a big God for little people

Over the past few weeks I have really been working on my relationship with God -- really, it is a journey I have always been on. At times, though, I find myself so consumed with the little things that I don't have time make time to recognize and thank God for his overwhelming presence in my life. 

photo credit

This past advent, I found a 25-day Bible study using The Bible app (let's be honest -- technology can motivate me to do about anything!). On day four, the scripture was Luke 2:1-5. It was portion of Jesus' story where Mary and Joseph were called by decree to travel to the city of David. Now, I have heard this story many times growing up but, after reading this devotional, my perspective has greatly changed. The devotional called me to acknowledge God's plan over every aspect of our lives -- as little as they may be.

Have you ever felt, like me, little and insignificant in a world of seven billion people, where all the news is of big political and economic and social movements and of outstanding people with lots of power and prestige? 

If you have, don't let that make you disheartened or unhappy. For it is implicit in Scripture that all the mammoth political forces and all the giant industrial complexes, without their even knowing it, are being guided by God, not for their own sake but for the sake of God's little people -- the little Mary and the little Joseph who have to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  

He is a big God for little people, and we have great cause to rejoice that, unbeknownst to them, all the kids and presidents and premiers and chancellors of the world follow the sovereign decrees of our Father in heaven, that we, the children, might be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ. 

It can be overwhelming to consider how vast the world of seven billion people is -- at times I can feel so little and insignificant. But I am trying to take comfort in God's presence in my life. He is truly a big God for little people -- he cares about each and everyone of us and His work is so present in everything we do. 

It feels like getting married this past year has only created more uncertainty -- not less. It is an amazing feeling to have my husband by my side through all the upcoming changes, but the worrier in me always seems to creep out. This year, I am going to be intentional in continuing my journey in thanking God for his presence and continuing to serve Him.

High Five for Friday!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday!

Because of a very busy weekend life in general, I'm a lot behind on my Friday posts -- this one covers the past two weeks -- but so many great things happened in December too. It's been an awesome time celebrating the holiday, finishing up school work, and basketball games… I've really enjoyed focusing on the great parts of my week.

1. Celebrating the holiday was so much fun! My family especially has all sorts of random traditions that we like to do together. Cousin-only game night, family movie night (movie theater style), and family game night are just a few around Christmas and New Year. I feel so blessed to have so many awesome people to celebrate with!

2. Basketball season is already half-way over! The husband and his girls have had a great season (despite having three snow days and two games rescheduled). They just had another big win last night agains rivals L&M. My favorite part (as always) is getting to know the girls -- they are all such great young ladies! Last week they all wore their Christmas presents from Kasey and I -- matching pink socks! It looked a-mazing!

3. Resolutions. It seems like everyone this year has made resolutions. I haven't decided yet what mine are going to be -- I know that it's already the 10th of January and I should have figured this out by now, but I'm trying to rethink my year. This year I want to focus on the single-word concept. What will be 'my word' for 2014?! What word will help me focus on achieving all the things that God has planned?! (I'm still working on it!)

4. A few weeks ago I discovered (quite by accident) a great movement on instagram called the #edufashionchallenge -- each day there is a different element to strive for when planning outfits. It has really motivated me to put some extra effort and thought into my clothing choices -- it also gives me a little more focus during my morning routine!

5. One thing I have rocked in 2014 is staying connected with the wonderful blogging community! I have taken extra time to intentionally read the great suggestion and thoughts of some amazing women and have even ventured out of my comfort zone and done some comments and twitter chatting. I am so grateful for the bloggers that have taken the time to reach out to me and reply. The advice and help from women who have it together is going to help make 2014 a great year!

I hope everyone else is having a wonderful week!

High Five for… Saturday!

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for… Saturday! This week has been even more chaotic than a normal holiday weekend -- so my post is a day late this week. But, when I decided to become an active part of the blogging community, I promised myself that I would commit to at least one post a week. So, here it is (even a day late!)...

1. Basketball season has started -- and, as my first season as an official head coach's wife, I am feeling the commitment! I am working on another post about our little family's commitment to coaching, but so far I am just enjoying getting to know this year's Columbus Wildcats -- they are such a fun group to watch already!

