Tag: celebrate

Posted on in Being Gracious, Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #322

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!

Janet'S Foss, Malham, Yorkshire, Waterfall, River

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

This was a special week, and I saw a theme of kindness!

Once again, I was playing catch-up all week at work! I tried to catch up on charting in between patients, but I still had some late notes. I also helped out some of my coworkers and had some fun laughs along the way. We celebrated some birthdays, too! I’m grateful for an awesome team!

I saw kindness and joy all around me by way of greetings in the hallways, thank you notes received, and friends helping each other! I also received some really good news this week. A family, who is in my book and the main reason we came to Fargo, had moved away and is moving back! I am happy to see my friends again after four years, but also grateful for them because they knew Dave personally… always a blessing!

I signed and sold some more books this week and also received some payment for those sold elsewhere online. While I wrote the book without the expectation of ‘royalties,’ I appreciate the little bit of money that comes from selling them and encouraging others!

This week, I went to the doctor for my annual physical. We discussed a few of my questions and came up with a plan of care. I am grateful for a doctor who listens, and all the ways God keeps me healthy or leads me to better health and ways to take care of my body. Prevention is key!

Today, a friend brought her puppy over for a visit. The dog did so well and even took a nap! Then, Lydia attended a birthday party for a friend. It was a good, relaxing 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 Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Wisdom, Worship

As the World Turns

In case you are wondering by the title, no, I am not talking about a soap opera today, though Life feels that way sometimes, doesn’t it!

Interestingly, this week, I came across two separate pictures regarding similar space topics. I love pictures from space, but these hit me in two completely different ways!

One was a diagram of Earth in the context of our solar system… how small our planet is compared to everything else. It filled me with hope because it reminded me how small my problems are and how great our God is. How inspiring!

Later, I saw the second picture (below), which contained a quote by the late Carl Sagan about the ‘pale blue dot.’ At the end of the discouraging comment, the last sentence says, “there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.” How depressing!

It’s not that I disagreed with the quote entirely. Human history is complex and full of strife. Besides, Carl Sagan was far more educated than I will ever be! I assume he knew what he was talking about in general science terms. But, he apparently knew nothing about faith and hope.

His quote implies that we all need to do our part and ‘save the Earth’ because no one else is going to do it for us. He also implied we need to treat each other well. I agree!

Yet, while we all have good characteristics, none of us is capable of getting past our selfishness on our own (Romans 3:23). It seems to me that the quote is only telling half the story… and even then, it is from the wrong perspective, that we humans are responsible for our own salvation (physical and spiritual).

Sadly, Mr. Sagan missed the part of the story where Jesus Christ came from Heaven for the dual purpose of restoring our relationship with God and saving us from ourselves!

Philippians Chapter 2 describes this further. Jesus is our only Hope of salvation!

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I’m so grateful Jesus humbled Himself, became a tiny baby, and squeezed Himself into our story. He brought God glory and reconciled us, too! Now, we can live for Him and in the future, He will make everything right. Thank You, Jesus!

In the end, it is God’s faithfulness to us that makes the difference. We are not capable of that on our own. Just as the sun rises every day, there is always the blue sky behind the clouds. We can rest in His provision and salvation, knowing His mercies are new every day and as the world turns! 😉

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God, we praise You! We are in awe of Your wonder and majesty. Thanks for loving us so much, even though we are extremely small in light of everything else You made. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What stands out to you about these two pictures (above)?

Tasks: For another view on space and grace, read this throwback post!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #320

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!

Flowers, Spring, Botany, Bloom, Blossom, Nature, Macro

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

This was a really sweet week! I had some really well-timed conversations and connections with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. I also noticed the grass greening up and my tulips starting to sprout!

On Easter Sunday, we celebrated at church and helped with an egg hunt there. Then, we spent the afternoon with friends, enjoying a delicious lunch, quality conversation, and fun games. Thank You, Jesus!

