2016 Goals.

January 1st, 2016. The first day of a new year. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher or because I've always loved school, but this first day of the year on the calendar doesn't feel as much like the first day of the year as the first day of school does. I will still go back to the same job with the same kids and be counting down the days until June. 

Regardless, I do like the time of the year to reflect and look forward. This past year was the best of my life. Most importantly, I got married. Along with that I had so many fun events with my friends (bridal shower, bachelorette party, trips to Pullman) and generally good things happening in many areas of my life. I feel blessed to have had such a great year. It makes me a little nervous about if 2016 will be able to live up to it, but I will do everything I can to enjoy every minute and find the best in each day. 

Here are some goals I have for this year:

1. Buy a house! 

We have been living in an apartment for two and a half years and I am ready for more space. We started looking at houses more seriously in the past few weeks and we are going be getting pre-approved soon then looking for a realtor. If anyone has a great house buying tips, feel free to share. :) 

2. Spend less time on social media and more time present with my husband and others in my life. 

I spend a lot of time on my computer and phone, especially after school and in the evenings. It's hard because I do enjoy it and think of it as my time to unwind but I also feel like it's way too much. I need to put it away and focus on my husband and us spending time together. Even if we are just watching tv together I would rather be focused on that together instead of texting or scrolling through twitter at the same time. 

3. Get back to the gym 3 times a week and run at least one 5k. 

I am the epitome of a yo-yo dieter and gym goer. I was working out twice a day in the summer and on a super strict diet to lose weight for my wedding. I didn't have a lot to lose, but I made it to my goal weight and was the smallest I have ever been in my adult life. I loved how I looked for the summer and all of the events that took place surrounding my wedding. I don't need to go on as crazy of a diet, but I know how good I feel when I am working out so I need to get back to that. 

4. Spend more time in the word, journaling, and in prayer. 

I have a one year bible that I started last year and didn't make it all of the way through last year. I want to try to finish that this year. I have also been given quite a few Christian books, both novels and other studies, that I want to start getting through. I should be spending time doing this as opposed to being on social media, so those two goals will go hand in hand. I am also leading a high school small group and I know that will help me grow and I look forward to growing through that as well. 

5. Read at least one book a month 

I enjoy reading and I don't make enough time for it. I want to be more intentional with my time and that includes reading which is both enjoyable and relaxing for me. I am in a book club where we read one book a month so that should make this goal easy, but I still wanted to include it. 

What are some of your goals for 2016? 

*All images from Pintrest 

Friday Favorites

Favorite Song

I found this song last night when I was looking for wedding music and I forgot how much I love it. It makes me want to do a dance with my mom just so that I can play this song. The words are so sweet. 

Favorite Verse

This has been a great reminder this week. I've been super stressed with work and upset about the littlest things. I need to get back into reading the bible daily because i know it will give me the peace that I need. 

Favorite Food

I made a pintrest meal this week and it was so good! I served it with whole wheat pasta and peas instead of rice and it was delicious. I definitely want to make it again! 

Favorite Part of the Week

I talked to my dad and my grandpa this week. They both live on the east coast and I am lucky if I see them once a year. It was so nice to talk wedding with them and talk about their travel arrangements for the wedding. I'm so excited that they will both be there for my special day. 

Happy Friday! :)

Friday Favorites

We have reached another Friday, yay! Sadly this is really the last friday of summer with school beginning on Wednesday, where has the time gone? We've had a long week of teacher meetings and professional development and I'm definitely ready to see all of my kids on the first day. Here are some favorites from this week!

Favorite Verse

At my school we practice agape love and the 8 essentials which are very much derived from this bible verse (even though we are a public school). It's a huge part of our school climate and so while we spend quite a bit of time during professional development this week talking about the 8 essentials I couldn't not reflect on this verse.

Favorite Song 

I am a country music lover and I like this song because I feel like there is always a 'Mama's house' in your mind that you want to return to. It will never be quite as good as it was when you were a kid but it's fun to remember. Plus, Time McGraw is so talented. 

Favorite Picture 

Last night was our first college football game and we happened to be playing my mom's alma mater, Rutgers! I ended up getting free tickets to the game and had enough to take my mom too. It was a really good time, sadly we lost, but my team went through quite the low point when I was in college so I'm used to that. It was so great to be back in the atmosphere and cheering for my Cougs! :)

Favorite Decor 

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but I already started decorating for fall. I blame peer pressure, my best friend did it first, but I really like it and am enjoying the little fall ensemble on my mantle. 

