Life Lessons: What Does It Mean to Be Content?

I learn little life lessons just about everyday… Examples: If you put a package of Emergen-C in sprite- It WILL explode. A little goes a long way. Something as simple as a smile can totally make someone's day. AND hitting the snooze button DOES NOT pause time. These are all great, but sometimes I have break-through life lessons that change everything...

It's only 56 days into this new year and God is revealing lots of exciting things... Throughout my life, there has always been this thought in the back of my mind: "Once _______ happens, my life will finally be perfect." NO…. NO NO NO. God has revealed to me through many experiences that HE IS ALL THAT I NEED!!! It's so simple, yet outrageously meaningful…. BE CONTENT. Those two words have changed how I look at my life. I'm learning to be perfectly content with where I am. The EXACT day, place, time, season, with myself, relationship status, EVERYTHING…. This is God's plan. God's timing. This is where I am meant to be. It is truly a beautiful, wonderful thing. 

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:17: "Don't be wishing that you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe RIGHT THERE. God, NOT your marital status, defines you." 
Do you see the beauty in that, friends?

Our relationship with Christ ultimately DEFINES who we are as a person… Take a minute and let that sink in…

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 

Having said that, I have compiled a little list for you…

1. CONFIDENCE: Begin praying for God to show you how HE sees you… A lot of times we tend to focus on the negative things about ourselves: "WHY is my hair looking like a rat's nest today?!" "I'm so pale." "I wish I had Carrie Underwood's legs." etc. This is something that I struggle with DAILY. The enemy knows exactly where to sneak in and try to steal, kill, and destroy. DO NOT LET HIM. When we start praying for God to show us how He sees us, we start to realize that He is present and the Holy Spirit is alive and living inside of us. God will start to expose your true beauty in Christ so that you see it clearly. Inside and out.

2. PRAYER: Try changing the way that you pray. Prayer isn't supposed to be formal. It can- but for me, it's a conversation with my one true love. Along with talking to Him we have to LISTEN as well. Sometimes we think praying is all about telling God what we want and need and hoping he brings it to us. However, that is not what praying is for. The sole purpose of prayer is being able to have a deeper intimate relationship with God. In having that deeper relationship you will naturally feel contentment.

3.  JOY- I wrote a blog a couple weeks ago about joy and I am a firm believer that even the tiniest things can bring about joy in your life. A good parking spot, catching the sunset at the perfect moment, a phone call from a friend, time spent reading scripture, someone telling you that they appreciate your efforts, treating yourself to some ice cream, etc. When you start thinking positively and thanking God for the little blessings in your life, your vision becomes clearer. You will notice yourself thinking "WOW! I'm so blessed!" Even from the smallest of things. It's great. 

4. REFLECT: Think about what makes you happy… Now go do that! Do things and be around people that bring joy into your life. So simple, yet so effective. 

5. ELIMINATE: Stop worrying so much. I feel that a lot of times worry comes so easily to me. I'll start to think about something and then shortly after the "what-ifs" start happening and before I know it I am in stress mode. It happens so fast that I don't even realize what I'm doing. I have to take those negative thoughts and remove them completely. The fact of the matter is that life is way too short to worry, and most of the time the stuff that we worry about is stupid! Let God take the pilot's seat. Stop trying to control your life. Sit back and enjoy what He has in store for you! Live in the NOW. Let Him direct your path. Trust Him. Once I remind myself of His sweet promises, I feel so silly and just have to thank Him for being so patient with me.

From what I have learned, being content doesn't mean you have it all together. It doesn't mean you have a "perfect life." It doesn't mean that your life is even remotely what you expected. Being truly content with your life means that you accept everything as a blessing and a chance to grow in your walk with God. The actual definition of the word content means to be "in a state of peaceful happiness" and ultimately YOU are in control of your happiness. Happiness is a choice and you get to choose to be happy and find joy in your life or focus on the negative. Being content is way easier than I think we make it out to be...

I'll end this post with a verse that is very dear to my heart. Putting my hope in these words have gotten me through the hardest times of my life and continue to encourage me to put all of my hope and faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jeremiah 29:11-12
That's a promise. :)

-J

Gym Bag Essentials

1. Dove Deodorant: As one of my former students once told another student- "Ya gotta have some DEO for ya B.O.!!!" Dove is my favorite kind. It smells great and doesn't contain harmful chemicals.

