Tag: family

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

Finding Grace #381

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 very relaxing week filled with family on vacation! On Sunday, Fathers Day, we hung out with my dad and mom plus Dave’s family at the beach in Florida. It was a perfect day.

Then, on Monday, I tried surfing for the first time. I’m really proud of myself and felt strong and confident. Sometimes, we need to push out of our comfort zone and try something new. I am so glad I did, and I can’t wait to go again!

We flew back later Tuesday and spent the next day resting. Both of us weren’t feeling well, so I am glad I took Wednesday off from work ahead of time. Lydia did manage to go to volleyball practice, but then she skipped youth group and was in bed by 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, I went to work a little late to make sure Lydia was okay. I wasn’t quite 100% either, but I pulled through. I knew I had a busy day covering for someone else who had been on vacation, too. Lydia just rested all day, which is the best thing she could have done.

By Friday, we were both healthy again. Lydia said the best part of her day was that she felt well. I stayed later at work to finish up some patient care and came home to do a few little tasks.

This week, I tore down a barnswallow nest earlier in the week (after confirming there were no eggs). They had already made a big mess, and I didn’t want them sitting right on my front door. I set out a little plastic owl figure on the step and haven’t seen them since. I hope they find another place to roost, though. They sure are pretty!

Today, we mostly relaxed! Usually, we jump right back into our routine, so it’s been nice to have a slower pace. It rained on and off all day, thus we enjoyed reading and having some quiet time together. I need to mow, but the grass is wet. I’ll take it as a confirmation just to rest!

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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, Travel

Family Time in Florida

This past week, Lydia and I enjoyed a great vacation in Florida! We visited my parents in Jacksonville for a couple of days and then stayed in condos with Dave’s family in St. Augustine Beach.

We were in Florida from Wednesday through Tuesday. Originally, we planned it around the Juneteenth holiday, and later I realized it was also Father’s Day weekend. What a blessing!

We stayed at a nice hotel in Jax with an amazing view. We also tried some local restaurants with my parents. On Thursday, my dad and I took a walk along the St. Johns River. We walked under five of the city’s seven bridges in about seventy-five minutes. I even found public exercise equipment outside under a bridge with cow murals… kettlebells, medicine balls, battle ropes, weights, etc. I had to try them all out!

Then, we hung out at the hotel during a big storm. Before it rolled in, we visited the nineteenth-floor skydeck, which boasted a rooftop pool and exercise room. Later, we enjoyed watching the dark clouds, torrential rain, and lightning strikes from our tenth-floor room. I’m glad we were safe, and I can only imagine how it looks during a hurricane!!

On Friday, we drove to our condos. We see Dave’s mom often but have not seen his brother, Kevin, much lately. We also saw Dave’s sister, Brooke, her husband, Dale, and their family for the first time in nine years. We’d wanted to see them sooner, but they live in a different part of the state than my parents. So we typically can’t see everyone on one trip. Plus, the pandemic didn’t help!

I had so much fun getting to know my four nephews and two nieces again! The kids were as sweet and easygoing as ever. Lydia was really excited to get to know her cousins since she was only two-and-a-half when we last saw them. We periodically video chat, but it’s not the same. Within minutes we set up a family group chat for texting pictures, jokes, and pertinent information. Technology at its finest!

We were right on the beach, so there was easy access for our daily jaunts to the ocean. We swam, made resorts for little fish, played spike ball, and also played with a giant beach ball. We also played card games, played BeanBoozled (the jelly bean game!), and told jokes.

One morning we had homemade lemon-blueberry scones and watched a slideshow of memories as we celebrated my mother-in-law’s recent June birthday. We reminisced about Dave a little, too.

Then, my parents joined us at the beach on Father’s Day. They are well-versed in Florida life now and fit right in. Actually, our families have always mixed well, so in some ways, it was just like old times. Dale and Dad caught up, and my nephews chimed in about the waves, current, and weather conditions.

