featured on my blog.

These are some of the things I like to do when I'm bored.

Fourth of July DIY Bean Bag Toss

I hope everyone had a fun 4th of July! I'm back this week with another DIY project! My sister and I made a fun and easy 4th of July bean bag toss that I thought would be fun to share on the blog. I originally saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it would be fun to recreate.

To start, pick out two types of patterned fabric. I chose some navy stripes and red and white polka-dots from Walmart for under a $1 each. Cut a rectangle out of the fabric and fold it in half with the wrong sides together creating the size of bean bag you desire. Next, sew two sides of the bean bag up on the sewing machine, and turn the fabric right side out so that the pattern can be seen. Fill it up with beans and sew the remaining side shut. I made eight bean bags total: 4 red and 4 blue.

Next, you'll need some plastic plates. We bought a package of four red plastic plates at Walmart for less than $1. Then, on Microsoft Word, we printed out numbers to tape to the plates. The first one was worth 5 points, then 15, then 30, and the furthest was worth 50. When adhering the numbers to the plates I'd suggest using tape, because when we used glue they didn't stick and blew away.

I hope you enjoyed this simple DIY! You could use this not only for the 4th of July but really for any summer event. Of course, you can choose whatever colors you want your bean bags and plates to be!

DIY Bath Bombs

Bath bombs are fun and cool, but why pay for them when you can make them yourself out of ingredients that you usually have around the house? Below is the recipe and steps for how I made these lavender bath bombs. I got this off of Pinterest, but changed the recipe up just a tad.

You will need:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup of lavender scented Epsom salt
4 tablespoons of cream of tartar
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of water
Food coloring

1. Mix your dry ingredients (baking soda, corn starch, Epsom salt, and cream of tartar).

2.  Mix your wet ingredients (coconut oil, water, and food coloring). I'd suggest using one color of food coloring. I put a drop of red and blue in mine hoping it'd turn purple, but I just ending up with a bath bomb that had specks of red/pink and blue in it.

3. Very slowly pour a little bit of the wet mixture into your dry mixture and stir. Continue to do this until all of the wet mixture has been mixed into the dry ingredients.

4. Use a mold (I used a muffin tin) and pack your bath bomb mixture into it. At first I used a spoon to pat it down, but later I found it works better to actually use your fingers. I usually did about two heaping teaspoons into the muffin tin and then squished it down as hard as I could. It's key to get it as compact as possible.

5. Once all of the molds in the muffin tin are full, flip the muffin tin over onto a cookie sheet. Gently tap the bottom of each mold to make sure the bath bomb comes out onto the cookie sheet. Continue until you've used all of your mixture. It should make about 8 bath bombs.

6. Let dry overnight. Once dry, be very careful. These are super fragile and crumble easily. That's the one flaw about this recipe and I'm not sure how to fix it. I've had about 3 crumble or break. Actually, one of them broke because my sister got home after I had just made them (they were drying) and she thought they were cookies. So she poked one to see if she could get some frosting on her finger to see what they tasted like. I honestly don't think they look like cookies at all (my sister's crazy).

7. Last of all, you can package them up to make an adorable gift for a friend. Again, it's kind of a bummer they're so fragile because they could easily break in the bag when transporting them. I honestly would be tempted to just give a friend a bag that said "magical fairy dust for your bath" because by the time they get their gift home it'll be crumbled to dust.

In the end, I realized making bath bombs isn't as easy as it sounds. Maybe with a different mold or a lot of practice, they are easier to make. At first, they weren't sticking together and they kept crumbling, but with a little experimenting, I finally got them to cooperate. I'd challenge you to try and make them at least once, but I won't blame you if after making them you just go to the store to buy them.

Summer Picnic

Don't know what to do with friends? Have a picnic! My friend's mom surprised us with a wonderful picnic lunch this week! Here's a few pictures from our fun adventure.

We sat in a nice shaded gazebo in Big Spring Park.

Serving our plates with yummy food.

We had three types of pasta salad from Publix, cheese & crackers, and fruit! It was a great picnic lunch!