2. A Cute Bag: Nike has some of the cutest duffle bags. The possibilities are endless!

3. BabyLips: What would one of my "Essentials"posts be without lip balm?! This particular one is called "Quenched" LOVE.IT.

4. Adorable Water Bottle: Drink your H20 in style!

5. Hair Ties: I love how bright these colors are and how they hold my hair securely while I whip my hair back and forth during Zumba!

6. Nike "Double Sport" Headband: I'm really weird about headbands. A lot of the times (especially with cute ones) I will find that headbands do not stay on my weirdly shaped head. This Nike headband however, has a silicone strip on the inside that keeps itself in place no matter the intensity of the workout!

7.Cute Headphones: So you can rock out to your JAMZ!!

8. Antibacterial: I think I could be a little addicted to this stuff. Just a precautionary tool to hold me over until I get home to shower.

9.Cute Nike Tennis Shoes: Nike's are my favorite brand of workout shoe. They're stylish, well made, and are very comfortable.

10. Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes: These are super gentle on my skin and leave me feeling fresh and clean! My top pick for facial cleanser! 

11. Not Your Mother's Mini Hairspray and Dry Shampoo: You never know when you could potentially be dealing with a hair emergency. I always stay prepared. 

12. Luna Bar in Chocolate Peanut Butter. All time favorite flavor. Perfect protein fix for pre or post workout.

13. VS PINK Fresh and Clean Body Mist: I love the smell of this stuff. It's not heavy at all; It is a light scent of freshness- perfect for post-workout! 

What do you have in your gym bag??

P.S. Here's a snapshot from my first Zumba class as an instructor last night!!! I will be blogging about this new adventure soon!

Friday Favorites: V-Day Style

It's FRIDAY!!! Here's my Valentine's edition of Friday Favorites...

1. Dunkin' Donuts... HELLO! All I've wanted this week is a heart sprinkle donut from DD. I'm not even that big of a donut fan, but these just look incredibly delicious!

2. The perfect Valentine nail polish 

Essie: Secret Story.

3. Snail Mail: By the end of the month I've set a goal for myself to send out some snail mail. I LOVE getting cards in the mail that someone hand wrote. I want to make someone's day by letting them know how thankful I am that they are in my life. 

These are adorable cards from Etsy!

4. Valentine Lips- In my previous post I raved about this lip stain. I love the way that it goes on and then lasts all day. This is the perfect color for this day of LOVE!
Revlon Colorburst Lip Stain in Lovesick.

5. A Cute little festive dress. I wore this dress to school! So comfy and casual. (from Old Navy)

6. These adorable cupid-style earrings.

7. Some of my favorite movies demonstrating real men of chivalry… *sigh*

8. What's Valentine's Day without these babies?!?

9. My students today... I am incredibly lucky to have such amazing kids that I get to teach every day. I'm not saying this because they filled my desk with candy and gifts, but because today I really saw how sweet they can be to one another. My heart is happy. I love Valentine's Day.

Enjoy this day of love and remember to tell the people that you care about how much they mean to you!!

From my desk to yours...

-J

How To: My Version of Beach Waves...

I'm a tad obsessed with styling my hair... I have read so many blogs on how to do beach waves. After many trials, I have come up with my own version to share with you!

After I get out of the shower, I brush through my hair. This takes me about 10 seconds. That's the last I see from my brush.

****Best tip I've ever learned****-STOP TOWEL DRYING YOUR HAIR!!!!!!!!!! I use a t-shirt to dry mine. Hair-life changing. Trust me. 

After my hair has dried a little, (using a t-shirt) I work a nickel amount of  Pantene BB cream through my locks. Followed up with a nickel size amount of Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream. I begin to scrunch my hair at this point with my hands. I then grab my diffuser, blow dryer, NYM Sea Salt Spray, & take a seat in front of my mirror. It takes me 15-20 minutes to blow dry... Too long. I know. My hair is long & THICK.

I use my diffuser by scrunching up sections of my hair & holding for a few seconds. Throughout the process I spray in some sea salt spray for texture! (Isn't my little helper cute?!)

