Category: Parenting

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

Finding Grace #203

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 rather low-key, but I am glad for that because I was able to focus on a big project. This week, I had some great moments of worshiping the Lord. And, there were plenty of other fun blessings along the way!

I appreciate Lydia’s current interest in cooking and helping around the house. She selected a healthy recipe all on her own, and we made it together. Later, I went to the store, for fun, and I “surprised” her very own cans of kidney beans, raisins, and dried cranberries. Lydia was so excited! She said they are her favorite, so who am I to disappoint?! I’m glad she is learning to be content.

The ladies in my small group Bible study came over this week. Only two ladies could come, but we still had a wonderful time together. We discussed our Bible reading plan and challenged each other to draw near to the Lord. It was such a sweet time of fellowship and prayer, made sweeter by an apple crisp my neighbor gave me! Thank you!

I had fun catching up with my parents and sister this week. My mom sent me a beautiful green Kate Spade purse, which reminds me of spring! I have already received compliments on it. In turn, I sent a box of items to bless my sister. Also, my dad finally received his birthday present from Lydia and me. His birthday is in December, but the socks I ordered for him (with Lydia’s face) took forever to arrive! In fact, he still has something else on the way. Hopefully, it comes soon!

When I was at the store earlier in the week, I was meandering through the floral department looking for anything that caught my eye. I didn’t buy any flowers that day, but I did see a cute little yellow bird! As you can see in the picture above, it is so cheery and bright! I didn’t see any others, but it felt like a personal blessing from God!

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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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #201

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 such a sweet week, full of God’s gentle grace. I celebrated my twelfth wedding anniversary and received some wonderful encouragement. Thank you!

Lydia and I had some funny conversations this week. For example, we had an hour-long conversation about French Impressionists, like Claude Monet. Lydia also decided to make some healthy, kid-friendly recipes but needed supervision. Later, she shared about how she helped her classmates and handled a couple of sticky situations at school. It is fun to see her be creative and take on more responsibility. She’s such a cool kid!

On Friday, I had coffee with a friend. We don’t know each other super well, but I was grateful we could meet and spend time together. I appreciate how God uses each of us to encourage each other. It is helpful to listen, make decisions, and process life’s challenges. Thank You, Jesus!

I had several other great conversations with people this week. I was able to catch up with various people and challenge a good friend with God’s truth. Sometimes, we misunderstand people’s intentions, so it’s good to pray first and then communicate clearly. Life is so short. A good friendship goes both ways and iron sharpens iron! 

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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, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

Finding Grace #200

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 we eased back into normal life after the holidays! Lydia and I had a really good break, which was just what we needed. I’m so grateful for the chance to relax! We enjoyed playing so many fun games and doing art projects together. I also was able to get caught up on a few of my own tasks. Thank You, Lord!

Lydia went back to school on Thursday, and I went back to work. It was good to have two days to readjust and then another weekend. We made it! LOL

We had a blizzard over the weekend and a late start for daycare and work on Monday. We received over a foot of snow! Last night, I turned onto a busy street and reached the intersection right before the light turned red. I had difficulty stopping, however, and slid into oncoming traffic! I ended up turning and going with the traffic (instead of being T-boned). I’m grateful for God’s protection!

My snow removal service (and a couple of my neighbors) have been good to help with my snow. I still have my own portion to do though, and this week, I also cleared the bike path where the bus stop is located. It took me over an hour to do just that one portion. For fun, I calculated the volume of snow I cleared. Conservatively, I shoveled and blew away 377 cubic feet of snow! It felt like a big accomplishment! 😉

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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 Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Worship

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Welcome to 2020!! Wow, that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?!

Recently on social media, people were having a ‘decade challenge’ where they posted a picture of themselves in 2009 and 2019. It was cool to see how many people have stayed the same and/or changed.

I didn’t post any pictures, in part because I couldn’t find any pictures of me from 2009 without a lot of effort. Hey, it’s been ten years! 😉

Nonetheless, I have certainly been thinking about all that has happened in the last decade. After all, hindsight is 20/20. 😉 It is important to remember all the things we’ve been through. Not because we should stay there, but so we can learn and grow past them.

Here is a brief recap of my last decade. I’m looking back while still moving forward. Also, I did find a picture of me with Dave right before we moved to North Dakota in early 2010. Close enough! 🙂

2009: Dave and I celebrated one year of marriage. We also went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. The wise principles we learned through this course put us on the same page in our marriage by giving us common goals and helping us communicate better. Only God could know what was coming next, and I’m extremely grateful for the impact that course had on both our finances and our marriage.

