Tag: holidays

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 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 Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot, Wisdom

Grace Galore

I hope you are having a wonderful day! Generally, I want my blog to be an encouraging part of your week. Perhaps, it also challenges you, too! I appreciate that it reflects where Lydia and I are in life. It’s been fun to track our successes and work through some of the tough issues we face. 

That’s all good, but as we near the ten-year anniversary of Dave’s death, I have been wondering what all I/we have accomplished in the last decade. It’s a good question to ask sometimes!

Now, before you worry about me, I am okay. I realize a lot is going well for us. I worked very hard to write and publish my book. I have a great job with awesome coworkers, and  Lydia is looking forward to middle school this fall. There’s so much to be thankful for.

It’s just been a stressful few months in many ways, and sometimes I second-guess myself. On those chaotic days, I have wondered how I may have grown or changed when I still see some of the same problems. Have you ever felt that way?

Recently, I had time to talk with some friends and explain how I felt. That helped, especially since they were stressed about the same things! We all have slightly different issues and factors, but stress is stress. 🙂

As a result, I was able to rethink how I perceive some of the stress, and I was able to see God’s grace and provision clearly. He has been so, so good to me.

Free Mountain Path photo and picture

With Easter around the corner, I am again reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. He died so we could live. He rose in Victory; now we also walk in Victory.

Nothing is impossible for God. We bring Him our weaknesses in exchange for His strength. Praise God, we have His Holy Power in us! 

No matter how hectic life gets, I am grateful that Life has so much more to offer. THIS (whatever your THIS is) isn’t ALL there is. The best is yet to come!

Growth isn’t easy; change may require much effort before seeing results. But, we can take steps toward greatness every day. We can choose a good attitude and rely on the Lord. Knowing God’s grace will cover us, we can work hard and do our best.

Perfection is not the goal. We don’t have to get it all right. That’s God’s responsibility. Jesus gives us His righteousness and we can rest in His grace galore!

Of course, the expectation of an “easy” life is unrealistic. Jesus never promised us that. Suffering is not for nothing, however. Challenges will always come, but blessings are built in if we look for them.

Don’t let a bad day, week, or month keep you from living a full life.

Lord, give us Resurrection eyes of faith!

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God, thanks for your grace galore. Thanks that we won’t have to be perfect or have all the answers. Help us walk in the Victory Jesus died to give us. In His Name, Amen

Questions: What is God resurrecting in your life today? How is He making it new, and where can you see His grace at work?

Task: There is stress, and then there is “perceived stress.” Check out this Perceived Stress Scale. To me, it is almost a measure of how much I am worrying (and where I need to trust God or seek help). I hope it is helpful for you – that you can see the silver lining and know where you need to shift your focus.

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

A Little Bit of Love

Happy Valentine’s week! Is that a thing? Let’s make it a thing. It doesn’t have to be all lovey-dovey. Maybe we can reframe it as an opportunity to show people we care. Plain and simple.

Romance is great, but even married couples have to work at it! Yet, everyone can benefit from a little bit of love. If it helps you get through the week, don’t write a love note, write a thank you note! Take chocolates to work, and share them with your coworkers. Buy yourself flowers just because they make you happy… Spring is around the corner!

Little acts of kindness and love are in style any day of the year!

On Monday, Lydia received a gift in the mail from someone out of state, who is going through a lot of personal challenges and unknowns. But, it was so kind of them to think of Lydia and brighten her day. A little bit of love and generosity go a long way.

The gift was a self-adhesive nail polish kit, which included stickers to put on over the nail polish. Lydia was so excited when they turned out fairly well, for our first time, at least! She sent her friends some pictures and kept talking about how pretty they looked.

Her prayer at bedtime that night included these words: “God, thanks for my nails and for people who love me and think about me all the time. Including You.”

Isn’t that cool how someone in another state loved on Lydia in a small way? Yet, it was perceived as a really big gesture to my girl and turned her heart toward God. In reality, it blessed us both because I could enjoy Lydia’s excitement, and we bonded in the process. You could say, a little bit of love went a very long way!

Then, in the same spirit, Lydia went on to bless me yesterday with a little Valentine gift. I bought her a few little gifts, but I never expect her to do anything for me. She doesn’t have much money or a way to go buy gifts. That didn’t stop her!

Lydia surprised me with a few pieces of the candy she got from school and wrote me a sweet note of appreciation. As any parent will tell you, those are the best gifts.

So, there you have it. Love doesn’t have to be big or flashy. There are lots of way to show people kindness and love. We don’t have to overthink it.

God’s love is so much bigger than we can comprehend… let alone, His grace, mercy, peace, joy, etc. We don’t have to do the great thing… He already has through Jesus. So, relax. Take the pressure off. Just start small, share God’s love, and see what He does!

