Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #273

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?!

I don’t usually start off with the weather, but this week we had a good variety! I really enjoyed a couple warm days, followed by some cooler days. Sun, clouds, blue sky, wind. One day, I wore my jacket and the next, I wore shorts and ate dinner outside!

Lydia finished school this week! She went to school all year, with a little bit of online learning at first. I am so grateful she had that option. As a single mom, life would have been much more challenging if we had to switch our school and daycare options so I could work. She made it the entire school year without having to quarantine. That doesn’t mean we won’t have to do so sometime, but I am praising God for protecting us!

Tonight, we are heading to a friend’s high school graduation. I can’t believe she is going to college, as she was a little younger than Lydia is now when we met her! It will be good to see her and her family. They also knew Dave through Caterpillar, so that’s a nice connection, too.

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #272

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was another full week, but I saw God at work all around me!

I participated in my first VA2K, which involves a 2,000 meter short walk and food drive for Veterans. VA employees (and others) donate food and resources for those Veterans who are food insecure and/or homeless in our community. It was a beautiful day, and we dietitians organized about sixty individual bags of food to be given away, as needed. Lydia really enjoyed going through our cupboards for items to donate!

Lydia finished up her swimming lessons on Thursday. It was a big time commitment the last few weeks, but I am glad she had fun. She had a huge smile the entire time in the pool.

Recently, I was asked to consider being a mentor for small groups at my church. Once I learned more about it on Friday afternoon, it felt like a perfect match. It will be a small commitment in the fall, but I am looking forward to it.

Yesterday was Lydia’s half-birthday. We celebrated by sharing some ice cream, getting our hair trimmed, and picking up her new glasses. Yes, she is near-sighted! Thankfully, she is very excited and confident. Several of her friends have glasses, so she’s looking forward to wearing them to school on Monday! Here’s hoping she doesn’t break them right away!

The weather was warm-to-hot this week, so I put off mowing until it was cooler today. It felt good to tackle the “jungle” that was my lawn! Being outside also means opportunities to catch up with my neighbors. I also saw some tree swallows, which is always a treat!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

Finding Grace #271

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was busy but fun!

Work went well, and there were many interesting things that happened. Besides patient care, we had various meetings and trainings that show just how capable my team is. I really appreciate the perspective each person brings to our field. We have a lot of fun, too!

Lydia had fun at swimming lessons and learned some new techniques. It’s fun watching her bop along with the other kids. I enjoy watching her learn and grow!

Thursday, I took Lydia for a quick health check-up before school. She had symptoms of a cold and I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t COVID. Thankfully test was negative. The provider thought it was just allergies and gave her some Claritin. Overall, that seems to have helped. As a side note, I am grateful that was our first go-around with any sort of symptoms during the pandemic. Praise God!

The weather was great this week, with a lot of sunny days. It finally felt warm enough to leave my jacket at home! Spring is later here than my home state of Illinois. But, I also noticed my tulips are starting to bloom!

Today, we met with old friends, ate out, and spent time at a local water park marking eight years of Dave in Heaven. It was fun to do something different as we celebrated his life and legacy. I’m thankful for how far God has brought us, and I know Dave would be so proud!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #270

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was pretty calm. I enjoyed catching up with family on Zoom, and later my aunt and my parents on the phone! I am grateful to have so many awesome people in my corner!

Work went well, and I was able to get caught up with my charting (finally!). 🙂

Lydia had two sessions of swimming lessons. She did well and had fun. She might have even made some new friends. 🙂

Yesterday, I enjoyed my first afternoon of not working in months. I took a walk along the river (pic above) and ran some errands. It was a beautiful day, and I enjoyed the mental break!

Today, Lydia and I ran a few errands and ate lunch at Panera. Sometimes, it’s nice to have a change of scenery during mealtimes; it’s always interesting to see what new things we talk about! After that, we went clothes shopping for Lydia and also found a gift for her school teacher. It was a great day!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #269

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week was very good, but a little unusual at times. Work went well and I had some very meaningful conversations with my patients and coworkers. I loved that. But, I also had some tech issues and several no-shows and cancellations. On the other hand, I did get a chance to catch up with my charting, so that was a good tradeoff!

I felt God’s hand of protection this week on my way to work. I over-corrected in a traffic situation, and I’m hoping it wasn’t as close as I thought. It all happened within a split second, but I am grateful God gave me good reflexes and great car that handles well. Thank You, Jesus!

A friend and I wanted to sign up our girls for swim lessons together. I woke up early and was prepared well before the website went live. My friend got a spot for her daughter but I did not. That was a bummer! Nonetheless, I signed up through a different program, and that will work out well, too, even without the friends together. We’ll make the best of it!

Yesterday, I finished up teaching my last class at Concordia. I really enjoyed the opportunity, though I am glad to have a little more free time now. The last two semesters pushed me to do my best, and I am glad to have been able to give back to my profession!

Also, yesterday, my next-door neighbors helped me move our couch to the curb for clean-up week! I was able to do part of it on my own, but needed their help with navigating the stairs. I really appreciated their willingness and availability. The couch was Dave’s before we got married (estimate: fifteen years old). It was very comfortable, but we haven’t used it much these last few years. It had some good memories but also made me sad, and so, I finally decided to part with it. What a relief.

Clean-up week occurs once or twice a year, and everyone puts all their items outside for garbage pick-up, but it’s also a free-for-all. I placed some other items out there, too, and it will be fun to see what’s taken before Monday’s garbage pick-up! Lydia and her friends have had fun lounging on the couch…outside! But it has already been taken!