2010: With my support, Dave decided to apply for a job in West Fargo, North Dakota, with Caterpillar. He was hired almost immediately, and that set the stage for the biggest challenges of our lives. We felt God was calling us to a big adventure, though had we known what that entailed, perhaps we would have stayed put. Still, we moved twelve hours away from our family and friends and soon settled into our brand new home and community. Dave had so much fun using his snowblower to clear several feet of snow that year!

2011: The highlights here include meeting many new neighbors and friends at church. However, it was difficult to be far from family, and we had to miss several fun events. Later that year, Dave and I celebrated Lydia Ruth’s arrival. She was named after my grandmother, who died the year before. I will never forget the pure joy on Dave’s face when Lydia was born. He was so very proud to be her Daddy!

2012: One afternoon in early May 2012, Dave came home from work early and stayed in bed for a week. He felt sick and had no energy. I could hear his stomach making sounds from over ten feet away. On Mother’s Day, I took him to the ER and he was admitted. We soon found out he had Stage IV colon cancer. Lydia was not quite six months old. We spent the rest of the year going through chemo and two major surgeries. Through this, God used cancer to expose my deepest fears and challenge my faith. It was grueling, as you can imagine, but Dave’s positive attitude will always stand out in my mind.

2013: A very difficult year. Dave continued to decline and was in the hospital more than he was at home. He had a third major surgery in April. My faith was in crisis mode. At first, he rebounded, thanks to the amazing support of our loving family and friends. But on May 15th, 2013, Dave died at the age of 34 and my life as a widowed single mom began. I was 30 years old. Even in the midst of shock and immense heartache, I knew I needed to give myself time to properly grieve. By this point, all I could do was cling to Jesus. Whereas cancer rocked my faith, grief is where my faith was remade. I’m grateful God caught me and held me through it all.

2014: Dave and I had previously tried to dedicate Lydia at church, but each time, he had been too sick. So, in May 2014 (around the one-year anniversary of his death), I decided to do it on my own. For me, it was a huge step forward because it was scary to stand in front of everyone as a single mom. But, in terms of faith, it felt like I needed to draw a line in the sand and make a stand. For me, it was a Joshua 24:15 moment: “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

2015: I continued to work through various aspects of grief. (That could be said about every year since!) In May 2015, I decided to start blogging to mark our path of moving forward and finding God’s grace along the way. For months, I worked behind the scenes to learn the system and prepare. It took me a little while to find the courage to ‘put myself out there,’ but I finally went live in August. I’m so glad I did!

2016: Lydia began preschool in the fall. I wasn’t sure of where to send her, but God lead me to just the right place. Lydia’s teachers really connected well with her, and it was fun to see how she grew that year. Also, Lydia felt comfortable to start talking more about Dave to her teachers and little friends. I was concerned about this at first, but her teachers wisely and graciously helped us through that. They gave Lydia all the time, space, and resources to explain herself and come to terms with the loss in her own little way. I’m forever grateful and we have continued to roll with it as best we can.

2017: A year of transition. The company I worked for was bought out by a larger healthcare organization. My job was merged into the new system. It was scary, but I am glad I stuck it out. During this time, I also had a friend stay with us for six months while she got back on her feet. It was a fun time and our friendship grew stronger. That fall, Lydia started Kindergarten. It felt like a huge milestone!

2018: My parents moved to Florida in the spring. It was a little sad for me, but I am happy they have adjusted so well! We went to visit them during Lydia’s birthday and had a great time. Among other fun adventures, Lydia also started first grade. Our most stable year!

2019: Yet another transitional year. In February, I contacted a dietitian friend and talked with her about something related to Dave. Then, summer came and she contacted me about a new job! I had prayerfully felt something new was coming, and I am so glad I decided to apply. I have been there since August and it has been a huge blessing to me. There have been challenges in terms of daycare and other adjustments, but I am really grateful for the opportunity.

So what’s next? Well, only God knows. 🙂 But as I look back over the years, I see one transition after another. Yes, growth means changing through the ups and downs.

A good attitude always helps as we trust God to turn each problem into something good. I am looking forward to seeing His faithfulness as we continue on this great adventure.

