Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

Posted on in Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #421

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!

Free Robin Red-Breasted photo and picture

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

This Holy Week was good. I did a daily Bible devotion on YouVersion about Jesus’ las week, and it was good to keep that at the forefront of my mind.

On Sunday, I met with a dear church friend for coffee. She has been growing in her faith but is working through some tough issues. I am so proud that she mentioned her questions to me, and we were able to discuss them. She was dealing with fear, and I encouraged her and challenged her to not give up. As long as we keep moving forward toward Him, we will have Victory!

Work was surprisingly slow! I had a lot of patients, but a few canceled or no-showed, and some rescheduled or just didn’t want to talk long. I was able to stay on top of my charting and am fully caught up! I was able to do a few projects and even cleaned my desk!

Otherwise, it was a quiet week. I have enjoyed the calm, and often, during these peaceful moments, I can hear from God best. Of course, He has given me a few new things to think about and pray through. 🙂

Today, I saw my first robin of spring! I had just woken up, and the bird was singing on my deck. I was delighted and am sure there will be many more in the coming days!

Finally, three people mentioned my book to me. One asked how to get a copy for a friend, and two gave positive feedback. I love that my works are encouraging others! It’s been awhile since I shared the link, but here is how you can get one (or three!).

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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

Finding Grace #420

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 fairly normal week. It was good and routine, perfect for the start of Spring!

Work went well with everyone back in the office! I am returning to my half-day on Fridays, which is good for me! We transitioned to our usual duties, though we will probably still include some of the streamlined methods we picked up over the last few months of making do. It’s a win-win!

I put together a nutrition bulletin board (above) for the hallway outside my office. Two other dietitians helped bring my idea to fruition. It is as if we are looking down at a table from the top. And then, underneath, you can lift the “placemats” and read some nutrition facts. I am pleased with how it came together!

On Thursday, Lydia started another round of orthodontia. She decided against braces and opted for the clear trays instead. It is nice that she can take them out to eat and brush her teeth. She’s also glad it makes her mouth look normal, especially since she must wear them for several months (a new tray every week).

Today, we mostly relaxed since Lydia felt weak, thanks to POTS. This is somewhat typical for Saturdays, unfortunately, but her teeth were also a little sore. Nonetheless, I took some time to watch a webinar, exercise, cook some food, and make some phone calls. Lydia and I are going to watch a movie next. It was a good 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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #419

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 fun and a little unusual!

I took Monday off work to spend time with Lydia for her spring break. We ran a few errands together, and then I walked to Starbucks to meet a friend for coffee. We had a good chat, and she mentioned how grateful she was for my help as she’s been going through a difficult time. Then, I walked back. It was less than a mile round trip, but it felt good to be out enjoying the beautiful weather. It reached the 60s that day!

I worked my full tour on Tuesday but didn’t arrive at the office until 1 o’clock. That’s because I went to see three Veterans first. I went to a nursing home and two private residences in Fargo and Moorhead. The nursing home is very close to my house, so it made sense to start there. I noticed a goose on the roof, which made me smile to think it was guarding the facility! The rest of the day was spent charting, but I felt rather productive!

Wednesday was another short day since I had my taxes done before work. It was also RD Day, and we had lunch and a game for staff. This included trying to match fun facts with each coworker. We laughed a lot, and the two ladies on maternity leave brought in their babies so we could see and hold them.

Thursday was another lovely day, perfect for walking to the middle school for Lydia’s teacher conference. She is doing well and has received all good reports. It is great to see how she has grown this year! As a side note, someone confirmed Lydia is officially taller than me!

Friday was the last day of working extra hours. The last four months have been very good. But, I have been nonstop busy with patient care. I was grateful for the money and time to complete my work. But it will be nice to get back to my normal routine on MONDAY when the two dietitians return! We also had a new worker start, and we are all grateful to be fully staffed again!

Today, we were invited to a coworker’s house to visit. We took Sandy’s donuts and hung out with my friend, also named Natalie, her husband, and two little boys. It was fun to chat about all sorts of fun topics and see Natalie out of our normal environment! 🙂

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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, Pivot, Worship

Finding Grace #418

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!

Free Geese Pond photo and picture

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

This was a good week, and it flew by! I found myself praising God for many things, including less stress, beautiful weather, Lydia, His provision, and more!

Work went well and was very full—no surprise there! I needed to squeeze in an unexpected home visit and was grateful two coworkers volunteered to take a few of my scheduled patients. I love my team—they are all great ladies and helpers!

Beyond work, I did not feel overly stressed or rushed. I had plenty to do, but I could go slower and relax a bit. As a result, I had the energy to tackle a few small projects without hurrying. So, I feel really good about that!

The weather was great this week. We had a few flurries but no real snow accumulation. It was in the 30s and 40s, with a mix of clouds and sun. I am starting to see and hear a lot more birds, too. Spring is on its way!