Now that the couch is gone, there is a lot more space in our exercise area. We are better able to utilize the space after some rearranging. We also went through some toys and other small items to give away. To celebrate the space, we had a picnic for dinner last night. We sat on beach towels on the floor. Lydia was so happy and asked to join me in a circuit workout!

The grass began really greening up this week, after some light rain. Soon, I’ll have to mow. Today, it is warm but a little windy. Still, we can’t complain about such beautiful weather!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #268

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week went really fast. Lydia had fun playing with a friend on Sunday and Wednesday. Plus, we got to Zoom with family!

I enjoyed a good amount of problem solving this week. There were a number of issues that popped up, both personally and with others. I am glad I was able to come up with creative solutions for everyone involved. Thanks, Lord!

This week, the weather was variable, but today is sunny and beautiful!

Today, Lydia and I hung around the house for awhile. I did laundry and some meal prep for the next week while catching up on a couple podcasts. Then, we went to the mall to walk around. After that, we read at the bookstore. I love that Lydia enjoys reading like I do!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #267

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This week seemed long, but I can’t really explain why! 🙂 I think I just didn’t get enough sleep. It was a good week overall!

We had cooler weather for much of the week and  some very light snow, which is not ‘unexpected’ for this time of year. Nonetheless, the today and yesterday were bright, sunny, and warmer! We’ve enjoyed the longer days, too.

This week, I caught up with several people through calls and texts. Some people had big prayer requests, such as health issues. And some people were praising God for what He has done for them. I’m grateful.

Today was pretty relaxing, though it didn’t quite go as expected! Most of my original plans fell through! Instead, I enjoyed a slower pace and cooked various items for the week ahead. We ordered Chinese food for dinner. I’m grateful for God’s redirection! 

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding Grace #266

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a productive week! I enjoyed a slightly slower pace at work filled with a few meetings, good conversations, yummy treats, and a fair amount of laughter. My coworkers and I were learning how to use a new tube feeding pump so we can educate our patients. It reminded me of the classic joke… how many (dietitians) does it take to change a light bulb?!

Lydia’s school was doing some state testing this week. She forgot her iPad at home because she was charging. I wasn’t able to bring it since I was already all the way across town at work. Thankfully, she borrowed one from the school library.

On Thursday evening, Lydia and I went out to eat with coworkers to bid farewell to our dietetic intern! She has been with us since January, and we all appreciated having her. She helped us with our work and was quick to learn everything we threw at her!

While at dinner on Thursday, I got to hold a coworker’s sweet four-month-old baby girl. She was so cute and alert! This baby was born the same month as Lydia so there are many similarities in the timing of her growth and development. As such, it meant a lot to me that I got to hold the baby, specifically because Lydia was the same size and age in April right before Dave got sick in May. Whenever I see a baby that age, I think about those few weeks and consider them a sweet spot before all Hell broke loose.

I went to the college campus on Friday to teach my class. It was on renal disease, which is kind of a complex topic. But, I did my best and felt good about it overall. In addition to covering the material, at least on a basic level, my goal is to give my students practical guidance to set them up for success. I also enjoyed catching up with some of the staff, too!

This week, the weather was windy and rainy at times. But, we need the rain and I was thankful it wasn’t snowing! Then again, it was absolutely gorgeous today, and I enjoyed hearing the song birds and seeing some crocuses popping up!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Worship

Finding Grace #265

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a fun week, though some days seemed long! I don’t have anything really new to report, but there was just a lot going on every day! 🙂 Work and life went well, overall, and I also enjoyed chatting with my sister!

Lydia received a box of Easter goodies in the mail this week. She was so excited for some candy and a few Peanuts/Snoopy items. We called our family to say thank you, and I was so surprised when Lydia offered me one of her Reese’s peanut butter eggs! It was totally out of the blue, but she said she knew how much I like them. It melted my heart, and I told her how much I appreciated her generosity. Her whole face lit up in pride!

The college was on Spring Break this week, so I didn’t go to campus yesterday. I still have some grading and such to do, but instead of doing those things, I ran some errands and got my oil changed. It was so sunny out, and I enjoyed having some quiet time to myself.

Then, Lydia and I went to church for the Good Friday service! After it was over, we caught up with friends and met a three-week old baby boy! He only weighed about five pounds at birth, since he was three weeks early. He is so tiny and precious!

The weather was all over the place this week. It ranged from being in the 30s to 70s and at times was very windy. We were serenaded by some robins on several mornings. We also noticed buds on the trees and some tulip leaves popping up! Today, it has been warm and beautiful!

Today, one of Lydia’s friends came over for a few hours to visit. They decorated Easter eggs, watched a movie, played outside, ate lunch, drew pictures, and more. She is a sweet girl and very easy to be around. It’s so fun to see their friendship grow!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer

Finding Grace #264

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

Where did I find God’s love and favor—His abundant grace—this week?

This was a great week. It had many highs and a few lows. I heard of several prayer requests, some regarding relationships and many for health issues. I’m grateful God’s grace is constant. He knows exactly what we need even before we ask!

Work went well, and I had fun participating in various meetings and helping my coworkers. I had friendly patients and feel like I made a difference!

I caught up with a couple of dear friends this week. One is a widow, like me, and we typically work through our similar experiences and cheer each other on. We met today for bowling and frozen yogurt with our girls. It was a fun few hours…just what I needed!

The other friend is a Caterpillar wife and we enjoyed catching up as well! We haven’t seen each other in a long time, but we talked for an hour on the phone. God is so good, and I loved hearing how He is taking care of everyone!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!