“You’ve been so, so good to me. You’ve been so, so good to me. Oh, to think where I would be, if not for You, if not for You.” —Remembrance by Hillsong Worship

Despite my many challenges over the last ten years, God has never left me on my own. Each step of the way, He has helped me. I didn’t always understand how He was working, but I can see it now. And, I am grateful for His grace and goodness toward me.

I don’t know what your last decade entailed, but I hope you can see how God came through for you. He has not forgotten you. He fights for you and loves you very much!

Our Victory is in Jesus!

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God, be praised! We cannot thank You enough for all You have done for us. As we look back and see Your faithfulness, please build our trust. Give us the courage to keep moving forward, knowing You will lead us and catch us when we fall. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What challenges and victories have you faced over the last year…or ten? Can you see God’s hand in your circumstances, working them out for good?

Tasks: Write down the challenges you faced and the coinciding victories. Then, give God praise. If you haven’t seen anything good just yet, hang on! It’s coming!

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

Finding Grace #199

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 we enjoyed celebrating Jesus’ birthday! He really is the perfect gift! We enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at church and also joined another family for dinner on Tuesday. Then, we spent Christmas day at home. We talked with family and received so many wonderful gifts! Thank you!!

I worked on Monday but have had the rest of the week off. Lydia and I ran some errands this week and have enjoyed spending lots of time together! We have baked treats and played a ton of new games.

Lydia has really ‘grown up’ this week before my eyes. First, Lydia opted to put the Christmas money she received in her savings account. Then, we had some intense discussions about all sorts of topics, including body image, accepting our perceived flaws, and being who God made us to be. I was hoping these topics wouldn’t come up so soon, but I felt God directing our conversations. Lydia calmed herself down and considered what I was saying as I helped reframe her concerns. Thanks, Lord!

This week, Lydia decided she actually does like to eat bell peppers. She also made herself breakfast (toast, etc.) and lunch (which included salad). Then, she read an abridged children’s version of Moby Dick and was happy to discover a new-to-her genre of classic literature. It was fun to watch her engage with the story. Thankfully, I bought her a handful of these books over the summer and she has several more days off school!

On Thursday, Lydia also volunteered to help me shovel snow and did a fabulous job. Then, we had fun sledding in the lot behind our house! We stayed outside for over an hour and then came in and enjoyed some hot chocolate. Later, we upgraded Lydia’s closet to bigger hangers and donated some clothes that were too small for her.

Today Lydia and I enjoyed the snowy weather! She started a new book (Journey to the Center of the Earth, abridged) while I “hiked” in Austria on my treadmill! Then, this afternoon, a friend came to visit and we introduced them to several of our new games. The extra player made everything a lot more fun and competitive! We will be laughing about that for quite a while. Tonight, we are watching another movie or two. It’s been a full 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, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #197

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 flew by! The temperatures were below zero for much of the week, but I am grateful God kept us safe and warm. I’m also thankful for merino wool sweaters and socks!

On Wednesday, after work and school, Lydia and I went on an afternoon adventure! We walked around Scheels, an outdoor store, and played games. Lydia really enjoyed the shooting game and I was proud of how quickly she learned what to do. She also had fun on a motorcycle game. It was a fun and relaxing time together!

Last night, Lydia and I went to hang out with some of my coworkers. We had dinner and watched a movie while catching up and getting to know each other better. It was a lot of fun, and we all agreed we are blessed to have such a cohesive team!

Today is my one year LASIK anniversary! I had my routine eye exam yesterday and everything looks fantastic! My eye doctor is really pleased with my results. I am too! It is so nice to not think about glasses and contacts anymore. It was a life-changing decision, and I am so glad I decided to do it. Thank you, Jesus!

Today, a friend came over to play while her parents watched her brother’s basketball games. She and Lydia had fun playing their own games and putting together a giant LEGO set from Lydia’s birthday. The girls were very cooperative, and we appreciated her help!

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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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #195

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 full week, yet we were also able to relax. Work went well and was fairly busy, but then it was time to play! Balance, right?!

On Thursday, we invited a friend over for Thanksgiving. She is from Ghana, so her family is also far away. We made and ate yummy food, then caught up and shared about our blessings. We played with Lydia’s new coding robot and played other games, too.

Later in the evening, we all watched ‘Home Alone’ and put up our Christmas tree! This movie is a classic and always reminds me of my family. We saw the movie when it first came to the theater (in 1990) with my grandparents. Regarding my extended family, the more of us there are, the louder we get. When we all get together, it gets rather chaotic. But, we all love each other and support each other despite our differences. We always have fun playing ‘reindeer games’ and catching up!