On Juneteenth, I got to try surfing the Atlantic! One of the girls and Dale gave me some tips on land. Then, Brooke guided me on the water. We paddled out together and had a good conversation in between the waves. She was full of encouragement, mentioning she started two years ago when she was forty, so I am a perfect age to try something new!

We had a blast, and I stayed out for an hour and a half. I was able to catch a few waves body boarding and on my knees. I tried to stand but fell off, as expected. But I’m proud of how I did and even got compliments on my strength and perseverance!

Yesterday, we packed up for our two flights back to Fargo. We were able to spend a few wonderful hours with my mom again before heading to the airport. (Dad was at work.)

Our flights (four total) were uneventful, an answer to prayer. Our entire trip went well, despite some seasonal rain. Thankfully, we made the best of it, and in most cases, the weather shifted very quickly for the better.

In short, this trip felt like a celebration but also a renewal of family relationships. It was just the reset and salve I needed. I look forward to reaching out to everyone with a little more regularity and hopefully seeing them a little more often!

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God, thanks so much for blessing our trip and keeping us safe. Thanks for the gift of family. Help us continue to grow together in grace and love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What’s your favorite family vacation? What makes it stand out to you?

Task: Reach out to family (and even friends) regularly. Try once a week or at least a couple of times a month! Make sure to tell others how much you love them!

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

Finding Grace #380

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 Wave Sea photo and picture

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

This was a fun week! Work was busy but good. I had a lot to do and finish, but I got it all done. We said goodbye to one dear coworker as she is moving to another VA in Florida. We will miss her, but did learn one of our coworkers will soon move into her position. Then, we will have to backfill the other position, but it’s all good!

This week was full of yardwork, such as weeding, watering, and mowing. Lydia mowed some of the yard for me, which really helped! My neighbor boys periodically came over to say hi and ask questions. 🙂 One even pulled a small handful of weeds!

Then, Lydia and I went on a little adventure to the beach and saw family! I will be sure to have a recap for you next week! For now, we are enjoying the ocean, sunshine, and catching up. 🙂

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

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

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

Finding Grace #378

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

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

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

This was another great week with so many things to be grateful for! First off, Lydia was baptized at church on Sunday! She has been following Jesus personally for years, and we have been discussing baptism for a while. But, the timing just worked out best on Sunday. It was even more special that it was also Pentecost!

Monday was Memorial Day, so I was off from work. We took one of Lydia’s friends to ‘The Little Mermaid’ in theaters. The music, the actors, the graphics… It was all so good, and I highly recommend it!

On Wednesday, Lydia attended youth group again, and she had so much fun. She was a little nervous but wanted to go in by herself (leaving me in the car, which is always a good sign!). It is great to have others building into her life and reinforcing lessons we discuss at home. I’m grateful for other godly examples for her to follow!

On Thursday, we had dentist appointments. Everything went well! I always have to laugh at all the conversations the staff likes to have with you when you can’t say much. 🙂 One good thing is that I learned our dentist goes to the same church as us. I will have to look for his family tomorrow morning. Small world!

The healing garden at work is starting to bloom. Day by day, flowers are opening up and blooming full force. Notice the bright pink peonies are at it again!

Yesterday, I ran some errands after work. I went to Costco for some routine items and just happened to find a large wind chime. I love my smaller one from my family, in memory of Dave. I placed the new chime next to the little one, and the deeper noise brought a beautiful balance. This morning, I enjoyed my coffee on the sunny deck before the heat set in. It was so relaxing hearing the chimes in the breeze! Every “song” is always new and unique. I could’ve listened to that music all day!

It’s been hot this week, so I mowed the lawn last night when it cooled off a bit. Then today, I bought some new tools to help me weed more efficiently. It helps my back to have extended tools that do the job! I also did the trimming and deadheaded some plants. It feels good to get my yard in order! 

Otherwise, today was pretty normal. I was on-call but didn’t have to go in to work. Lydia had a birthday party in the afternoon, which gave me a little free time. I caught up around the house, but tonight, we are just relaxing!