Monday evening, I took Lydia and some friends to an activity. It was fun to listen to them talk to each other in the car. You can read more about what I learned here!

Work went well. I had some really nice patients, and I received a great performance review! There are always ways to grow, but I am glad I am on track. Our department also had fun on Look Alike Day (4/20), and one of my friends and I each wore black pants and jean jackets. It was awesome to see my other coworker’s creativity… we had some ‘twins’ and ‘triplets’!

Wednesday night was church. Once again, the conversation was spot-on. This week, we discussed how Mary, the mother of Jesus, must’ve felt. I’m sure it was not as easy as we assume. We got off on our usual tangents, but I really am enjoying hanging out with those ladies!

On Thursday night, Lydia and I caught up on a couple tasks at home. Then, she rode her bike around our house. I just watched her because it was chilly and rainy, but she had a lot of fun!

Friday after work, I took Lydia’s old bike and scooter to a friend’s house. We then chatted for a couple of hours before I ran some errands! We discussed concepts like sickness and grief, salvation and God’s grace. She shared some prayer requests, and it seemed like God’s perfect timing that I reached out. I think we were both encouraged!!

Today, we did a mixture of our usual chores and relaxing! I prepared my snowblower for storage, cleaned some windows, and worked on some continuing education. Lydia cleaned her room and rode her bike in between rain showers. Thankfully, it turned out to be a bright, sunny day in the end!

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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

Finding Grace #319

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!

Easter Lilies, Flowers, Blossom, Garden

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

This was a crazy busy week, but it all went well! Every night had one activity or another… all purposeful and good, but just a lot all in one week. I washed the dishes on Monday, but it was Thursday before we even got to put them away! All the running around was worth it in the end.

Monday evening was our mom/daughter Bible study on courage. Then, we took advantage of the beautiful weather while we had it! We went on our first bike ride of the season. Lydia was thrilled she could keep up with me on her new bike! I’m hoping to have many more rides together this summer.

On Tuesday night, we attended a special folk concert put on by the local symphony orchestra! Local fourth graders received free tickets from school as a way to introduce them, so a few of Lydia’s friends joined us with their moms. It was inspiring to hear these songs in person and see each instrument at play. I always forget how much I enjoy live classical music!

Wednesday night was church. I enjoyed a great discussion about Esther, who became the Queen of Persia. We discussed how she must’ve felt and what caused her to rise to the occasion. I even invited someone to join us, so it was cool to see her get involved!

On Thursday night, we went to the chiropractor and grocery shopping. Thankfully, I am doing so much better and we are spacing out our visits now. It is great to feel so much better consistently! I still have a few random issues, but they are minor and are on the mend!

Yesterday, was Good Friday, and we attended church in the evening. We sat with another family with three young sons. It was fun to talk with them and see them learning about Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. It was a good reminder that Jesus is for each and every one of us, no matter how young or old!

Today, we maximized our time, too! We did our usual cleaning and housework, but we also made a lot of food. I made buckwheat pancakes with kefir, lemon zest, and blueberries! I made up the recipe as I went! I also made some stuffed pepper soup and baked tofu. Then, Lydia and I made some fresh lemonade. It kind of turned into a science experiment but was delicious! We also snuck in an Easter egg hunt and are dying Easter eggs now, while watching a movie!

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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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Wisdom, Worship

Easter Thoughts

Happy Holy Week! As I reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice for me, I am struck by Romans 5:8, which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It is humbling to think of how much Jesus loves me. Thousands of years before I was born, He saw me and died for me so I could know Him and live for Him. What mercy and grace!

Cross, Christ, Redeemer, Faith, God, Jesus, Clouds

Here are some Easter thoughts that are challenging me lately, in a good way:

You don’t have to like someone in order treat them well.

You don’t have to agree with someone in order to protect them.

You don’t have to understand other people’s choices in order to be kind.

You don’t have to see eye to eye with someone in order to want what’s best for them.