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God, thanks for showing me all the ways You love me, big and small. Help me love like You do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: How can you celebrate God’s love this week?

Tasks: Write the note. Buy the chocolate. Enjoy the flowers. Thank God for His love!

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

Finding Grace #356

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 photos of Winter

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

This was a unique, celebratory week! We enjoyed having my sister’s family here, Zooming with the rest of the family on Christmas on Sunday. That was really special. 

I worked on Christmas and was off Monday (the federal holiday observed). Then, I worked half days Tuesday through Friday, partly because our family was here and partly because school was out. It was a slower week, with a few cancellations and no-shows. It was nice because I kept up with my paperwork and cleaned my desk!

Lydia had a bad cough and fever on and off, but she is mostly better now.  Even so, it was good to take it easy in this weird week between holidays. It’s actually my favorite week of the year because it’s relatively low-key with minimal obligations and expectations. I can do what I want, for the most part! 🙂

Today, we have just been relaxing and getting ready for the new year ahead. Tonight, we will celebrate with friends who live around the corner from us. We had fun last year with them, and I am sure it will be a fun evening again! I pray this next year is full of God’s wonder and grace… may we know Him more fully each 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, Perseverance, Wisdom, Worship

Always

On this last Wednesday of 2022, I am reflecting on all that has happened over the previous year. This was a reasonably calm year regarding emotions and drama (grief is always behind the scenes, but not as big day-to-day). We traveled to see family and friends in Arizona, Michigan, and Montana. We also had a few visitors, which is always fun!

Otherwise, we had more of our usual… work, school, serving, and hanging out! Sometimes keeping the status quo is a good thing! Flash forward to the holidays, which are good but sometimes challenging.

I worked on Christmas Morning – it was my turn, after all – but I was thinking of what to do about it all year! I didn’t want to leave Lydia alone, especially since I wasn’t sure how long I would be gone. Any other day would have been fine, but Christmas packs a more powerful punch.

It was a conundrum for me as a single parent. I didn’t want to invite Lydia to someone’s house on Christmas. And if the weather was bad, or if she was sick… well, there were many factors to consider! I prayed a lot over the last year!

Free photos of Snowman

A few local people offered solutions, but none were quite right. Then, a few months ago, my sister and brother-in-law decided they could come for Christmas. Earlier this month, one of our friends invited Lydia as a backup, which was appreciated.

As it got closer, my sister and I discussed all the fun activities we wanted to do. But, I still wasn’t sure they would make it because the weather tends to be a wild card! Ironically, despite all my planning for work, it still came down to a last-minute decision to come a day early. My family rolled in at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday and just beat the bad weather!

We made some great memories and celebrated some old ones. It was so fun to have them here for Christmas! We enjoyed shopping, baking, toddler-chasing, playing in the snow, Christmas movie-watching, and much more!

Well, working on Christmas went better than I imagined. I prayed for God’s grace and mercy, and He gave me an ‘easy’ day. Lydia was sick, and it did snow a bit. But, God took care of the biggest hurdles, and Aunt Livi and Uncle Paul were here to stay with Lydia. So, she didn’t have to be alone.

Recently, I heard the song “Always” by Chris Tomlin. It has been running through my mind ever since! I’m grateful God comes through for us… always and in all ways.

I like the chorus below:

“Your mercy is mighty age after age, and all generations will bow down and praise
The Lord is faithful, yesterday, now and always”

What a timely reminder that we can plan, but God directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9). I had been worried about all the what-ifs, but even so, God was with us. He smoothed out the issues and covered them with His grace and provision.

I know God will continue to carry us in the coming year. I see a few hurdles ahead, but know He has a good plan. God has never let me down – He is always faithful, and I put my trust in Him.

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Thanks, Lord, for always guiding my path and walking with me! Thanks for providing help and fun during this holiday season. May we continue to trust You in the new year ahead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What was your most significant highlight of the year? What was something difficult you faced? How did God come through for you?

Tasks: Listen to the song, “Always,” by Chris Tomlin. Write down how God has been faithful to you this year.

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

Finding Grace #355

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 photos of Christmas

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

This week flew by! We enjoyed seeing our family on Zoom, and it was fun to compare the weather across three time zones and four states.

I worked Monday through Wednesday and took the rest of the week off. We celebrated with a potluck and white elephant gift party. We shared a lot of laughs!

On Tuesday, I went to work late as Lydia and her classmates took part in a ‘wax museum’ presentation. Lydia was Louis Braille, and I also saw several friends and neighbors dressed up as famous people and stayed in character during their speeches. Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, Marie Curie, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, Louis Armstrong, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Aretha Franklin, Babe Ruth, Maria Tall Chief, Sitting Bull, and Sally Ride were some of my favorites!