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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, Perseverance

Finding #376

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. We had a mini staycation, which included a quiet Mother’s Day on Sunday. We hiked, relaxed, and played a little soccer game with the neighbor boys…perfect! I am so grateful to be Lydia’s mom, but it’s also a little bittersweet since it reminds me of being a single parent since the anniversary of Dave’s death occurs around the same time.

On Monday, I took the day off from work and enjoyed celebrating Dave’s life with Lydia. We tried to make the best of it, though we’ve been missing him for ten years now.

The weather was really nice this week! I loved seeing all the flowery trees! Lydia helped me mow about half the yard on Wednesday, so that helped save me a lot of time! I did the trim work and then finished the lawn. Then today, we enjoyed going for a walk all around the neighborhood and later played ball together!

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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, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Pivot, Prayer, Wisdom

Finding Grace #371

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 week was filled with God’s grace. We had some company in the earlier part of the week. It’s always fun to have visitors, and we were especially glad to celebrate Easter together!

I’m thrilled to report I saw our first robins of spring! Today, I saw about twelve all sprinkled through my lawn. They enjoy my deck and trees, as do several other birds: finches, juncos, sparrows, starlings, and swallows so far!

The weather finally warmed up this week, although it will be chilly again for the next few days. The snow is melting more, hour by hour, and the grass is growing a little. I wonder if my tulips will even come up this year since they are usually already up and gone again! Perhaps I will be surprised!

Work went well this week; still busy, but I had a good discussion about the workload with my manager. Hopefully, we will figure out some manageable strategies in the coming weeks. We can only bend so far before we “break” or burn out. I took off the day on Friday for an appointment and some R&R, which really helped.

Today, Lydia and I watched our friend’s little girl! We enjoyed cuddling with her and catching up with her momma when she returned. We will probably relax for the rest of the evening, maybe watch a movie or play a game!

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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, Prayer

Finding Grace #370

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 Easter Lily Flower photo and picture

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

This was another good week, but it required a lot of prayers! Nonetheless, God really came through for me! One little highlight was watching little songbirds hopping around on the gigantic piles of snow in my backyard!

It seems like I talk about work almost every week, but as you know, I spend so much time there. I helped with a nursing fair and saw several patients. I also had some important conversations with my coworkers. We had some laughs and also brainstormed our way through some potential problems. It was a good feeling!

The weather was a little crazy this week. Lydia only went to her actual school on Monday; Tuesday through Thursday were remote learning due to the weather. Then, yesterday, she was off for Good Friday already. Thankfully, she handled it all like a champ!

Thankfully, the last couple of days have been above 40 and sunny, just in time to celebrate Easter! We enjoyed our church’s Good Friday service last night. We sat with some friends and worshiped the Lord. I’m grateful for the Cross!

My mother-in-law also came to visit, so she stayed with Lydia while I went to work today (I was on-call). Then, we went to lunch and went shopping! Tonight, we are enjoying a movie together. It was a really nice day after a wild week!

I pray you all have a blessed Easter weekend!

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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, Perseverance

Finding Grace #369

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 Trees Snow photo and picture

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

This was a good week and was easier than expected!

As usual, on Sunday we had fun on our family Zoom night. At almost three years old, my nephew is the perfect age to provide all the entertainment. My niece is a year younger, but she’s also adorable to watch!

Work was quite busy, but despite a heavy patient load, I did my best to manage my stress. My coworkers and I put together a three-panel board about our inpatient and outpatient services for a nursing fair next week. We had fun joking about our lack of cutting and art skills, but it actually turned out well!

The weather was pretty status quo this week. Below zero and snowy, which is par for the course lately. You’ll have to pardon my choice of picture tonight – I like to pick something that reflects the week or day. Despite it technically being spring, it will take at least a few more weeks to see any real snow-melting progress. I did notice the storm drain is visible just off my front curb; water is going into it, so that’s a good sign! I talked with my dad yesterday, and he asked if we had any tulips popping up yet. I just had to laugh!