Lydia and I both have enjoyed this long weekend. It has been so good to sleep in and go at a slower pace. Lydia and I have played board games and watched more movies, like ‘Elf’ and ‘Little Women.’ This weekend was just what I needed! Thank You, Jesus!

Today, we stayed in to relax and wait out a winter storm. The snow is quite pretty, and I am grateful to have help with snow removal. It was a good decision to hire someone for the season. I’ll still need to clear some snow (where they can’t get super close to the house), but it will require less of my time and physical effort. I’m grateful!

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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 Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom

LEGO Sets and Coding Robots

For her birthday last week, Lydia received several wonderful presents. For instance, she received a couple of LEGO sets, and we had fun putting them together last weekend.

I let Lydia do most of the work, but we both enjoyed the process. I mainly supervised but was happy she considered me to be part of the team.

Of course, we have put together multiple LEGO sets, but the details always amaze me. The directions contain virtually no words to describe what is expected, so it is mainly through looking at pictures one can be successful. Somehow it always works out!

Last week, there were times when we had to pull something apart and rebuild it. But even when we had to go back a few steps, it only made the final product stronger.

Besides gifts, Lydia also received an Amazon gift card and some cash. I usually have her save her money, but this time, I let her buy something special.

After comparing several ideas and looking through options, she decided on Botley, the Coding Robot. Two-day shipping meant her package came right away! 😉

Lydia first learned about coding last year, and I encourage any opportunity to build on her STEAM skills in a fun way. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)

So far, using Botley seems straightforward. He says hello, chatters periodically, and is really cute! I’ve even played with him after Lydia has gone to bed. 🙂

Botley is very hands-on, while still promoting critical thinking. I appreciate he brings ‘screen-free’ playtime. Thankfully, Lydia had enough birthday money to upgrade her set, so it should keep us engaged for awhile!

‘Coding’ is essentially computer programming. It is cool to see the basics of how this works behind the scenes. In our modern tech-driven society, coding is one key to making the world go ’round. So, for kids today, this is more or less a necessary skill.

Technology is not a stand-in for interpersonal skills, kindness, generosity, etc., but I want Lydia to stretch herself, learn new things, and grow. If she can have fun, too, bring it on!

Botley was simple to set up, and we were playing with him in a matter of minutes. At first, Lydia thought Botley was more of a remote control car, moving forward, backward, left, or right on a whim.

But soon, she realized she needed to plan ahead and tell her little robot what to do to help him reach the final destination or goal. It was a challenge for her to think through each step!

Interestingly, I see several parallels between LEGO sets, coding robots, and God’s sovereign plan for us. From DNA and fingerprints to unique personalities, talents, and interests… He has designed us for greatness!

It brings God great joy when we follow His direction and leading with a cheerful heart. As we move through each challenge, He cheers us on!

If we forget a step, we may have to fix something before we move forward. But if we lose sight of our goal, God is right there to remind us, encourage us, and empower us.

On the other hand, while God is the Master Coder, we are not His robots. Instead, He invites us into His family as dearly loved children!

We are also God’s partners. He takes charge but gives us personal responsibility too. Unlike Botley, who has no choice, if I refuse to listen, I have consequences.

At the very least, if I am disobedient, I risk not fulfilling His amazing plan for me.

I’m grateful God shares His plans with us. He never expects us to just ‘figure it out.’

We have several gifts and resources to help us. We have our God-given conscience and the Bible (God’s Word). We also have His peace and presence through the Holy Spirit.

God usually doesn’t share ALL the details at once, but thankfully, He always tells us what we need to know. Draw near to Him, ask for His input, and then do it!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your wonderful, sovereign plan! Thanks for always having Your best in mind for me. Help me walk it out in faithful obedience. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: Do you feel like you are in a loving partnership with God or a remote-controlled robotic relationship?

Tasks: Pray for wisdom and direction, if you need it. Make sure to follow-through!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Procrastination

Encountering Resistance

Recently, Lydia and I were in the bathroom combing through her hair before school. I gently worked through a few tangles so I wouldn’t hurt my sweet girl. We were trying to be patient with one another.

I asked Lydia to hold her head still and essentially counter my tug on her hair. It was a little painful to get through the tangles, so we talked about the concept of resistance.