Today, I was supposed to meet a friend for coffee, but she had to reschedule. So, while I was out, I ran some errands to pick up a few groceries and home maintenance supplies. I also did a little reading, walking, and played a game with Lydia.

Don’t forget Daylight Savings Time starts again tomorrow! Be sure to turn your clocks one hour forward tonight!

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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

Finding Grace #417

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!

Free Reed Lake photo and picture

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

This was a fulfilling week in so many ways! It was incredibly challenging at times but I felt good how it all turned out. For instance, work was mentally taxing, but I did my best, was thorough, and did quality work.

I felt like I was taking an eight-hour test every day of work. I had my own patients, plus several others. I took care of those two new tube-feeding patients, covered home-based primary care, and helped cover the rehab unit. Today, I was also on-call and had a patient to see, so I returned this morning! He was very sweet, and I was happy to see him. Whew!

We had a blizzard on Tuesday, which meant Lydia stayed home from school. I had to go to work, of course, and had a busy day, as usual. Driving to work took twice as long and was an adventure, but God protected me!

My coworkers and I spent several hours preparing for a heart health fair, and I was concerned the weather would cancel it. Thankfully, it went on and was a success. We had a visual lineup of twelve foods with fat, ranging from olive oil and other plant fats to butter, bacon grease, and other saturated fats. It was fun to see the response and explain the differences. In short, plant fats (oils) are liquids at room temperature and don’t clog up the arteries, unlike saturated animal fats.

On Tuesday afternoon, I had two home visits, one in Fargo and one in Dilworth (MN). The weather wasn’t much better, but I made it home safely afterward. My driveway was full of snow drifts up to my knees, so I parked on the street. My hired snow service came overnight to clear away the snow. Much of the snow is already gone!

Thursday was Leap Day! I enjoyed a game of Qwirkle with Lydia at home, but earlier in the day, I had a timely conversation with one of my coworkers. Her dad is in the hospital, and I encouraged her. I hugged her and prayed for her on the spot, which I hadn’t planned to do but just was in the moment. It was so cool when she said she prayed, asking God for direction and encouragement today. I loved being His instrument!

I really enjoyed calling my parents last night. They are full of parenting wisdom, which I love to soak up! Otherwise, today has been mostly catching up and relaxing after the busy week.  Have a great rest of your night!

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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

Finding Grace #416

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!

Free Heart Wooden Heart photo and picture

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

Overall, this was a refreshing and encouraging week! I did lose my temper at one point, and Lydia and I had to address some communication issues. We both apologized, chalking it up to stress and puberty. 🙂 Then, we hung out together, which also helped. Thankfully, we usually get along well, and we can continue growing together. Every so often, we need to be challenged; otherwise, nothing ever changes.

I always enjoy seeing and chatting with my family via Zoom on Sundays. We catch up, share news, tell jokes, and laugh. Sometimes, we share prayer requests, too!

On Monday, Lydia and I were both off for Presidents Day. It was a good day to get things done around the house, but we also relaxed a bit. We did a little painting for fun!

Work was good and flew by for the most part. That’s because I was extremely busy with patients and various things that popped up! I had full days of my own patients, but I also prepared to cover some home-based patients next week. I picked up two new tube-feeding patients from other hospitals and had a lot of related tasks. These included contacting dietitians and patients, discussing formula options, doing calculations, writing notes, printing handouts, ordering supplies, and notifying other staff who might need to cover my other work to squeeze them in when they come next week. Whew!

On my lunch break, I celebrated Black History Month by reading about John L. Canley, who earned the Medal of Honor for his inspiring service in Vietnam. I also watched a ceremony honoring the all-Black 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (often called Buffalo Soldiers). In 1917, there were riots in Houston, TX, and nineteen of these soldiers were wrongly court-martialled and executed!! Many years later, it was determined that their sentencing was racially influenced and thus reversed. So, on Thursday, new headstones were revealed to reflect the normal details received with honorable discharges. You can read more here. 

Lydia had an orchestra concert on Thursday night, so we walked down the block to school. Seeing how much the 6th graders have grown in a few short months was fun. Lydia was a little nervous but did a great job. She plans to continue playing viola next year, so I look forward to many more concerts!

Today, Lydia and I did a ton of cooking. We made waffles for breakfast using a local mix we found while shopping. I roasted sweet potatoes and also prepared some soy curls, which I will use instead of chicken for fajitas. Additionally, we made some black bean and corn salsa, refried beans (dried beans and water only), and some chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies (the classic kind!). We’ll have some yummy meals over the next few days!

The weather has been soooo nice this week. It reached the 50s today, and Lydia went to the park with some friends while I sat outside and did some reading. It’s hard to believe it’s February, and our yard has no snow. Any parking lot piles are 99% smaller than normal! Next week, we do have a chance or two of snow, but it shouldn’t amount to much!