2. My weight-loss journey is back on track -- I am feeing really confident (even through the holidays) and have added an additional challenge for the next month. I signed-up to complete the Skinny Snowman Challenge with Brooke: Not on a Diet. I am so excited to be a part of this group and to have a support system of 'friends'.

3. When I married Kasey I got an awesome group of nieces and nephews -- they are already teenagers, and a blast to hang out with! I also got an awesome group of not-really-nieces that call us Uncle Kasey and Aunt Jen. We had a play-date last Saturday, they helped me make banana muffins and taught me new games (on my own iPad!).

4. I-O-W-A! The Hawks beat the Nebraska Cornhuskers yesterday for the first time in years (maybe decades!). This was especially wonderful for me -- a Hawkeye fan and Cyclone graduate. The saying goes that the one thing both Iowa and Iowa State fans can agree on is that everyone hates Nebraska!

We watched the game at our favorite place to eat, the Vine in Iowa City (the place where Kasey really developed his love of wings!).

5. It has been an unexpectedly busy holiday week, but we still have found many opportunities to spend time with family. Starting on Wednesday night, we had dinner with Kasey's mom and step-dad, then spent Thanksgiving with my extended family on both sides, had lunch with Kasey's sister and dinner with Kasey's brother on Friday. We are looking forward to two more extended family meals this weekend! We are truly blessed with families that take the time to be together.

I hope everyone else is having a wonderful week!

High Five for Friday

Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday!

1. This past week (during parent/teacher conferences) was our school's Scholastic Book Fair -- our staff and students do a wonderful job of supporting the book fair (and I absolutely love to see how excited our students get about purchasing and reading new books!). My classroom parents -- and my mom -- were so generous this year and purchased us six new books for our classroom! 

2. It has been a busy, busy week! With meetings everyday after school, it feels like work is the only thing I have to talk about! I am trying to keep up with my reading and blogging and socializing -- but there are somethings that are slipping (like working out). For the next week I'm really going to focus on stopping and being thankful for all the wonderful opportunities I have (even if they do include loads of meetings)!

3. How (I mean seriously, how) adorable is this new iPhone background?! Thanks to Pinterst (I wish I could remember who to give credit) for introducing me to the great app Cuptakes: wallpapers for the girly girls.

4. Today, as a reward for my very well-behaved students, we are continuing to watch the movie The Sandlot. My students are loving it and can't wait until we get to watch it again next week. We are only watching 30ish minutes at a time, but it is the best. I had forgotten how hilarious that movie is -- I am giggling right along with my kids!

5. Wanted to save the best for last -- this past weekend I was honored to be a bridesmaid in  a great friend's wedding. The entire day was perfect! The happy couple did a wonderful job of including their own personality into every bit of the event! Both days were so well organized and I felt so grateful to get to spend the whole weekend with one of my favorite couples. (Getting dressed up with my hubby was another bonus!)

I hope everyone else is having a wonderful week!

My Get-Back-On-Track Goals

This is the first time I've ever publicly discussed my weight or weight loss journey on the internets -- but my love for the community and need for support outweighs the fear. Here we go…

I am really good an expert at the first few weeks of any diet or fitness program… I am especially excellent at the first two months of the Weight Watchers program (I've done it 3 times in the past two years). All the tracking, working out, and going to meetings is great… for the first 9 weeks. Then I start to fail...

• in April and May 2011 I trained (program, diet, everything) for my first 5k -- rocked it -- and decided that running wasn't my 'thing' anymore.
• in January 2012 a friend and I started a 9-week boot camp with a friend and we lasted about 6 weeks… then we started meeting at the Starbucks next door to the Y. 
• in May 2012 I started Weight Watchers online for the fist time, but quit a few weeks later after a food-filled family vacation.
• in April, May, and June of 2013 I started the 'great wedding diet' -- including Weight Watchers online again -- but couldn't keep up the workouts or diet amongst all the summer fun.
• and in September 2013 I re-started Weight Watchers -- this time by attending meetings and forcing my husband to get on board with healthy eating and meal planning...

But. Here is my confession:

This past week I have been snacking. Hardcore snacking. Snacking after school in my classroom on reward candy -- alone so I don't have to track the points. I'm even scared to count up the number of not-so fun size candy bars I've eaten for fear that it will equal an entire days worth of points. 