If Lydia were to give in and let her head follow the direction I pulled, the overall effect would meaningless. Her tangles would not be resolved.

But with a little resistance, we made progress and made it out the door on time.

On the other hand, there are times when we need to work together in a different way. If I am making a side ponytail, I have Lydia turn her head and hold still. She needs to lean into my request and not pull away, not be resistant.

This week, Lydia and I brainstormed practical examples of resistance that were positive and negative. She pointed out good forms of resistance in terms of standing up for what is right or avoiding peer pressure at school.

We discussed other times when interruptions come and we need to go with the flow in order to help others. For instance, if a friend is hurt or someone is in pain, we need to be willing to stop what we are doing and lend a hand.

I love how practical some of these ‘lessons with Lydia’ can be. God doesn’t want us to overthink how we live for Him. We don’t have to fight our way through life. Instead, we can embrace God’s plan for us.

It’s pretty basic, after all: Be sensitive to the needs around us, learning when to stand up for something or when to sit back and let it be.

Resistance comes in many forms. We all face many roadblocks and setbacks daily. They can stem from internal or external issues. They hit us and attempt to hinder us mentally, emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually.

Resistance can keep us from reaching goals, living our best life, and serving God. It can stir up fear and sidetrack us from what really matters.

But sometimes, resistance can be a good thing. Not all roadblocks are meant to stop us. Some are meant to protect us. Resistance can build resilience, redirect us, and help us consider other perspectives.

It is tempting to run away from obstacles and resist making changes. But, working through resistance can bring big breakthroughs and blessings we would have missed otherwise!

Thus, it is important to know the difference between when we should stand firm and when we should go with the flow.

We can only get through some challenges by facing them head-on. Sometimes resistance requires us to confront our fears or have a difficult conversation. Then again, sometimes we need to lay aside our plans and expectations. Procrastination never helps.

For me, all this takes time with God and quiet dependence on Him. I need His input to know what to do in these situations. But, if I have too much ‘noise’ in the background or if I am too ‘busy,’ then I have difficulty discerning His voice.

Ironically, this week I have already been faced with two different encounters with resistance. On the surface, these setbacks feel like major blows. However, they will be small issues in the long run and are prompting me to consider other options for meeting my goals. While I didn’t want these setbacks, I knew they could happen and was emotionally prepared (more or less, haha).

I know God’s got this, and I am not going to worry. I am trusting Him and expecting good things from this redirection. He has a good plan for me and I will persevere!

We learn how to handle resistance by leaning into it and drawing close to Jesus. Nothing catches Him by surprise. He is our shield and defender, and He knows exactly what we need! Trust Him!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for walking with us through all of life’s challenges. Thanks for empowering us and giving us courage. Please build resiliency within us, Lord. Help us be brave. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What forms of resistance are you facing right now? Are you handling the challenges head-on or avoiding the issues at hand?

Task: Ask God to help you break through your resistance. He has the power to help you with whatever is holding you back!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Prayer

Finding Grace #185

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 full, but good, week!

The weather turned quite warm again, which was a nice change from last week. Still, I am ready for cool weather. That said, I am not quite ready for snow. I still need to finish outdoor chores, like getting my patio furniture inside!  I did notice my trees are starting to change color this week!

Work went well and was steadily busy. I felt helpful and productive! I also had orientation on Thursday and Friday, because, in August, I couldn’t make the timing work until Lydia was in school. It was long but worthwhile. I enjoyed learning more about the history and mission of the VA, and the many important services we provide.

Lydia had a good week and let it slip (twice!) that she is really enjoying the Y program, after all. I happily teased her about it because her original attitude was pretty negative. Thanks for your prayers! 

Tornado sirens went off last night after dinner. I was not concerned because I was tracking the thunderstorm and knew it wouldn’t last long. Lydia was a little scared, though, which gave us good reason to snuggle on the couch downstairs. We talked about big topics like “if I were to die, what would happen,” wills, guardianship, and life insurance. Along with grief and death, we are used to talking about the “what ifs” in our house. Lydia’s fear soon left as she realized God is in control and we are as prepared as we can be. It was really sweet to hear Lydia pour out her heart to Jesus and receive His peace.

Today, I caught up with another widowed, single mom friend over the phone. We connected years ago, and she encouraged me after Dave died. She had some questions for me today, and I was able to help her. It was fun to catch 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)!