Tag: birthday

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Personality

Moving Forward During the Holidays

Yesterday was my late husband Dave’s 46th birthday, our twelfth without him here. To celebrate, I usually give Lydia a gift in his honor. When she was little, it was a way to connect with her dad since she was so little when he died. She does not remember him but can still feel close.

So, on Monday night, Lydia got her ears pierced with a second hole. She had wanted this for a while, and it just happened to work out this week. We had an appointment at a tattoo shop, and I bet Dave would have loved it! He was usually up for an adventure and understood some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet have tons of tattoos. 🙂

Dave didn’t have any tattoos, and neither do I. But I opted for the tattoo place because Lydia had a little trouble after getting her ears pierced the first time at a box store. I wanted to be able to go back and talk with someone knowledgeable if needed. Thankfully, she is doing fine now!

The man at the tattoo shop reminded me a lot of Dave’s good-naturedness. He was cheerful and friendly,  able to converse on a wide variety of topics, eager to help, and a good teacher. He has three kids and loves Christmas movies. He was a lot of fun, and if I ever did decide to get a tattoo, I know I’d be in good hands. 😉

Meeting the tattoo artist was a surprising breath of fresh air! I did not expect the experience to be so intriguing. As I listened to him chat away, I thought about how his excitement and passion for his work and life mimic how we Christians should represent Jesus.

I don’t know if this man knows Jesus, but I pray he does. His zest for life was contagious, and I envisioned the spiritual impact he could have. His little tattoo shop has ministry potential! I have a few friends with similar personalities, and they make following Jesus fun!

Free Joy Christmas Tree photo and picture

Did you know Jesus was the most joyful person who ever lived? Despite being born into poverty, He lived a full and fulfilled life. Despite coming to die (on purpose!), He lived out his mission. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit and stayed connected to His Father.

I love how we can connect to God all throughout our day and in various places. Who knew I would see glimpses of Jesus (and even Dave!) at a tattoo shop?! It is cool to read in Isaiah 49:16 that God has written (or tattooed) our names on His hands!

The holidays can be tough for many people, and if you are struggling, I would encourage you to keep your eyes open. Look for joy in unexpected places. Keep moving forward. Jesus is with you and for you. Put your trust in Him, and let Him surprise you!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for all the ways You show up and surprise us with Your goodness. Help us navigate our complex emotions. Help us move forward with Your joy, peace, and grace this season. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you have any tattoos? How is your holiday season going so far?!

Task: Take each day as it comes. Look for Jesus and stay present with Him.

Posted on in Being Gracious, Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Fruit, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perfectionism, Pivot, Prayer, Travel, Words, Worship

Finding Grace #455

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 Forest Path photo and picture

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

This week was thankfully less busy than the last two.

Sundays have been more relaxing since we’ve been attending the early church service. We’ve had time to prepare for the next week at a slower pace. It feels like a longer day and I feel more refreshed!

Work was a bit slower, though still steady. I simply had less patients scheduled but still got a lot of things done. It was nice to have a lighter load. As such, I had time to call some extra patients and finish a few small projects.

We received a few inches of snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday. I did a little shoveling but left the main part for the snow service. It is nice to have them come help me, though I still do a fair amount of work throughout the season!

Lydia’s birthday was on Thursday, and she was tickled by the special letter I wrote for her! She wanted to go to dinner and then watch a movie at home with some ice cream. In a way, we have already been celebrating for a week or two. That’s becaue she received various gifts when my mother-in-law visited and through the mail from family.

Friday after work, I ran a few errands and then called my mom to catch up. We had a great time chatting and it is always so encouraging. Later, my dad called to say hi, too. I always appreciate those calls!

Today, we saw Wicked (part 1) at the movie theater. I saw the Broadway production years ago, but it was fun to introduce Lydia to it. In fact, I like Wicked better than the Wizard of Oz! The movie version had some fun cameos and great music. The flying monkeys were still a little scary, though!

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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 Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Personality, Prayer, Wisdom, Words

A Letter to Lydia

Lydia’s having another birthday this week! As we enter the teenage years, I am grateful for God bringing us this far. When she was little, I wondered how I’d be able to parent her as a single mom. I knew I needed God’s help and prayed for just that. He has been such a faithful Father and provider!

Lydia is kind and thoughtful, funny and intelligent. She is a good listener and friend. She is growing in responsibility and learning to handle tough topics with wisdom. She is the perfect blend of Dave’s strengths and mine. Watching her grow into a young lady who loves Jesus has been an honor. If I could only have one child, I am so glad it is Lydia!

I was recently reminded of some of the fantastic prayers in the Bible. The prayers consist of many things, including praises to God, blessings, deep anguish, repentance, wisdom, and encouragement, among various requests.