Enjoy the long weekend! 

Friday favorites

It was my last official week of summer but I spent most of it at school working with my FFA students. I got a lot of my classroom prep done (pictures to come next week) so I feel good about that. Next week during all of our professional development I plan on getting my content all figured out. Anyways, here are some favs from this week.

Favorite Song 

Taylor's new song did not disappoint. I'm in love with it, so catchy! && is she not so adorable in this video?

Favorite Verse

Favorite Purchase 

I've finally started my back to school shopping and these are two of my favorite things I got this week. First, a simple pair of dark jeans from Gap. They are bootcut and super comfy, also long enough for me which sometimes it's a struggle. The shirt is long and a little flowy. I love the crimson color and gold accents, best of all it was only $12, score! 

Favorite Thing that Happened This Week
One of my best friends from 5th grade got married two weeks ago and we don't see each other nearly enough (like maybe twice a year?). At her wedding she was like, let's hang out before you start school again. I wanted to but we all know how life gets and it doesn't always work out. Well this time we made it happen, she came over last night and had dinner with me and C (sadly her new husband was working) and we chatted for hours. It was SO NICE to just sit and catch up. There is nothing like old friends who you can pick up with from right where you left off.

Favorite New TV Show

Does anyone else watch this show? I've watched it for many seasons and I still enjoy it. I think half of the time I am just mesmerized at how talented and beautiful the girls are. I wish I had hair like that!

HAPPY FRIDAY! :) 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This is my last weekend before school training begins, I'm planning a day trip to the mountains with the fiance && maybe some bowling tonight. I'll be here on Monday to share all about it.

Here are a few of my favorites this week:

Favorite Song

I think this is such a sweet song. Its different from the typical country love songs and I really like his voice. :) 

Favorite Verse

I was looking up verses to be read at our wedding and this one was one of my favorites. It's sweet and incorporates the bigger picture, that we are making a bond with God and that needs to be at the front of our marriage. 

Favorite Summer TV Show 

I've been watching this show for years and even though it's pretty stupid and probably fake, I can't resist. 

Favorite App

I joined fantasy football with my fiance && his friends this year, I'm hoping this app will help me to stay organized and do well. I want to show those boys that I know a little something about football too! 

Favorite thing about friday?

It's a blue friday! No need to pick out an outfit, just wear some Seahawks gear. Go Hawks! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

what i'm hoping for in 2014.

As much as I feel like New Year's Resolutions are cliche, I still love the idea of making them every year and working hard to achieve them.

*Be intentional with my quiet time and journaling every day. I have read my Bible more this year than the other 23 years of my life combined and I love the changes that I see. My relationship with the Lord is growing every day and I want to stay on this track. There is so much to read and so much more to learn about Jesus and this year I want to continue that relationship with him and really dive into the bible.

*Make my health a priority. I have a gym membership, I need to use it. I know how to eat healthy, I need to actually eat that way. I have gone a couple months with eating lots of junk and not working out and now I need to get back in shape because I have a lot o big things coming up this year. I am a maid of honor in a wedding this summer and I want to be in perfect shape for that event. Not to mention the bachelorette party in Vegas for that wedding in April. If a weekend surrounded by 8 girls who are in perfect shape in shorts and bikini isn't motivation, I don't know what is.

*Further my education. Even though I just graduated with my Bachelor's last year, I am planning on starting my masters this year. Depending on my summer plans, I might start in June to get a few solid months complete before I get back to school. I know that it's going to be a lot of work but the feeling of accomplishment (and raise) makes it worth it. Plus, I would rather do it now before I have kids and other distractions.

*Go on a trip with my boyfriend. We have been together for over 4 years but since we were in college and then broke after college, we still haven't gone on a real vacation together. I think that is something we definitely need to accomplish this year.

That's what I will stick with for now. There are so many other, smaller, goals that I could add but then this list would go on forever.

Happy 2014!

Jesus' Miracles

If I miss church on Sundays I love to listen to the sermons in my car when I am making long drives. Yesterday since I drove for almost 4 hours I decided it was the perfect time to catch up on the messages I missed from the past two weeks when I was on vacation.