 I thought it was so sweet of my friend's mom to pack us such a wonderful picnic. We even had petit fours and cheesecake for dessert. It was such a fun time getting to spend time with friends. We ate lunch, listened to Reide play her ukulele, sang to Hamilton, and fed the ducks. It made for a great day!

A Sign of Love

Yesterday, I went to dinner with a friend. After we ate, it was pouring down rain. So we played cards and waited it out. The storm looked pretty bad there for a while. Once the storm cleared up, we went outside and there was a beautiful full rainbow. The colors were so vibrant; I could have looked at it for hours. I was awestruck. Everyone was out taking pictures. We were all fascinated by  God's creation. As people passed admiring the rainbow, I heard one lady say "Wow, it must be a sign or something!" I was still dumbfounded and captivated by the beauty of the rainbow to say anything, but it got me thinking. God promised to never flood the Earth again, which means He's in control of the rain, the wind, the lighting. Actually, He's in control of everything. He placed the rainbow in the sky as a reminder that He keeps His promises. His promise that He will never flood the Earth again; His promise that He is in control; His promise that one day we will be united with Him in heaven. It was then I was struck with peace and comfort. It was then that I was reminded that even though we live in a crazy and dangerous world, no one can be against us if God is for us. So to the lady who admired the rainbow before walking into Paneara, yes, it was a sign. It's a sign of God's promises to his children. It's a sign of peace and comfort to the troubled. It's a sign of love.

My Favorite Apps

We all love apps. I'm sure many of you have Instagram, Facebook, and etc. installed on your phone. I always enjoy looking in the app store to see if there's anything that is fun or can improve my productivity. I feel like I'm constantly downloading apps. Many of them I get tired of after a week and end up uninstalling. So from least liked to most liked, here are eight of my favorite apps that are worth downloading. Stick around for the last app that's currently my most favorite app ever!

8. Sky Map: This one I used for school when I had to find certain stars in the sky. It's now uninstalled on my phone, but it's really a neat app! If you ever want to look at constellations or certain stars in the sky, this app is perfect. You can search for whatever star or planet you are looking for and it will show you where in the sky to look. It shows just how big and majestic God's creation really is!

7. Aqualert: If you have trouble remembering to drink water throughout the day then this is the app for you. I actually uninstalled it because I got tired of it constantly reminding me to drink water (thanks, but I'd rather drink my Sweet Tea). Nonetheless, I find it's pretty cool that you can put in your gender, how much you weigh, and how active you stay, and it will tell you how much water you should be drinking every day.

6. ESV Bible: It's just handy to always have a Bible with you. It'll also let you highlight, so you can go back and look at all your favorite Bible verses that you've highlighted.

5. Colorfy: I'm sure there's several adult coloring apps out there, but this is the one I downloaded. I haven't used it in a while. However, I love that the pictures are detailed and you can zoom in to color those details. This would be a fun app for a long road trip.

4. Chick-fil-A One: Okay so I actually haven't used it yet, so I can't say much. I love the idea and it looks like a great app. It also comes with a free sandwich! I tried to use this app the other day, but was struggling to figure things out. When it comes to new technology, I'm a little slow, so it's probably just me. I'm really really hoping that I'll be able to use this app a lot.

3. The Decider: This is an app I use in my ballet classroom. As the name suggests, this app helps you decide using a wheel that you spin. In my class, I put the children's names on the wheel and whoever it lands on get to do something special (for example say the prayer). The kids love watching the wheel spin round and round. It's easier for me, too! I get less whining when I use the wheel.

2. Color Checklist/Checklist: I'm all about checklists. My room is scattered with papers that contain checklists, my planner has a checklist build into it, and of course, my phone has several checklists, too. I have two checklist apps. The first, which I've been using for forever, is simply called Checklist. It's easy to use but has one flaw. It can only hold one checklist. So I recently downloaded Color Checklist, which can hold several apps. In addition, you can even color code them!

1. 1 Second Every Day: This is currently my most favorite app! I just think it's so cool! Everyday, you film one second of your life. Afterwards, you can compile them. My goal is to film a second every day for a year! I think it'll just be so cool to look back and see what I was doing throughout the year!