One main ‘event’ of the week was the weather. Or, rather, talking about the weather! In Fargo, it is fairly normal, but online, friends and family across the midwest were posting various viewpoints and grievances. I saw some friends back home discussing North Dakota weather and how tough we are. It was funny, though I didn’t chime in with my two cents!

One exciting surprise is that my sister, brother-in-law, and toddler nephew all arrived a day early! They were planning to come Thursday, but I reached out about the impending weather and they decided to start off Wednesday instead! It has been so fun to have them here for Christmas! We have several activities lined up; we’ve already done some shopping, baking, toddler-chasing, and movie-watching!

Today it is Christmas Eve. We went shopping, celebrated Jesus’ birth at church, had a gourmet Italian meal with authentic Bolognese sauce, and are opening up presents tonight. We are celebrating a little early because I have to work tomorrow morning. I don’t know for sure when I will get off (at least Noon), so I am grateful my family can stay with Lydia! Merry Christmas to you all!!

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

Light of the World

Today is the winter solstice, or the shortest, darkest day of the year (so to speak). I don’t see a lot of daylight at work, but I like to take short walks to the nearest windows when I can!

We are getting more snow today, but this week has otherwise been below zero, beautiful and sunny! I love watching the snow fall, but I always pray before driving!

With all the snow and darkness lately, it’s easy to come home and stay cozy, not to go out and do anything or see anyone! (Or, maybe that’s just me as an introvert!)

Lydia and I have had several deep and heavy conversations in the last month or so. Perhaps that’s because of all the memories we celebrate in this season. From her birthday in November to my wedding anniversary in early January, we have a lot on our hearts and minds.

Free photos of Candle

One thing I love is our ongoing discussion about being empty or full. It has given Lydia words to describe her feelings, and then we have been applying God’s word to her situation. This book is a helpful tool to get to the heart of the matter.

Well, I hope you are eager with anticipation for Christmas! We have hope in Jesus, and He is truly the best gift. However, if you are feeling a little sad with grief, or a bit nervous about Christmas celebrations (for any number of reasons!), or… If you aren’t sure how you are feeling, that’s okay!

This week, it has taken me longer to get home after work. Monday night, I was on the road for an hour, at least 15 minutes at one stop light! There was a minor accident and snowy weather. The streetlights were helpful, but so was the Christmas music! I made the best of it, knowing the Lord was keeping me safe. It seemed like a God-given opportunity to stage a worship session in my car! God was glorified in my wait.

Sometimes, the dark nights seem to last forever. But you know what?! Sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5)!

When we face darkness (real or metaphorical), we can always call out to Jesus, the Light of the World. He steps down in our darkness and brightens up our world. He shows us the path to take and also walks with us on it. He is my go-to when making decisions!

Sometimes, Jesus sits with us until things feel better. Sometimes, He shares the Truth with us or shows us an area where we need to grow. Both are illuminated with His love and grace. I’m grateful He understands.

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Lord Jesus, we praise You for being the Light of the World! Thanks for clarifying what is on our hearts and minds, bringing peace. Thanks for brightening our world and walking with us every day. Help us spread Your light and love to others. In Your name, Amen

Questions: Are you ready for Christmas? What are you looking forward to? What are you a little nervous about?

Tasks: Turn your car into a worship booth! Crank up the Christmas music… you can start with this song by Lauren Daigle!

 

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

Finding Grace #354

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 a little unpredictable but good! Mostly it was all related to the weather. We had snow from Tuesday night through today!

The schools were closed and had virtual learning Wednesday and Thursday, and then started two hours late on Friday, so people had time to clear the snow. Of course, this altered my work schedule. I decided to go in for a few hours but also needed to balance everything with Lydia. Thankfully, my boss is understanding – and everyone else was in the same situation! It all turned out well enough!

The snow itself was quite pretty and really was ideal considering how it could have been. I was grateful for a timely reminder from the Lord that I am not alone. My snow service took care of most of the driveway and sidewalks. I just cleared the parts closest to the house.

With the weather, my chiropractor moved up my appointment to Thursday morning instead of the evening. The timing was good since I hadn’t left for work. She mentioned her four-year-old daughter is into Belle from “Beauty & the Beast”. Well, Lydia voluntarily offered her a gently used blanket she hasn’t used in a few years. It has both Belle and the Beast on it, so the little girl will surely enjoy it! We washed it, so it was ready to go. It feels good knowing it is going to a good home!!

On Friday, Lydia and I each had eye doctor appointments. It has been four years since my Lasik surgery and everything looks well! Lydia’s vision has gotten a little worse, so she will need to get new lenses for a new prescription. But, overall things look good!

Today, we celebrated Dave’s 44th birthday, his tenth in Heaven. We love and miss him still. But, we are grateful for how good and faithful God has been to us! We made brownies, played a rousing game of Monopoly, and are now watching Home Alone. It’s been a sweet day remembering Dave.

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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)!