Right now we are reading through the Gospels about the life of Jesus. Whenever I read these stories I am amazed by the love that Jesus has and all that he did for the people around him. He performed multiple miracles to make people believe in who he was and what he came here to do. One of my favorites is the story of feeding the 5,000. My dad used to reference this story when I was a kid and when I saw it in my reading I instantly knew what he was talking about. Jesus will always provide. He provided those thousands of people with their fill, it was a miracle. When he was in a boat in Sea of Galilee with his disciples they came across a storm. They were all worried that they would sink and drown but Jesus told them not to worry, to have faith, and he calmed the storm. This showed how powerful he was. Yes he could heal the sick, make the blind see, rid people of demons, but he also could control nature which was even more impressive to the people around him.

These miracles are impressive to read about, but I know that some people have a hard time making them relatable in real life. If I stop and think about my life, I know that I can see many miracles right in my own life. I have a brother who was born weighing less than two pounds. It was a miracle that he survived and now he is healthier than ever, just ran a marathon last weekend, and is taller than me! I decided to become a teacher and in student teaching I found that I was at the perfect school. There wasn't an opening there and I was discouraged and sad that I'd have to leave. One day I found out that the teacher in my subject area resigned and I applied, interviewed, and was hired. It was a miracle. Miracles are all around us if we open our eyes to see them.

In the sermon my pastor was talking about how Jesus is not a genie, you can't just call on him when you want and ask him to grant your wishes. It doesn't work like that, Jesus wants to be part of you life all of the time, not just when you need something. It made me evaluate my life, am I only calling on Jesus when I need him? Lately I have been striving to make sure to be more thankful than ever. I know that there are so many things in this life that I have been blessed with and it is important to take the time to thank Jesus for each of those gifts. Without him, I would have nothing.

What miracles have happened in your life? Thank God for them. What are you feeling blessed with right now? Thank God for the blessings.

Happy Saturday!

-J

Christmas in July

I think I've mentioned before that at my church right now we are doing a 'Cover to Cover' series in which we go through the entire Bible in about 9 months. Tonight we finally reached the New Testament!

Tonight I read about the birth of Jesus, a story we've all heard endless times, but I think it meant a lot more as I came across it quietly in my own personal reading. As I read about Mary I was struck by one of the verses when she said simply, 'I am a servant of God.' This was so powerful because she is a young woman who was just given news that meant her life was forever changed. She was going to become pregnant and give birth to the Son of God. Did she ask questions? Did she complain? Did she turn to Joseph and seek advice? Nope, she simply said that she was a servant and accepted the news.

Wow.

To me this really stood out and it made me think about times in my life when God might have been leading me somewhere. Was I willing to drop everything and serve the Lord? I honestly don't know if I have always been willing to do that. Reading this tonight made me see another example of someone so whole heartedly following the Lord and how beautiful it is.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” - Luke 10-12

Happy Christmas in July. 

Nehemiah

I read this book a couple of years ago before I ever really studied the bible and when I returned to it in my reading this week I found some things that really stood out that I wanted to share.

"Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord if your strength." - Nehemiah 8:10

Joy is something that comes from the Lord. Even in the hard times it is important to remember that even though we are in the midst of hard times, the Lord still loves us and wants to see us full of joy. There are many things that we can allow to interrupt our joy but we have to push past them to see all of the things that we have to be joyful for. I pray that I keep my eyes fixed on the Lord, on all of my blessings, and on the joy in my life.

"Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." - Nehemiah 4:14

I pray that if I am given a task by the Lord that I have the strength to complete it no matter who my enemies are. I pray that I will take time first, in prayer, to ask for support and guidance and that once it is clear that this task is meant for me that I will be steadfast. Nehemiah did not give up on his task to help restore Jerusalem. Even when he was facing opposition and his enemies were right before him he first "prayed to out God and posted a guard day and night to meet the threat." (Nehemiah 4:9). In my life and I am working to make my prayer more intentional and constant throughout the day and Nehemiah is a reminder of the importance of this task. Whenever I face something in life, big or small, prayer should be the first thing I do.

"We will not neglect the house of our God." - Nehemiah 10:39

I pray that God is always first in my life and that I always provide him with a home in my heart.


Anyone else read Nehemiah lately or have any thoughts on this book? I'd love to hear!

-J