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what some of your favorite apps are!

Little Things in Life

As a child, I read inspiring stories of missionaries, people who were brave, and people who were remembered. I liked those stories. I always wanted to do something big, something that would be remembered, or written in books for future generations to read. I used to think you had to do something big to be important, but you don't.

Each and everyone in God's family plays an important role. I needed to stop waiting for the big amazing thing I hoped to do later in life and start doing the little things that are important, too. Things like helping a stranger, encouraging a friend, praying with the hurting, and loving the friendless. Maybe those things aren't going to be remembered years afterwards like the stories of brave missionaries, but they are important.

As I embraced this mentality, I think this is why I liked the idea of being an elementary teacher. Teachers can play important roles in children's lives. They help the child build a foundation on which to grow and learn. They teach and nurture individuals that will be our future leaders. It's a big job, but it takes the little things to get there. Things like helping students succeed, encouraging struggling students, and praying for and with students. These small actions may not be recognized by the public or make the front page of the paper, but they are shaping the lives of children, and that's big.

The Light in a Dim Room

As I sat in a small room looking at a patterned curtain across the room, the small window in the tiny room let in more light. I wondered why light changes things and makes things look different. It seems like a childish question, I know. As the light came in, I could see the pattern more clearly and the colors more vibrantly. In that moment, the basics of Christian life came to mind. The small room represents our world. Our world is very small compared God's extensive universe. We are to let God's light of grace and salvation shine in our world. Our life is short. I watched the light appear through the window, and as the clouds shifted, it soon disappeared. Like the light, we are here for a short time. Let your light shine for God while you are here! Like the light made the curtain clearer, I hope and pray God uses you and me to share and make clear his gospel of salvation through grace. Much like God's gospel, we can not change the pattern on the curtain, but only make it clearer. However, we can't do it by our self. We'll need perseverance and God's help. By no means am I a theologian, but the illustration reminded me of why we are here and encouraged me, so I thought I'd share. We are here to glorify God. So don't hide that light!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" Psalms 27:1

10 Things to Brighten Up Your Desk

I finished finals yesterday, and it feels so good to be done! When in school (and even out of school) it's encouraging to have a clean and cheerful desk to get stuff accomplished. So here's 10 things that'll brighten up a desk!

1. Flowers: I bought some big beautiful flowers from Hobby Lobby. They add a pop of color to my desk and they don't even need to be watered!

2. Erase board: I saw this on the internet somewhere (probably Pinterest). But the cool thing is you can customize it with paper however you like. I find it's great for checklists or reminders.


3. A picture of someone you love: I have an old adorable picture of me and my sister dressed up as Indians for Thanksgiving sitting on my desk.

4. Bible verse holder: When you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, scripture always has it's way of providing peace and comfort.

5. Colorful pens: I bought some pens from here that are really cute! I love the way they write, and the gold encouraging words written on the side are adorable. 

6. Pink pencils: Homework and taking tests aren't as bad if your pencils are bright and colorful!

7. A stapler: Yes, my stapler is pink, too.

8. A place to store all of them. I love this cute little wooden tray that holds my flowers, ball-point pens, sharpies, pencils, stapler, and paperclips!

9. A cheerful planner to keep you organized on on time.

10. And last, but not least, a lamp (taking things literal, here) will brighten up your desk!

Thanks for reading! I hope this gave you some tips on how to brighten up your desk a bit!

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is Sunday, so this week's post is in honor of my mother.
My mom probably remembers me reading her some poems I made up when I was about ten. Quite honestly, they were terrible poems. Ten years hasn't changed much. I'm not a poet, nor do not have much experience writing poems. This poem below is far from professional, but it comes from the heart. So here's a poem for my lovely mom.

From diapers to college, you've watched me grow.
A childhood full of laughter,
Where did the time go?

You've bandaged scrapped knees,
and sympathetically wiped tears.
Being mom isn't always a breeze.

You've driven us thousands of miles,
for dance class, basketball, or friends.
So your day deserves to be full of smiles.