Did you know you can personalize certain prayers by adding your own name? We pray to God, but we can use them for our benefit, too. In essence, we are applying God’s Word of Truth, agreeing with Him, and taking it to heart. I will use Lydia’s name below as an example in a birthday letter. But feel free to use your own name in the Scriptures!

Here are just a few of the verses I am drawing from today:

2 Thessalonians 1:11 says, “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”

Ephesians 1:17-19 says, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…”

Numbers 6:24-26 says, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Dear Lydia,

I am so proud of you! I am grateful God gave me you. I love who He made you to be.

I pray you will always choose faith and pray first thing. You don’t ‘have to’ be afraid or settle for ‘safe.’ Instead, you can have confidence in trials, knowing God will never leave you nor forsake you. God is with you and for you! Seek Him first in all you do, and everything else will fall into place.

Lydia, I pray God enables you to live worthy of your calling. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then God’s name will be honored in the way you live. All this is possible because of His grace working in your life.

May you rely on the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Lydia, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Draw close to Jesus, for He is your life, strength, and joy. He who began this work in you will be faithful in completing it. Therefore, Lydia, never grow tired of doing what is right and good. Keep moving forward! XO 

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Heavenly Father, thanks for all Your many blessings. Help Lydia as she continues to grow. May she always feel your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What are you reading about in the Bible this week? What is the best birthday gift you have ever received?

Task: Add your name, where applicable, to Bible verses and prayers of encouragement. We are not trying to elevate ourselves or take the focus off Jesus… but I hope it helps you apply His word and move forward in your faith!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Prayer

Finding Grace #445

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 Butterfly Flower photo and picture

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

This was a fun week full of various social interactions, some planned and unplanned!

I saw a monarch butterfly; I don’t recall the last time I saw one in person! I’m sure I will notice more now that I am aware.

This week, we had another birthday celebration at work. I also enjoyed some good conversation and a couple of lunchtime walks with various coworkers. I am grateful to work with a fabulous group of ladies!

Lydia has naturally curly hair, but we had fun straightening it this week. It was just a whim, not an everyday thing. She has asked to try it many times, and I found a way to do it easily. I don’t expect to do it often, but she was happy when all her friends noticed! 🙂

On Wednesday, I attended an informational meeting at Lydia’s school for a cool opportunity in the Spring. I saw one of her friends, a girl from our neighborhood. They were good friends in grade school, but during COVID, they ended up on different paths. In middle school, they have grown close again. The mom and I got to catch up this week, and I am grateful for another family cheering us on!

On Friday, I mowed again after work since the next several days will be busy. I think the weather is starting to change, so I hope I won’t need to mow too many more times!

Last night and today have a bit of a whirlwind. Last night, Lydia went to hang out with a friend. When I went to pick her up, I talked with the girl’s parents for quite a while, discovering we have some mutual friends. We had such a fun time laughing and playing with their puppy. I even asked for their input on something, and God answered a prayer by giving me peace of mind. Then, I came home and had a good long conversation with my uncle for an hour! It was also very good to chat with him, though it was a late night before an early morning commitment.

Today, we had a special church event in the morning. It was a celebration of sorts and an opportunity to encourage volunteers. We had some yummy food and heard a good message from a visiting pastor. I am grateful for all God has doing!

Tonight, we are meeting up with my Aunt Terry! She came from Illinois to see some of her extended family as she did in 2021. It will be wonderful to see her!

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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, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #444

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 Orange Flowers Flowers photo and picture

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

This was a fairly peaceful week! 

We enjoyed having Monday off for Labor Day. I used it as a free day for the most part! I caught up with a few small projects but also tried a new recipe, read a book, and played a game with Lydia. It was fun just to spend time together!

Work went well Tuesday through Friday. I had friendly patients and did meaningful work. One of my coworkers returned from maternity leave, so catching up with her was fun! We also celebrated someone’s birthday, and it was my turn to bring a treat! I made magic cookie bars, and they were a hit. Yum!

This week, a new family moved into the house across the street. We brought some cookies and met some of the family. One of the girls is about Lydia’s age. I hope to get to know them all better!

Yesterday, after work, I ran a few errands and then decided to mow. The grass was indeed long enough, but it was also a beautiful day in the 70s! I enjoyed being outside. As I was mowing, two of the kids across the street stopped by to check out my little free library. They said they love to read!

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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 #441

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 good week. I enjoyed my birthday on Monday, and we returned home from Medora. Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

On Monday, I went to the chiropractor again. My hip is still bothering me, but I don’t think it is a new injury; rather, I think it’s just from daily life building up over time. I found an online deep stretching program I will try in addition to the other things I do. After only three days, I still have pain, but I am noticing a difference in mobility!

