Tag: house maintenance

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #244

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 busy, but good! At the VA, I got a laptop for my workstation, a sweet upgrade from my slower pc. I was able to take it with me to a different part of the building, in order to see a patient, which saved me time and will be good in case I need to telework. One afternoon, I stayed late to get caught up on my charting. I’m grateful for an understanding supervisor.

This week, I hosted a couple evening Zoom meetings for my students, to offer personalized help with a couple of concepts we have been working on. I really enjoy the teaching process; it’s gratifying to see them gain knowledge and understanding! We also had a fun online event with other health disciplines.

We had gorgeous weather this week, and temperature in the 60s! I really appreciated the blue sky, sunshine, and minimal wind. Lydia really loved ditching her coat!

At various points this week, I caught up with four of my aunts over texts and/or the phone. I am grateful for technology to stay connected with my loved ones!

Today, I graded some papers and went through some old clothes to donate. It feels good to clean out my closets! Lydia spent a lot of time playing outside with friends!

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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, Perseverance, Prayer

Finding Grace #238

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 smoother than last! It was still somewhat stressful, but I’m grateful a friend stopped to pray for me. I tried to get more sleep, too.

Lydia had a fun week. She continues to enjoy school and daycare. Also, on Wednesday night, a friend offered to take Lydia to church with her family, so I could have a little extra time at home. I picked her up afterward, but it was very helpful!

Work continues to be busy, but I am enjoying what I do. It was fun to grade some assignments this week, though it can be difficult at times to assess someone else’s learning! Nonetheless, I feel privileged to work both with Veterans and college students.

Yesterday evening, I mowed the lawn, hopefully for the last time this season. I had to run and get gas beforehand, so it was a last minute choice. I mowed as fast as I could and finished just before it got too dark. The street lights came on, so that really helped! 😉

This weekend, I have some more assignments to grade and prepare. I have a couple of projects to continue working on, too. I’m trying to find a good balance!

Tonight, some friends are coming over. It will be the first time we have been together since March! I am looking forward to 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, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #221

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?

If this week could be described by all the food we ate, I would say it was very tasty! On Sunday, a dear friend came over to visit and we ate African food and played games together. She briefly hopped on my family Zoom call to say hello to everyone.

Once again, work was busy and was productive. I ate yummy leftovers of a bean soup with Middle Eastern spices all week for lunch. I also shared some dark chocolate espresso beans with a coworker.

Early in the week, I worked on some assignments for my online cooking class. I blanched, parboiled, and gently cooked some broccoli. I also made garlic mushrooms and leeks. I did not have all the right ingredients, but used other versions (ex. dried garlic instead of fresh) based on what I had at home. Thankfully, I still earned 100%. The chef/teacher couldn’t believe I had gotten such good results, but I’m glad they recognized my effort. 😉 Next up… roasted carrots!

I ran some errands after work one evening, and then Lydia got deli sandwich from a nearby food truck for dinner.

Today, I mowed early in the day and noticed my pretty tulips. Then, I called my mother-in-law, and later, joined a baby shower over Zoom. It was fun to see old friends in at least three time zones! During the ‘party,’ Lydia and I split a cookie we bought a few days ago at the bookstore to celebrate the end of school. Yum!

Finally, this week has brought many conversations about injustice and racial inequality. I discuss these issues with Lydia, and it is an ongoing conversation. However, there is more to do in order to bring about change. This week, I bought some more resources to continue educating myself. Please pray for peace and speak up for justice.

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

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

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #220

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, low-key week! On Sunday, a friend came over to visit and do her laundry. I also had a meeting with my writers group. In the evening, Lydia and I Zoomed with family, which is always fun!

Work was busy and was productive. I always praise God for helping me finish my work and meet the needs of my patients. I really enjoy what I am doing and who I work with!

Now, Lydia and I are enjoying a four-day weekend. So far, we have done some housework, laundry, cooking, and mowing. Lydia had a virtual orthodontist appointment this morning, and I caught up with my online food class.

The weather is beautiful today. I don’t know what else we will do this weekend, but I am sure we will make the most of our time 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, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #218

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 full and good! We enjoyed a Zoom video chat with family on Sunday. I also enjoyed talking with my brothers a little more than usual as they helped me with some technology upgrades!

We have had several rainy days, with a couple of sunny days in between. I don’t mind, though. It has made the grass green (so much so that I mowed on Friday!).

Friday was very productive. Besides mowing, I upgraded my internet modem and router. I did all the work myself, but my brothers helped me decide which models to purchase and answered a few questions. Then, I did some laundry, helped Lydia with some homework, and we watched a movie (the original That Darn Cat)!

Today, it was rainy again. So, we snuggled, did some cleaning, cooking, and paperwork. Tonight, we are watching another movie (Spies in Disguise)!