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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 Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #415

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!

Free Hearts Stones photo and picture

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

This was a great week! I had a good chat with one of my dear college friends. It was just what I needed. We might even get together this summer!

Work was full as usual, but I had some really sweet patients. On Wednesday, one of them popped in to see me; I usually talk with him on the phone because he lives a couple of hours away and doesn’t like to take time off work. The first time I saw him a couple years ago, he had just had a feeding tube placed, so he was rather uncomfortable and grumpy. But this week, he took some time off work for the appointments and to spend time with his wife on Valentine’s Day. I loved seeing he has greatly improved. He looked much better and was so sweet talking about his wife. It made my day to see him, and we were able to joke about a few things, too.

Lydia had a special appointment with a pediatric cardiologist this week. We got confirmation that we are doing everything we can for Lydia’s POTS. She does not need medication and it’s really not a heart problem. In essence, she’s very healthy, just her body needs to communicate with itself better. 🙂 It was a great outcome!

Today, Lydia and I went to see The Chosen, Season 4, Episodes 4-6 in the theater. It was amazing. The storyline and cinematography were so well done and really helped put the Bible into first-century context. The actors have done a wonderful job, and the three episode flew by. If you have a chance, see it in the theater (or in the free app when it is available… soon!). Even if you know nothing about Jesus or The Chosen, it’s worth it.

The weather was a little colder but still good. It felt like Fall today because the leaves were blowing in the wind, but it was bright and sunny!

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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

Finding Grace #414

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!

Free Heart Snow photo and picture

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

This was an unusual week but a good one! I only worked one full day due to some scheduled appointments and a couple days of not feeling well. We’re fine now, and I am grateful for God’s grace and an understanding boss!

When I was at work, mostly 4-5 hours at a time, I was very busy. We rescheduled some of my patients, and my team covered others. However, as usual, there was just a lot to do to stay on top of things. At any rate, I felt good about what I accomplished.

One of the appointments we had this week was for the orthodontist. Lydia had braces a few years ago, but will soon start another round of treatment. I’m glad we know what to expect this time, and this is just to finish up the process (putting the teeth into the final position).

We had a little surprise snow this week! It’s not unusual for February, of course, but we had no snow for quite awhile. On Friday, we had RAIN that eventually turned into an inch of snow. Maybe it will stick around for awhile… it’s anyone’s guess!

Today, we have mostly been relaxing. Tonight, we will hang out with friends. A great way to cap off an interesting week!

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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, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom

Finding Grace #413

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!

Free Tree Leaves photo and picture

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

This was a good week!

Work was a little unpredictable but fairly normal! I ended up staying a full day on Friday to help cover. I had several patients where it seemed like God had assigned them to me specifically. I was able to encourage them and discuss topics beyond just nutrition. It felt gratifying!

The weather was in the 40s, and we might have broken a “heat” record for January. I think most of the snow is now gone, though we didn’t have much to begin with. I’m not holding my breath that it will stay like this. It is only February, so anything is still possible!

Lydia had an impromptu friend sleep over last night. They had a fun time and stayed up until after Midnight. They watched a movie, played games, and made some treats. I’m grateful Lydia has good friends. I heard a lot of laughter, which was music to my ears!

This afternoon, Lydia and I went to the theater to see The Chosen. Currently, Season 4, Episodes One through Three are showing! Each episode was very different, but so well done. There was a tragic shocker at the end… I recommend going to see it for yourself!

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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, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #412

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!

Free Road Trees photo and picture

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

This week was great and full of social interactions with friends, family, and blog readers. 🙂 Thanks for reading and sharing my post on Wednesday! I appreciate that something so funny and random as cottage cheese resonated with people! God is soo good!

Work was full but good! I had some really nice patients, and I had some encouraging conversations with my coworkers as we discussed ways to cope with stress. We reminded ourselves to take little breaks and take deep breaths. We shared jokes, memes, and links to comedians. We swapped appointments and covered for each other when we could. It really helps to know we are all on the same page.

The weather was in the 30s and 40s, gray with a little mist and ice. I don’t mind because it is such a change from our usual! This morning, I noticed some beautiful hoarfrost on my trees. Later, my neighbor was sitting outside on her porch, enjoying the sunny weather with her dog. We waved as we ran errands, surprised that at 37 degrees, it felt like we didn’t even “need” our coats!

This week was awesome in terms of checking in with people. On Sunday, we met with two sets of friends and then family over Zoom. During the week, my coworkers all connected, as I already explained. Then, I set up a couple get-togethers with friends, and one of my best friends called. We shared some of our ups and downs, and she really helped ease my mind. Then, today, I talked with family before Lydia and I went to enjoy coffee with the friends.

Tonight, Lydia and I are enjoying a movie and Chinese food for dinner! I might try a little painting, too. A perfect way to end the week. Thanks, Lord!

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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)!