You patiently taught and home schooled me.
For over twelve years we learned together;
home schooling turned out to be a great academy.

I wanted to be just like you.
You were my inspiration.
I wanted to be a school teacher, too.

Two years of college behind me,
With your encouragement,
soon I'll have my teaching degree.

There's so much more to thank you for,
but I've ran out of words.
I hope this hasn't been a bore.

Thank you, that's all I have to say.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your
Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you for everything have done and still do for me! I love you!

Prayer in a Fast Paced World

We live in a fast paced world. We have fast transportation like cars, planes, subways, and even Uber. I can get a meal to go in less than five minuets. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to get where they are going. Our world is constantly going, constantly staying busy.

In your busy world, how often do you stop and pray? If you are anything like me, you probably pray quite often. However, many of them are sent up hastily and frantically. So often I talk to my Father in heaven only when I need something like success, healing, forgiveness, love. Those are wonderful things, but how often to I pray to God just to praise his name and thank Him for all he has done for me? How often do I set a large chunk of time aside to talk with God? Not as often I as wish.

Don't misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with sending up quick prayers to heaven. If fact, I think it's wonderful. It's pretty extraordinary that we can talk to the Creator of our world anytime and anywhere! However, let me tell you a story. During two days of spring break, I went to Lincoln Village with RUF. It was a fun time!  On our last day helping at Lincoln Village, we were directed to go pray for their organization in a room that held pictures of some of the kids from the school for about 30 minuets. At first, it was inspiring, but soon I started to feel tired. I could feel myself starting to want to drift to sleep. I felt like the disciples who fell asleep when Jesus was praying. I had a hard time concentrating for only thirty minutes, and it was then I realized that I too often approach God hastily and when in want.

Habits are hard to form, and time seems to be limited. Priorities get mixed up, and our world is in an impatient hurry. If you've gotten mixed up in the rush, slow down and take time to pray. I find it brings peace and helps sort through thoughts. Maybe you can't identify with me. Maybe you reverently pray every morning or evening, and that's wonderful! I look up to people who have that discipline. God's still at work in my life; I'm still learning and growing, and I'm comforted by that.

DIY Inspirational Board

School and life can be stressful, especially with finals coming up! Here's a simple DIY to decrease your stress and increase your inspiration.

What you need:
A bulletin board
Wrapping paper
Bible verses and quotes
Scrapbook paper
Stapler
Glue

1. First, pick out your wrapping paper. It doesn't need to be wrapping paper, but that's what I used. You can use any kind of paper as long as it is big enough to cover your board in. If you use wrapping paper like I did, I suggest using one that is fairly thick so that it won't tear easily. Cut it to fit your board and staple each corner to the board.

2. Print out some of your favorite verses and quotes. I used Microsoft Word to type up some of my favorites and then printed them out. Once printed, I cut them out.

3. Next, pick out some cute scrapbook paper. Cut the scrapbook paper to the correct sizes, so that you can place a quote over the paper and still see the scrapbook paper sticking out from each side of the printed quote as pictured below.

4. Glue the printed quotes on top of the scrapbook paper.

5. Staple them to the board, and you have made a wonderful place to get inspiration, peace, and comfort.

Add whatever else you would like! I added a picture of a vintage bike because I thought it was adorable, as well as a checklist to stay on top of things. You can't really mess this DIY up. It's quick, easy, and fun!

A Sister & Best Friend

Sisters make the best friends. It always breaks my heart to see sisters who don't get along and fight all the time, because you really can't have a better friend than a sister. I'm persuaded that my sister is the best, and here's why.

She's sympathetic: Recently, I was stressed, and my sister was very sweet, caring, and sympathetic towards my feelings. She encouraged me and showed me how blessed I am to have a sister like her.

She's encouraging: Like I mentioned above, my sister is very encouraging. I've watched her grow up encouraging teammates in basketball and friends in ballet. I've seen her encourage younger ballet company dancers before auditions, and be a wonderful role-model. 