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

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

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #217

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 an awesome week! We kicked off the week with a fun family video chat on Sunday evening. We always have a great time and laugh a lot! It took a little coordination since my brother and his wife recently moved to Phoenix, AZ, so now we are in at least three time zones! We hope to do it again soon!

Lydia and I tried to get outside each day this week! We visited with neighbors, did some yardwork, and played some games. I noticed baby leaves on my trees, and Lydia took a picture of some tree swallows. We even went to check out the river one afternoon!

I am really grateful for God’s leading and guiding in my life! The last few weeks, I have been considering various options and decisions. I have prayed, researched, and asked questions. This week, I took some steps forward. I’m excited for what God has for me next!

Yesterday, I called a dear family friend and talked with her for 2+ hours. We hadn’t had the chance to connect for quite some time, so it was wonderful to catch up and learn all about what her family is doing. I loved hearing about God’s faithfulness!

Today, I practiced my kitchen knife skills for our online cooking class. I already feel like that was worth the cost of the class. Somewhere along the way, I realized that working on dicing, chopping, etc., will only make me more efficient and create more sustainable habits. I am a good cook, and this will take me to the next level!

This afternoon, a friend came over to visit. We hadn’t seen them for awhile, so it was great to catch up. We chatted for awhile and ended up playing some games. It was also fun to see Lydia’s competitive side come out!

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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, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom

Finding Grace #216

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 fairly relaxing week! Lydia and I continued to go to work and daycare. She kept up with distance learning and I made progress on a few personal projects.

This week felt like spring… finally! It was a little cooler at the beginning of the week, but each afternoon was nice. Lydia and I noticed the Red River is retreating a little at a time.

Yesterday was the most beautiful and warm day of all! We did a few inside activities early on and then spent the afternoon outside! I swept the garage and put out all the deck furniture (a small table with two chairs and two benches). Lydia and I also raked a bit, and I took down the Christmas lights. Later, we noticed the grass is turning green while played a game of croquet. After that, we ate a picnic dinner and played some fun water games.

Today, I had an online video chat with some friends from church. We discussed a book on personal growth, and I enjoyed hearing everyone’s different perspectives!

After that, Lydia and I started a three-month online cooking class, which began with us cleaning out the refrigerator and reorganizing our pantry! She was so excited! Hopefully, the pictures and explanation we posted earn us a good grade. 🙂 It should be a fun class!

Otherwise, we are enjoying our time at home. We are doing our best to social distance, but have been checking in with friends and family. We also are minimizing our errands and wearing masks. We did make it to Costco this week, and I am thankful we were able to get what we needed without too many stops. 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 Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #205

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 fun and full! Although, Lydia started off not feeling well and stayed home from school on Monday. Of course, by lunchtime, she was feeling better! We enjoyed a quiet day of rest, and I am grateful for an understanding manager at work.

This week, several friends came over at different times and were able to catch up or hang out. One helped with maintenance, another stayed for dinner. One friend stopped by briefly to pick something up and chat for a few minutes. And, still another friend came for Bible study and awesome discussion. I appreciate each person who God puts in my life!

Lydia’s school had a family dance on Friday evening. She didn’t dance much but mainly wanted to go see all her friends. I really enjoyed catching up with some of her friends’ parents. I’m happy Lydia has a solid group of school friends at this age. I still coach and supervise her, but it is fun to see her interact with these girls and boys. I pray she will continue having a positive experience, but also know it is good to stay involved, even if behind the scenes.

It snowed a little today, and it looked like a snow globe! I also watched a little rabbit outside my window. I was only a foot or so away, with the windowsill in between us. The rabbit seemed to enjoy itself while it was eating snow. 🙂 I was reminded of how God takes care of each of us by providing for and protecting 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, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer, Worship

Finding Grace #202

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, and God met several of my needs, especially in terms of the weather. The roads were super slippery, even with all-wheel drive. I definitely needed my defensive driving skills this week, and I am praising God that He protected me each day on my way to work. Thanks, Lord!

The weather was below-zero for much of the week, and I needed a little help outside. On Monday, it didn’t snow, but the plows loaded our driveways with snow from the street. I’m not sure why, but I couldn’t get my snowblower to start. However, on Tuesday morning, one of my neighbors cleared it for me. It was a huge help!

I’ll have to call for someone to fix my snowblower, but on Friday, we had another blizzard that went through today. Another neighbor graciously cleared the end of my driveway, and my snow service will be able to get the rest. I’ll still do my entryway, but I’m going to wait until the wind dies down!

With all the weather issues, school and some of my plans were canceled. Lydia and I now have a four-day weekend! I have been working on a project, and I am very glad to have the extra time. Periodically, I am stopping to take breaks so I can spend time with Lydia. We’ve made a couple of recipes and played “grocery store” so she can practice her math skills. I love her creativity!

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

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

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

Finding Grace #200

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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