You don’t have to trust someone in order to be friendly (although that certainly helps!).

Jesus, Christ, God, Holy, Spirit, Bible, Gospel, Church

We don’t have to make it complicated; we are simply called to love others and let Jesus take care of the rest. It is tough at times, but it doesn’t need to be. Just remember, you have never looked into the eyes of someone Jesus doesn’t love.

Each person you see is someone Jesus died for. He offers them new life–the same as He offers you and me. Jesus looks upon them with such love and compassion. So must we.

We don’t have to try to figure out all the details or make them think as we do, but we do need to be open-minded. Extending someone grace doesn’t necessarily mean you approve of their choices. It also doesn’t mean they deserve it because grace is unmerited favor. But, you are choosing to see the best in them anyway.

I am so glad Jesus saw us with eyes of compassion and stepped in to save us. He did for us what we could never do on our own. He used His body to bridge the gap between us and God. He died for us well before we even knew His name.

What’s more, Jesus invites us to lay aside all our differences and join Him in a greater plan and story. He offers us gifts, such as peace, joy, and new life! Pursuing Jesus is a much better use of our energy than always keeping tabs on other people!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for the gift of Jesus! How magnanimous! You are so good. May we show others the mercy, grace, and love You have shown us. Give us Your eyes to see them the way You do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: How can you extend Jesus’ mercy, grace, and love to other people?

Tasks: Write out or print the statements in the second section above. Tape them onto your bathroom mirror and memorize them. See how they change your heart toward those who are difficult to love! The change in your attitude may be the very thing God uses to draw them near!

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

Finding Grace #317

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! God answered some prayers, showed me His blessings and reminded me to rest. I also saw the first few robins of the season. Just what I needed!

On Sunday, Lydia started a program called BioGirls with two friends. This is a local program that focuses on friendship, self-esteem, and other life skills in the pre-teen years. This includes some exercises, devotional time, and other fun activities. It will be interesting to see her grow and learn!

After that, we went out to eat at a local Italian restaurant! It was on a whim, but we had a coupon and wanted to try something new. JoJo’s is just off the highway and has been open since September. We had some delicious focaccia bread with herbed ricotta cheese. Lydia ordered chicken fettuccine alfredo and I ordered a small pizza–we each had leftovers for about four meals! We will definitely go back!

Lydia and I each had a good chiropractor appointment. We are starting to space them out now, so we don’t go back for two weeks. The doctor was very pleased with how both of us are making progress. I am feeling really good and can’t believe I waited so long to go!

Work went well, and I had a few meetings but a lighter patient load! That helped me get and stay caught up, so hopefully next week I can work on a few small projects!

At the beginning of the week, I noticed all my snow had finally melted. Then, on Tuesday we got about three more inches! It was a surprise, but not a huge deal. We just took it in stride, and I am happy to report most of it is melted again. I wonder what the poor robins thought about the weather!

This week, Lydia and I spent some quality time together. We did Week 2 of the Miriam study at True Girl ministries. We did the BioGirls exercises together (to practice for her Sunday class), and we also went clothes shopping and bought two items for Lydia. We even wore matching earrings one day and didn’t notice until that evening! I love my girl!

Today, Lydia and I did our “Saturday tasks” and then I took a much-needed nap. When I woke up, Lydia mentioned that she started a load of laundry for me. That was super thoughtful of her, and I was very appreciative. It helped me have a little time to work on other things and eventually relax, too! Thank You, Jesus!

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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, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #316

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!

Trees, Grass, River, Lake, Sky, Clouds, Spring, Wild

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

This was a busy week, but still good! I had some earlier mornings to run time-sensitive errands before work. We also had some later evenings with errands, activities, and even a couple of appointments. All of that translated to less sleep, too!

Lydia and I went back to the chiropractor on Monday evening. Every appointment has been a little better, so that is good. Occasionally, I am still feeling a little random pain, but it is much lighter and less often than I have grown used to! I am catching myself when I start to slouch or get out of alignment. Also, we are stretching out the time between appointments now so that is a great sign everything is going well!