At work, I had a full schedule but also fit in six additional patients! It will take some time to catch up with charting, but that’s okay. Two fun things happened, though. We celebrated my birthday with chocolate cake on Tuesday. Also, a coworker and I went for a walk when it started to pour, so we had to jog back to the office. We were drenched but laughing. A fun memory for sure!

On Wednesday, I was involved with a very minor fender bender with a state vehicle! I was behind the car at a stop light and rolled into it when my foot accidentally came off my brake. It could have been because I was sitting funny related to my hip. My back was a little sore, but my car is totally fine. I called the police to file a report, and I got a simple warning for “following too close.”  It was definitely my fault, and I am grateful there were no major issues with the other driver. He was very understanding!

Yesterday after work, I met a widow friend for lunch at a newer little French bistro in town. We had fancy coffee and a delicious meal, along with great conversation. I took home a couple of giant croissants to share with Lydia. 😀 Then, in the evening, we met some old friends, Owen and Krystal, who were in town visiting. They now live in Colorado with their four kids, but they were a huge part of our support system when Dave was sick (as mentioned in my book). It was fun to see them!

Today, I was on-call for work. I had to go in for two patients, but they were fairly easy. Later, I spent time with Lydia, roasted some veggies, took a nap, and made phone calls.

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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 Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Making Memories In Medora

This past weekend, Lydia and I headed west to celebrate my birthday! We didn’t have much of a plan, but that was okay with us! I have learned that sometimes the best things happen when we just go with the flow and let God surprise us.

On Friday, we took our time and enjoyed our drive. We stopped to see the world’s largest bison in Jamestown, the world’s largest Holstein cow in New Salem, and the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures along the Enchanted Highway! We also had fun looking for different types of birds!

We stayed in Dickinson, ND, which is about half an hour east of Medora and then drove in on Saturday. We decided to spend all day there and maximize our time. So, we shopped a bit, ate some good foods, walked all over the place, visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park, hiked a bit, and attended the Medora Musical! We had a great time!

According to a 2024 estimate, the town of Medora has a population of about 165 people, so most of the people we saw were tourists! I was surprised at how little traffic there was. Most people parked and then walked everywhere, as the town is small and quaint. On Saturday, I got 21,000 steps!

On Sunday, we decided to relax at our hotel in Dickinson. We slept in, enjoyed a lazy breakfast, swam, and relaxed in the hot tub. It was the perfect way to relax! Later, we enjoyed a salad bar and Zoomed with our family.

As usual, our time together was well-timed. I was so glad to spend time with Lydia before school starts next week. We bonded, joked around, and even had some serious conversations. Lydia truly enjoyed hiking, which made me so proud. I know our relationship will continue to change over the coming years, so this time together was a gift!

Ultimately, I am grateful God has given me another year of life. I have reflected on all the ways He has blessed me, and I am still counting. His grace is abundant, and I can never fully grasp all He has done for me.

“God, I’m still counting my blessings
All that You’ve done in my life
The more that I look in the details
The more of Your goodness I find
Father on this side of Heaven
I know that I’ll run out of time
But I will keep counting my blessings
Knowing I can’t count that high”
–from Counting My Blessings, by Seph Schlueter

Thanks for all the birthday cards, texts, calls, and online messages. Thanks for always cheering me on. I am so happy to have you in my life. Let’s keep moving forward together!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for the gift of another birthday! You are so good to me. Thanks for leading me this past year. Help me keep growing and moving forward. Make me who You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What are you thankful for? Have you ever tried to count your blessings? How far did you get before losing count?!

Task: If you are nearby, check out Medora! If not, put it on your summer bucket list! It reminds me of my time in Wyoming and Montana – but it is way easier to get to than Yellowstone or Missoula! 😉

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

Finding Grace #440

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 Sunrise Grass photo and picture

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

This week was busy because we were trying to get a lot done before heading out on a birthday adventure. We had to get a few chores done early, pack, etc., in order to be gone for a few days. It was all worth it, of course!

Work was full, and I had a lot of paperwork. It all turned out well, but I added a few patients to my already full schedule. The fun part was that we celebrated a coworker’s upcoming wedding and met and another coworker’s two-month-old baby!

On Monday, I went to the chiropractor, and I am so glad I did. My back needed adjusting, but my hip was even worse. It has been locked up for a couple of months! It was sore afterward for a few days, but hopefully, it is on the mend now. Otherwise, I will have to check in for another adjustment next week.

This week, I saw a lot of cool birds! First, I saw a young red-tailed hawk on my deck! I was so surprised I didn’t get a picture, even when it came back and peered in my window! On a different day, I saw a bald eagle flying over the highway on my way to work. I also saw two (and later four) cute pigeons on the windowsill at work. Certainly not as exciting as a hawk and eagle, but they still made me smile! 🙂

Yesterday, after work, Lydia and I drove out west to Dickinson, ND. We drove on the Enchanted Highway and saw several gigantic scrap metal sculptures! We also saw many birds we don’t see often in Fargo since there are more people!