Today was pretty relaxing. Lydia and I each did some cleaning and had a good workout. We also tried out our new Ninja Creami machine. We made some banana ‘nice cream.’ We have made it in the past with a blender, but we turned out a much better product tonight! We’re going to try it again tomorrow. 🙂

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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 #368

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 Winter Road photo and picture

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

This was a fairly calm week! My gut was a little upset this week, so I tried to take it easy. This usually includes eating a little lighter, resting, and stress management. I am feeling mostly better now – still trying to figure out what the issue was!

Work was pretty normal – busy but good. Any downtime was spent catching up or getting ahead. Next week looks like a busy week with patients!

In other news, I unclogged my garbage disposal. It didn’t need reset, but I couldn’t recall how to fix it. So, I looked online for help and tried a few things. Finally, I used an old piece of wood to spin the disc and help it turn again. No issues since Tuesday!

Then, on Friday, I had an older patient with chronic pain following two conflicting diet plans based on nutrition misinformation he found online. He also is food insecure and spends the remainder of his money on solutions that are not helpful for him. He had grown malnourished as a result of eating one meal every other day thinking that was what he needed to do! It was very interesting helping him learn the truth about food and nutrition. I was able to give him a simple, cohesive plan that should meet his goals, save him money, and help his health. I’m grateful he came to see me!!

Last night ended up being solo for me. Lydia went to a friend’s house for a sleepover (different than last week). It was nice to have some alone time. I scouted out some new stores and then went home. I watched some movies while chopping up some veggies and roasting them. I also made a crockpot stew which turned out so well!

I had a relaxing time at home, waiting for Lydia to return. I had a good workout, cleaned, listened to a podcast, read a little, and made some calls. It was great talking with my mom and dad! When Lydia came home, I had fun hearing all about her adventures with the other family!

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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, Parenting, Wisdom

Building Boundaries

This past Sunday, Lydia got a big surprise when I bought her first cell phone! We have been discussing it for a while, and I was content to wait a little longer. Nonetheless, we decided to go to Verizon and scout out some options. I felt peace when we were there, and it seemed right!

Of course, Lydia is very excited, but she will need to learn some new boundaries. I set some parental restrictions and won’t let her sign up for social media accounts. She has time limits set up, as well, and I can review her activity. It will be a learning curve for both of us, but I am glad we are doing this a few months before she starts middle school.

Naturally, the last few nights at bedtime, we have been reviewing the importance of setting healthy boundaries. It doesn’t happen without diligence!

Lydia was having trouble understanding my point, so I showed her using an old wooden tray for one of her toys. It probably held some magnets or blocks, but the toys are long gone by now. (pic below)

I grabbed the tray, which to me looked like a corral. First, I turned it over to the flat side. I explained that we don’t know where our limits are when we don’t have boundaries. We may get really close to the “edge” and risk getting hurt.

Then, I flipped it back over and showed Lydia how the outer part looked like a fence. If a person – or horse?!- were in there, they would have a lot of freedom to roam. There is comfort and safety in strong boundaries.

Boundaries also protect us from outside influences. Some people prefer to live on the edge; they like taking risks and pushing limits! Sometimes, that’s okay, but we need to make sure we are in step with Jesus and honoring Him.

Lydia and I brainstormed several examples of boundaries. Saying yes and no are a start. Marriages and friendships are two examples, a regular bedtime is another. Yards have fences or sometimes hedgerows as property lines. A budget is yet one more example of a boundary!

Boundaries are not just guidelines; they help us measure where we are and how far we’ve come! I’m sure Lydia and I will continue to develop more boundaries as she grows. For now, she is learning boundaries come with responsibility!

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God, thanks for the loving boundaries You place in our lives. Help us to honor You as we stay within Your limits. May we be wise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What are some other examples of good boundaries? Do you naturally like boundaries, or are you a little rebellious? 😉

Tasks: Take a moment to assess your boundaries, personally and/or professionally. Reel yourself in before you fall off the edge and get hurt! 🙂 Check out this book!