Finding Grace #173

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 went really well. On Monday, I had the painter from last week come back to paint an accent wall downstairs. I really like how it turned out!

All throughout the week, I had great conversations with good friends. It is fun to see how many people God has put in my life from all walks of life. I’m so thankful for the encouragement, support, and wisdom they share!

On Thursday, my friends and I discussed our Bible reading plan on contentment. We had a good time catching up. Someone mentioned that contentment is when we turn our “what ifs” into “even if.” We give our worries to God and trust Him even if things turn out differently than we wanted. Wise words! We also had fun making indoor s’mores!

On Friday, I worked on a project while Lydia read some books and played outside with friends! Then a friend came over for pizza and catching up on a Netflix series we enjoy!

Today, Lydia and I went to Detroit Lakes, MN, with another family. It is about 45-60 minutes away, perfect for a fun day trip. We played mini golf and had a picnic. Then, we heard reports of severe weather at home. So, we came home early. The weather improved on the way back, so we hung out longer. Tonight, Lydia’s having an impromptu sleepover with the little girl (at our house). I’m thankful for God’s protection and summer adventures!

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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)!

Finding Grace #171

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 kept busy. We went to the local reading bus and also the school library. Lydia picked out 6 books and is done with five of them!

Lydia also attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) this week. The theme was “Life is Wild. God is good.” They talked about how God is still good when life gets crazy, changes, or gets difficult. Such an important message! She also enjoyed the music and crafts. I ran into two mom friends and had fun catching up briefly with them.

During VBS, I worked and had a couple of appointments. One of the appointments was a six-month follow-up for my eyes. After Lasik eye surgery in December, my eyes are doing well! I’m grateful!

We had beautiful weather this week. In my opinion, it was just about perfect! We spent time outside doing yard work, enjoying the pool, reading, and visiting with neighbors.

On Thursday, I had several ladies over for Bible study and fellowship. We really enjoyed great food and even better discussion! It’s an honor to host these dear friends.

Today, Lydia and I were blessed to see a new bird on our deck. It was a first for both of us! I researched the bird, and finally posted online for help. Turns out, it was a yellow-headed blackbird! I love seeing how creative God is!

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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)!

Finding Grace #170

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 really exciting! It was refreshing to see God at work around me!

On Sunday, Lydia and I went to a high school graduation party for a friend. We didn’t know tons of people, so we sat down at a table with our food and introduced ourselves. Turns out, the lady across from us was a Christian. She attended our church for many years and we know many of the same people. We had a great time talking about what God is doing in our lives. It’s a small world!

On Monday Lydia and I ran errands and worked on home projects. We attended the Little Red Reading Bus, and Lydia got two new books for the week. Then, we went to Menard’s and Lowe’s for supplies. I installed two new toilet seats and eleven bags of mulch! We also bought a little pool for Lydia. We put it on our deck, which is up high and has a gate. It has been a hot week, so it is a fun way to cool down!

On Thursday, some friends offered to watch Lydia while I worked on a project. Their daughter and Lydia are good friends. They had so much fun Lydia ended up spending the night. I ended up cleaning the office and taking an early morning bike ride (pic)!

Today, two friends came over to help me move my old treadmill to the curb for garbage pickup on Monday (before the new one is delivered). It was easier than I expected, so I’m glad I asked them to come! They also changed a hard-to-reach lightbulb for me. Then, as we were talking, they noticed a couple of areas on the walls that needed paint touch-ups. One is a painter and had supplies in his car! I found the original cans of paint in my storage area, which was still good after almost nine years (with some stirring). We went all over the house spackling and fixing little spots. This was such a joy and relief! I had been prayerfully considering all these small areas that needed work. Now, I don’t have to worry about the blemishes anymore, and it feels like my house got a facelift!

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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)!

Holy Hustle

Sometimes I just have to laugh when we struggle and then we see how silly we are. We are fooling ourselves if we think we can handle life on our own without God.

As a mom, when it comes to self-care, I have to be creative. For example, when I exercise with Lydia, I have to slow down to her pace. As a single mom, I have other inherent issues. So often, working out indoors is my best option. Getting outside is a bonus!

Recently, I prayerfully started looking for a new treadmill. My old one is over 11-years-old and has a few glitches. The dashboard only works when it wants to. Sometimes I can’t control the speed or incline, and the belt catches at higher speeds. Twice now, it has suddenly stopped right in the middle of a run. It’s becoming a safety issue.

Dave and I bought the treadmill two weeks after getting married. It was our first ‘big’ purchase together, so it does have some sentimental value. However, I’ve accepted the reality: I am afraid to use it for higher speeds because it is unreliable. I don’t want to get hurt!