Today, we are visiting Medora, a little further down the road. I haven’t been since I was pregnant with Lydia! We will drive through Teddy Roosevelt National Park and see the Medora Musical tonight. The rest will be an adventure, but it will be fun to see what God has in store for us!

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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

Finding Grace #403

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 with so much packed in that it seemed longer than usual! 🙂

On Monday, I went to visit two Veterans in long-term care facilities. One of the places, I used to fill in when I worked on-call as a dietitian (one of my first Fargo jobs). It’s been about eleven years since I was there, and it brought back some good memories. 

Tuesday was Lydia’s birthday, so we spent the evening celebrating. We ordered some burgers and fries from Five Guys, then went home to watch Elf and open presents. She received several gifts in the mail, so she had about four days of birthday fun!

For Thanksgiving, we stayed home and put our own spin on some of our favorites. We made potatoes, cranberry sauce, and turkey meatballs. Lydia put together some fancy drinks, and then we enjoyed some pumpkin pie. It was a relaxing day together, and we enjoyed watching a movie and playing a game, too!

I also heard from my African friends on Thursday. They reminded me that last year, I introduced them to pumpkin pie. They thanked me for being their guide when they first came to Faro. It was so cool they thought of me and called to say that!

Today, some of Lydia’s friends from school came over for a little party. They did some painting and had some treats. Lydia had fun opening presents, I enjoyed all the laughter!

The weather was great again this week! It is getting chilly, but every day or week without snow makes me feel like winter might not last so long. I’m sure it will be here soon, though!

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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, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous

Garage Door Tune-Up

Happy Thanksgiving! This has been a busy week already! Maybe you feel the same way?!

On Monday morning, I made a list of everything I needed to do after coming home from work. I felt a little overwhelmed, mostly because I didn’t want to forget anything! I prayed for God’s help as I went about my day!

First, I needed to finish wrapping some presents for Lydia’s birthday (on Tuesday). I also wanted to work on this post early so I could focus on her special day. She wanted to enjoy a nice meal and watch a movie. I didn’t want her to feel rushed.

And, of course, it happens to be a holiday week! Lydia and I plan to make a few simple dishes tomorrow. I’m looking forward to a fun day together, but there’s a lot to do before then.

Finally, about a month ago, I wrote that my garage door needed a rubber weather stripping replaced (see picture below). The special order piece took a while to arrive, and on Monday evening, my neighbor came over to help me install it! He works for a garage door company, so together, we were able to install it quickly.

As we tested the door, my neighbor saw a sliver of light shining through, which meant the door was not coming down all the way. I had noticed this over the last month but had forgotten to mention it earlier. My neighbor climbed his small ladder and opened the garage door motor. I handed him a few small tools, and he adjusted the mechanism until the door shut correctly.

By then, he offered to change the lightbulb in the garage motor unit. While up there, he noticed the garage door chain was a little loose. So, naturally, he wanted to tighten that up!

I was so grateful as I watched my neighbor tune-up my garage door. Not only did he help with the original issue, but he was thorough in looking at the entire door. He didn’t stop just when it was convenient. He stayed and did a complete job.

Surprisingly, it feels like I have a new garage door! I can already tell the garage is warmer and quieter, and this year, I should avoid getting snow under my garage door.

That reminds me of God’s grace and provision. I had been waiting patiently for weeks, rescheduling a few times because the piece wasn’t in. I had hoped the chore would be done earlier so I wouldn’t be jammed as this week got closer. I specifically tried to plan ahead! Yet, it seems God used this very thing to slow me down and notice His blessings in a big way.

First, I really appreciated God gave me a good blog topic a whole day early! It was so cool that He perfectly orchestrated my week. God is so gracious and fixed my door, but He also went above and beyond by addressing things I didn’t even know were wrong!

And because of all that, I was able to be fully present with Lydia on her birthday. She is now twelve and was counting down her birthday for months. Lydia is such a treasure to me, and I didn’t want to be distracted by house tasks or my blog. As a single mom, my time is sometimes divided, and I never want to give her less than she deserves!

While these things are important to me, my sweet girl comes first! Lydia would not quite understand my potential dilemma, so I didn’t burden her with it. I’m just grateful I didn’t have to choose – God made it easy for me!

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God, thanks for organizing my week so I can get things done and be fully present. Thanks for the gift of Lydia. Help me be the best mom I can be! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you have any special plans for Thanksgiving? What are you grateful for this week?

Tasks: Let God direct your path this week. Be grateful for detours and setbacks, as they may lead to a greater blessing!