After my hair is completely dry I grab my 3/4 inch curling iron & do work. This takes me less than 10 minutes. I search for straggley pieces & wrap them around the barrel of the curling iron leaving the ends out. Don't use the clamp!!

To finish up this look I spray a light layer of Big Sexy Hairspray for some added body! & voila! Done. I'm ready to take these beach waves to the actual beach! :)

Also- somedays my hair REFUSES to have body. (Which kills me.) that's when I reach for my dry shampoo. I think that dry shampoo works better on clean hair, or just-styled hair. I just section my hair off & spray down my roots & then roughly rub it in. That's a sure way to give your hair some oomph! I really like both of these dry shampoos! 

Wishing you the best of hair dayz!!!

-J

JOY.

JOY is my word for this year. I want to do more of what brings joy into my life and less of what stresses me out. Lately I have been thinking about what REALLY makes me joyful...

I think that the greatest things in life are the small things. Things that we tend to overlook in our busy lives. SO, here are a few of my little things that bring me joy…

• A NOTE. From anyone. A handwritten something. It can say anything; it can be long or short. Just the fact of that person thinking of me and caring enough to write me a little something completely warms my heart. (THE BEST ones are from my students!)
• Those first few minutes of getting home when Piper freaks out because she missed me so much during the time that we were separated. I wish that I could be the person that my dog thinks I am. She makes me feel like a million bucks!
• “Love moments” from God. He does this all the time for us, but to actually receive it and realize how awesome it is… These moments can be anything from catching the sunset at the perfect time, reading a scripture or quote that speaks directly to you, or even a friend calling at the perfect time. It’s a moment that you KNOW is directly from Him. He’s constantly showing us how much He loves us. We just need to slow down & start looking for Him in everything that we do. 
• Inspiring others. I love to encourage and lift other people up. This is a daily goal that I have made for myself. If I can at least inspire one person or one of my students, then it’s been an accomplished day. My students are probably tired of hearing my little pep talks, but I want them to know how special, unique, bright, loved, cool, beautiful, funny, and awesome they are. I want them to know that they can accomplish anything that they set their minds to and that the opportunities for their future are endless. Some of my babies believe this, others I’m still working on!
• ZUMBA. When I’m dancing I am so happy. I don’t have a care in the world. I’m just feelin’ the beat!
• A worship session in my car. If you haven’t tried this… I’m tellin’ ya- This leaves me feeling refreshed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and ready to take on anything that comes my way!
• Spending time with my sister. We don't even have to be doing something specific. She's just fun to be around and laughing is always sure to take place. 
• A student having a “light bulb moment”. These get me SO EXCITED!!! They get this look on their face and YOU KNOW that they understand. All that hard work was worth it!
• Helping someone. In any way. The act of helping someone just brings me joy.
• Cooking something successfully. If you know me, you know that I struggle in the kitchen. BUT there are some days where I can really whip up something great (with recipe in hand of course…)
• Good hair days. Self explanatory.

These are just a few that I can think of off the top of my head. Take some time today and think about what REALLY brings joy into your life! What makes you happy? What makes you smile? Whatever that is, DO IT. You deserve to be happy.

Enjoy this Sunday, Friends!

-J

Friday Favorites

I'm going to start a weekly post called Friday Favorites. Every Friday I'll dish about my current favorite products, music, food, and other random things!

First of all… I swear by the ENTIRE Not Your Mother's hair products collection. I use them all- shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo, hair spray, beach spray, BUT this little bottle takes the cake for me. I put about a nickel size amount in my damp hair and then use a diffuser to dry. It leaves my hair feeling fresh and brings out my natural waves. I.LOVE.This.Product. 

Next up on my Friday Favs is this wonderful little granola bar. It tastes glorious and is a great 

mid-morning hold-me-over-until-lunch snack. Delicious! 

This winter weather has wrecked havoc on my skin. I am constantly itchy and dry. I have really noticed that my face has taken a toll as well. This day lotion has been awesome with battling my dry skin. I put it on first thing out of the shower. It's not greasy and is very light and comfortable on the skin. I've already noticed a difference since I've started using it! 