Work went well, and I was quite busy with back-to-back appointments! Specifically, on Wednesday, I didn’t have time for a lunch break until 3:10 p.m. So, I just had a snack then and saved my lunch for dinner. That was somewhat helpful because we also had church in the evening, and I didn’t have to decide what to eat.

On Thursday evening, Lydia and I attended an online Bible study together about courage. The study is about Miriam (Moses’ sister) and is led by the ladies at True Girl ministries. We missed the study on Monday night, so this was the replay. My takeaway for the week: We are not courageous on our own, but it comes from God. Also, courage requires obedience. We have to obey the Lord and do what He asks us to do.

Then, on Friday, instead of my half-day, I ended up working a whole day! I agreed to stay later for an ‘active shooter’ police training. A little scary but important in my federal position. I learned a lot, and also realized how much I don’t know. Bottom line: Run, Hide, Fight is the best approach, and putting space and distance between yourself and the aggressor increases your chance of survival. Then, the training went longer than expected, and I was asked to help with some inpatient charting. It was a good, unexpected day!

The weather was warmer at the beginning of the week and melted most of the snow. I don’t have any more snow in my yard! Yesterday, it was chilly and windy and is the same today. No worries… we still have sure signs of spring!

Today, Lydia and I are doing our “Saturday tasks” as we usually do. This often includes reorganizing, cleaning, catching up, or getting ahead for the next week! Otherwise, we are enjoying the beautiful, sunny 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 Books and Movies I Like, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Wisdom, Worship

Red Sea Rescue

Reading through God’s word again this year means I am now in Exodus! This is always a great read, though it can be intense reading about Pharaoh’s evil heart and how he put his whole nation against God and led them into judgment.

Still, the story is more about God’s power and love for His people. The nation of Israel waited hundreds of years for God to rescue them, and I’m sure it must’ve felt like He was never going to come through for them. But, He always keeps His promises!

God rescued His people at just the right time (Exodus 2:24-25). Then, He led them through the desert as an alternating pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Despite their almost immediate grumbling, complaining, and greediness (manna and quail), He still showed them grace.

Sand, Beach, Ocean, Water, Footprints, Beach Sand

And, when they faced certain death from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, God made a way for them. Not only did He part the waters and kill the Egyptians, He already had the plan in place before He moved on their behalf. (He created the Red Sea and led them to it, after all!)

Exodus 14:14 (NLT) says, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Some other versions say to be silent or to be still. But, while God did the heavy work, Israel still had to choose to obey Him and pick up their feet. They couldn’t remain ‘statues’ of fear. They had to move forward and do what He said. Notice they were told to walk; they were not told to swim across.

It’s sometimes easy to roll our eyes at the Israelites and question how they could possibly doubt God’s love and provision for them. But, we do the same thing!

Red Sea, Coast, Egypt, Water, Travel, Beach, Landscape

On Monday, I heard the song, “Egypt,” by Cory Asbury. It felt like perfect timing, as it coincided with my reading and reminded me how much God has done for me.

He steps in to protect me daily, even when I don’t perceive Him or thank Him. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23) and prepares me for what lies ahead. 

God will move Heaven and Earth to do whatever it takes to rescue me, not so I can do whatever I want, but so I can worship Him and do what He created me to do.

Like Joyce Meyer writes in her book, Battlefield of the Mind, we have to take control of our emotions and take our thoughts captive. Otherwise, we will stay stuck in the wilderness like the Israelites did and never reach the Promised Land. Yes, eventually, even God was tired of their complaining!!

Jesus is our Rescuer, and every Victory is His! No matter what happens, He is trustworthy and always on time… So, stay calm. God’s got this, and He is leading you to freedom!

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God, thank You for rescuing us and for doing all the work for us.