She's enthusiastic: My sister is very outgoing and people oriented. She's very enthusiastic and tries her best to include everyone. She usually does a wonderful job at it too, but I'll never forget the day when she saw a new girl at dance and decided to make her feel welcome. A little too enthusiastically, she introduced herself and it scared the girl a bit. It was quite humorous.

She's funny: It could be a humorous comment at the dinner table or singing a silly song, but she makes me laugh. I enjoy getting to spend time laughing with her.

She's a beautiful and dedicated dancer: My sister has been dancing for about fourteen years now, and she's very talented. She has had several huge partnering roles, as well as solos that have displayed her strength and flexibility. She's been the Bluebird from Sleeping Beauty, the Sugar Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker, and many other roles. This Friday and Sunday, she will be Cinderella! She's worked very hard on this ballet. You won't want to miss it! Click on the link in my Facebook post to order tickets or get them at the door!

Dear sister, you are all of these five things and so much more, so here's to you my forever friend. I look forward to seeing you dance this weekend. I know you will dance beautifully; you always do. Take a deep breath, you're almost to graduation, and soon we'll be lying in the summer sun at the beach! I love you!

10 Lessons from Ballet

I teach ballet. It's something I enjoy doing, but also something I hope my student will reap from. These are 10 things I hope my students will learn from dance.

1. Confidence: I've seen students struggle with this. They look at the floor and try not to be seen. I love to see them grow in confidence as they begin to learn and understand. This semester, I have seen a sweet girl grow and become more confident in ballet. It makes me proud. Having confidence will help in life whether it's a book report, a speech, or a job interview.

2. Determination: "That's hard!" I've heard them say it so many times. Yes, it is difficult. Ballet is hard work, but with focus, practice, and determination it'll come. I have so many smart kids in my class, and they usually catch on quickly. Ballet is hard, but also enjoyable. It's good for them to learn to work hard and enjoy something at the same time.

3. Self discipline: Contrary to many little ballerina's ideas of ballet, ballet is structured and disciplined. It takes much self control. We've all dreamed of flying through the air and doing multiple twirls on end, but it takes much practice to get there. One of my students told me that it's hard for her to do ballet because she's so wild. I love her energy, but in ballet that energy needs to be channeled  in a different way. I hope my students will learn self discipline through ballet.

4. Be responsible: Keeping track of ballet shoes, tights, and leotards can be hard. The older kids are usually very responsible, but some of my younger ballerinas are still getting the hang of always making sure they have everything.

5. Memory: Ballet consists of many weird French words, and many dance movements. Remembering exercises, dances, French words, and movements. . . .  it takes a lot of memory for the young ballerina's brain. I love that my ballerinas are generally ready to learn and have excellent memories. They've stared learning their dance, and I love to see how quickly they remember and recall what they have learned.

6. Music: As I mentioned before I have many smart kids in my class. When they know the combination well, they rush. Instead of learning to stay with the music, they speed through the combination. Nevertheless, I'm proud they know the combination so well. I also hope they learn to appreciate classical ballet music because it really is beautiful.

7. Gracefulness: Parents everywhere are putting their clumsy kids in ballet in hopes they will become graceful. I've actually found that ballerinas are prone to trip more because they are taught to never look down. Anyway, I do hope my students will learn posture and poise. I hope they'll learn to hold their shoulders back, head up, and walk with grace (and hopefully pointed toes, too).

8. Encouragement: There's nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition, but I hope that my students will learn to encourage each other. There are days they get on each other's nerves, so this is always a work in progress. However, I've watched them help each other learn. I've watched them build each other up. There's nothing more encouraging to a teacher than seeing that.

9. Working with others: I occasionally have the kids get a partner and have them work together on a movement we are learning. This helps them encourage their classmates, as well as learn to be patient with each other. Another thing I learned from my own ballet teacher is to divide the kids up into two groups to watch each other perform the dance they are learning. Afterwards, they are supposed to tell each other 2-3 things they did well and 2-3 things they can perfect.

10. They're beautiful: I want my ballerinas to feel beautiful. They are made in the image of God and every single one of them is gorgeous. When performance day comes, I hope they feel pretty in their tutu, confident with their dance, and thankful to God for giving them the ability to leap across the stage.