Along with the dry skin issue-you guessed it- I'm so over having dry, dull hair! Pantene has created a BB cream that does wonders on my dull do.  This cream leaves my hair feeling restored and silky soft! I like that you can use it on damp or dry hair AND it smells incredible!

I'm always searching for great reading plans on the Bible app! Last week I started Joyce Meyer's Trusting God Day by Day plan… It's a 14 day plan that helps guide you to release the things that you cannot control and helps you find the courage to step out in faith and REALLY trust God with everything. I am enjoying this plan so far and recommend it! I love how Joyce breaks things down and somehow it applies to my situation so perfectly! It's a great way to start my day!

Here's a little preview...

I've recently discovered the band Bastille and I cannot stop listening to them! This is one of their most popular songs- Pompeii. They're incredibly creative in this presentation of the song! Check out ALL of their music. It's wonderful.

Thanks for reading! 

Happy Friday Friends!! :) 

My Purse Essentials

I have always wanted to do a "What's in My Purse" post soooo… here it goes. :)

I have 4 Fossil purses that are in this style. They are roomy and easy to carry- which I love! It has perfect size pockets so that your items are organized and also enough room so that you can fit a pouch, wallet, and other random items. 

In my purse I carry the following items:

• Hand sanitizer- I go through this really quickly. Being a teacher I'm always paranoid about getting sick so this is my go-to precaution. 
• Paper-Mate felt tip pens-THE BEST.
• My iPhone- What would we do without our phones?
• My nail polish that I am currently wearing- I am a tad obsessed with my nails always being painted… Having said that, I am very hard on my nails and tend to chip them easily so I always keep my bottle in my purse in case I need a quick touch up. The color I'm loving at the moment is called Geranium. (pictured above)
• Paper clips, binder clips, etc.- I always find random teacher-y things in my bag.
• Ray-Ban Wayferer sunnies in Brown Tortoise pattern frames- My favorite sunglasses to date! 
• Luna Protein bar- You never know when you'll need a little pick me up snack!
• Mint Gum- Fresh breath is a priority. 
• Baby Lips Chapstick- I swear by this stuff. Definitely my go-to chapped lip fix. I have about 5 different colors and love them ALL. Very subtle shades of color with a hydrating punch!

In my fossil Key-Per pouch I carry the following items:

• elastic hair ties - I love these because they don't leave a crease in my hair! They're very comfortable and stylish as well!
• Bobby Pins- Self explanatory. I swear these things grow legs. I never can find them when I really need them, so I make sure to restock my pouch!
• EOS organic lip balm in summer fruit. This goes on smooth, smells amazing, and it is easy to keep track of!
• Revlon color burst lip stain in Rendezvous. I've always felt like lipstick looks weird on me until I found this little gem! It goes on smooth, great color, and stays on for a long time. It's not thick like most lipsticks; it's the perfect consistency. 
• Covergirl Lash Blast waterproof mascara- Never know when you'll need a touch up!
• Vaseline lip therapy- I know what you're thinking! "Goodness! She carries a lot of lip products in her purse!" Okay, so I have a fear of being somewhere with chapped lips. It's the worst feeling to have lips that are crusty and achy. Am I right?  So I make sure that I am always prepared!

What essentials do you keep in your purse?

My New Adventure...

Hi! My name is Jessica, but I'm known by many as Miss L. I'm a 6th grade science teacher and soon to be Zumba instructor as of March 8th! I absolutely adore my profession; I know that I am doing EXACTLY what I was meant to do. I enjoy puppies, frozen yogurt, and dancing to good music. I love going to LifeChurch and spending time with my Savior. I have a sweet fur child named Piper. I'm an Oklahoma girl that will someday relocate to a beach. I grew up loving Disney movies along with all things girly…

I love blogs. I love discovering new blogs, looking at them, getting ideas, inspiration, etc. I have always wanted to create my own, but never really gave it a try… Until now! With some much needed help from my good friend, coworker, and incredible blogger Twenty-Something Teacher, I am on my way to becoming a real blogger myself!

My blog's focus will be a mix between teaching ideas, my new found love for Zumba, crafts, products that I love, and other random things that I might come up with! Hope you enjoy!

From my desk to yours. :)

J