Questions: What is your “Red Sea Rescue” story? Can you see all the ways God has brought you through?

Tasks: Listen to the song linked above and check out the book, too! Then, listen to this message (Q &A) by Joyce Meyer!

Posted on in Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perfectionism, Perseverance

Finding Grace #305

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

Landscape, Winter, Forest, Snow, Plantation, Sun, Japan

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

This was a cold, snowy week! The cold and snow are both very normal for this time of the year, so I was not too worried about them. But, a few other factors made for an interesting show of God’s grace!

On Wednesday, Lydia had an unexpected snow day off from school. It was a last-minute decision by the school district. I agreed with what happened, yet Lydia could have been left outside all alone. (The day before, I left her at the bus stop because the bus was running late and I needed to get to work.) I ended up staying home with her,  and we reviewed what to do in that type of situation. I also gave her a house key!

Usually, I work a half-day on Fridays, but this week I was able to work a full day and basically swap my hours from Wednesday when I took off. Essentially, I was able to take the equivalent of a half-day off instead of a whole day. Plus, I was able to cover for a couple of coworkers who were gone on Friday, so it worked well all around!
Friday also happened to be my 14th wedding anniversary (my 9th without Dave here). Lydia and I always miss him, but we had a nice dinner and watched a movie together! A friend sent me a picture of someone reading my book at a gymnastics class. It made my day a little sweeter knowing someone was reading about us!
Today, we went to brunch with a friend/coworker. Then, we went to “help” her pick out a dalmatian puppy! We played with thirteen puppies, and Lydia had fun cuddling one in particular. We are not getting a puppy at this time, but it was sure fun to dream! In reality, I don’t have the bandwidth right now to put in the effort a puppy would require. But, my friend does, so I’m sure we will get to play with her puppy soon!

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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 Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom

Un-Resolutions

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Many people choose to make self-improvements at this time of year. Yet, after a few weeks, they stop following through. Perhaps they lost their motivation or maybe they tried to change too many things at once?

For me, I simply want to do my best and continue working toward good habits all year long. I want to set myself up for success and sustainability. Small changes add up over time, and slow progress is still moving forward.

We are not guaranteed a certain number of days, but we can make the best of each moment God gives us. We can honor Him and redeem the time.

Beach, Rocks In The Sea, Sea, Sun, Light, Vacations

Instead of resolutions, I simply set an intention this year. Instead of resolving to change a bunch of things, I’m focusing on good boundaries, resting in God’s grace, and taking good care of myself. That may look different from day to day. It’s less about willpower or wishful thinking and more about a mindset.

I do have to occasionally remind myself that close enough is good enough… no need for perfectionism here! I am giving myself credit as long as I show up and keep practicing healthy habits!

If I keep putting one step in front of the other and don’t give up, eventually, I will get where I need to be. Or, in the meantime, God will redirect me and it will turn out better than I had planned. I don’t have to worry; I just have to listen to Him and be flexible.

Yes, challenges and distractions will inevitably come, but we were made to do difficult things. We are more than conquerors, and if God is for us, who can be against us?

I’m not saying to slack off or don’t try to make positive changes in areas like sleep, nutrition, fitness, finances, or even Bible study. Give ’em all you’ve got!! Just don’t attach your value to whether or not you succeed.

Ultimately, our worth comes from who God is and how He sees us. We are loved and accepted as-is. We don’t have to DO, we already ARE. His grace is more than enough.

So whatever we do, we can find joy every day!

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God, thanks for loving us as-is. We don’t have to earn Your grace, we already have it! Help us honor you in our habits, words, and actions today. May You be first in our hearts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Did you set any resolutions or intentions this year? Or do you just make changes as the year goes on, whenever they are needed?

Tasks: Consider making an UN-resolution. Don’t settle for a quick fix, but be consistent when the going gets tough. Be willing to change habits and put in the effort, but also know you are loved and accepted whether or not you reach your goal!