I don't think it's all been bad -- I have been in great control of my meal planning and meal points, I have been attending weekly meetings religiously, and I have reached my goal off 100% on Activelink 10+ days in a row. I'm not sure why I can't keep to a program… it's frustrating when I feel like I was doing everything right this time. I felt like attending meetings would keep me accountable and honest and that having a great support system of husband and friends would keep me excited about the change. I also was careful not to go to extremes -- I have been choosing to eat things that stay within my range and are healthier alternatives and portion sizes than before, but still allow myself to indulge sometimes and to eat meals that work for our little family.

But frustration still got the best of me -- after two weeks of doing everything 'right' I still only lost .2 pounds in two weeks (ugh!) and the snacking and self-destruction started. And I'm not really sure where to go from here… but here are a couple of my small goals.

What about you? What are some goals and advice my blogging experts have to share?!

High Five for Friday

I love the blogging community. I look forward to checking in on some of my favorite blogging-friends everyday. In my never-ending effort to be part of this great community, I am vowing to become a contributor by blogging again. I'm going to start off easy… one day at a time and one post at a time.

Today, I'm linking up with Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday!

1. Sunday night my family met for our my mom's birthday dinner -- the guest of honor gets to choose the restaurant! It was so great to see my mom, dad, sister, and Scott… and Bob's Your Uncle in Iowa City as the best spinach artichoke dip with pita bread!

2. My work week started off great by honoring our veterans with 600+ of my favorite kiddos. I was part of the committee for our Veterans Day ceremony -- and it was wonderful. The kids did a fantastic job and we had over 100 veterans in attendance! Hearing all the K-8 voices singing America the Beautiful is my favorite part every year!

3. This week is round one of parent/teacher conferences and the end of the first trimester. Some days I can't believe that the year is one-third of the year is already over, and other days I can't wait for summer. My students this year have been great -- we have made loads of changes to our middle school curriculum and my 8th graders are rising to the occasion! I can't wait to meet the parents of this fabulous class!

How cute are these goodie bags from our Sunshine Committee! Long days are always more manageable if there are snacks!

4. I started working out again this week -- it's a long process, but my Activelink from Weight Watchers is a great way for me to feel motivated and to track my goals. After three days, Jillian Michaels is still on my good side!

5. I could not be more excited for this weekend! One of my very best friends is getting married and I am blessed to be a part of her big day! I will be wearing the most beautiful dress and dancing the night away! 

She is one of my very best friends and we have been kind enough to allow our husbands to be part of this elite group. We can not wait to grow old together as married-couple friends!

I hope everyone else is looking forward to a fabulous weekend!

A Pinterest Classroom...

Pinterest, Twitter, and Blogs have changed my classroom. I have been on the look-out lately, but it still seems like Pinterest classrooms and Twitter lessons have been popping up everywhere. I love how much teachers have been sharing with one another, and how available great ideas are! I am a talker (a loud talker) so I have always communicated well with my classmates and co-workers, but social media has opened up a world for me where I can 'talk' to the greatest educators from across the world. I have discovered some of the greatest teaching-minds in nearby districts - and have even been able to 'steal' ideas from famous teacher-authors like Penny Kittle.

So, this year I will be stealing, borrowing, and sharing ideas all the freakin' time! Here are 5 of my favorites (so far) as I set up my classroom. Kiddos come in 16 days! (yikes!)

Make-over for my teacherbinder: This is an amazing post with great suggestions for sections/contents for your teacherbinder (it's a new word). Her suggestions will 'up' the productivity of my binder!

Favorite Bulletin Board: For the first time in my teaching career, I have more than one (seven, actually) bulletin boards. This will takeover two of them!

Organization for a Substitute: This is one of those ideas I'm going to have to 'age' a little for my middle school classroom, but it's still a wonderful idea. One place where all my sub copies and ideas can be - all you have to do is add the specific unit plans!

Favorite Motivator: I love the saying "Kiss your Brain" - even for Middle School! I am excited to keep this filled with Hershey Kisses for my kids that are really on-top of things that day!

Favorite Common Core Checklist: I love, love, love this chart! I had to 'steal' the idea and make mine using MS Language Arts standards - but it's a quick way to keep yourself and your students accountable for those Common Core and Iowa Core standards! 

PS: I can (and probably will) do an entire post on a-mazing anchor charts I've found!