For the last 3 years, and even more in the last 6 months, I’ve been telling myself that the slower, safer pace is just as effective. Slow walks are better than nothing, but at some point, I need to step it up for a better cardio workout. I do have other equipment, and it’s not necessarily a rush. But I need to stop making excuses.

So, I have been looking online for new and used treadmills. I have been reading reviews. My friend who was visiting this weekend is an avid runner so she helped me too. I even went to scout out some options in the local stores.

For now, I haven’t found anything that stands out aesthetically and is also a good price. I don’t need all the latest features, but I do want something that will last since this is not a frequent purchase.

On the one hand, home exercise equipment can be worthwhile if used regularly. For me, it’s an investment in my health. I want to take care of myself so I can take care of Lydia and all God has given me. It’s a fine balance.

Then again, I’m trying to be a good steward and use my money wisely. I can rearrange my budget to some degree, but I have been working towards other financial goals and can use my money elsewhere. It is good to be content and weigh my options!

Besides, when it comes to buying a new (or new-to-me) treadmill, there could be several hidden costs. Some places charge shipping or delivery fees. And, I would likely need help removing the old treadmill and assembling the new one.

There are many different factors to consider… Yesterday, after praying again for wisdom, it occurred to me that maybe I could fix my current treadmill.

Perhaps that’s not the best idea because replacing the individual parts could really add up. But I decided to at least clean it well and see what happens. It was worth a shot!

I watched some YouTube videos on what to do. I learned how to check the belt and internal components. I learned how to tighten screws and grease joints so it is less squeaky. It seemed fairly simple!

Then, in the afternoon, I started to deep clean the machine. I vacuumed up dust and checked the belt. It seemed fine because I’ve done regular maintenance on that. Next, I took off the motor cover and **GASP!!** it was sooo gross!

It was clear to see that it had not been cleaned inside for over 11 years. I was both embarrassed and slightly amazed it has lasted so long while being so dirty! Frankly, I praised God that it never caught on fire with all the dust and debris I found!

I did what I could but time will tell if it was enough! The dashboard still has electrical issues, but I’m hoping I can work around those. It’s still squeaky, but the above picture shows the improvement after cleaning.

My treadmill is a good object lesson for me. We often try to fix our own problems. We look for solutions but go nowhere fast. There are times to hustle, yes, but we still need to trust God to provide. We can’t neglect our relationship with the One who has the Master plan for our lives.

We often make excuses for our behavior. Unfortunately, living in our own strength often brings fear, frustration, and even failure. But when we seek God’s input through prayer, we can be grateful while we wait for Him to handle it and provide for us.

He generally doesn’t make all our problems go away overnight, but He does give us wisdom and grace to handle them. And, sometimes He shows us how to “clean up” our lives and messes so we can live freely, unhindered by all that tries to weigh us down.

I hope my treadmill is able to last a little longer with maintenance. Perhaps I can run outside this summer, though I’ll have to make some adjustments for Lydia. I’ll also keep looking for a good deal, knowing God will help me find an upgrade in His timing.

He is so good!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for all You do for me. Thanks for reminding me of Your grace in tangible ways. Help me trust you, work hard, and wait for Your timing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Questions: What is your favorite exercise? Do you prefer cardio or strength exercises?

Tasks: Check out the “Trust, Hustle, Rest” devotional in the YouVersion Bible App. Also, consider this your friendly reminder to deep clean your exercise equipment! 😉

Finding Grace #166

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 I saw God’s grace all around me. Work went well but was not very busy. But that gave me the opportunity to catch up on other tasks besides patient care. I’m grateful for God’s provision and my job, despite getting a couple of ‘warning tickets’ for parking in the wrong spot! Thankfully, that means I’ll get a parking pass after two years of asking for one. I’m choosing to be happy about the privilege of ‘getting’ to walk a lot further. 😉

I was able to hang out with and help several friends this week. I watched some neighbor kids, gave a friend a ride after her car broke down, and let another friend come over to do laundry. I also hosted my ladies Bible study and had such a sweet, funny time of sharing. It is refreshing to use the resources God has given me to serve others!

Today, Lydia and I stayed home and did several activities together. We played Connect Four and Hello Kitty Bingo. We had a tickle fest, read books, listened to the rain, and watched a couple of shows. I even supervised Lydia taking a shower on her own for the first time. She was so pleased and had fun. I am proud of the little lady she is becoming!

I received several answers to prayers this week for myself and others. I’m grateful for God’s perfect timing. He always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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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)!

Finding Grace #162

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 interesting week! Sunday and Monday were gorgeous. Lydia played with the neighbors while I visited a friend, put out my deck furniture, and finally took down my Christmas lights. It was good to see friends and neighbors too!

Then, on Thursday and Friday, we had a spring blizzard! Lydia had an early dismissal followed by another snow day. It was nice to have extra time together!

It was a little odd to have both a flood warning and winter snow storm warning at the same time. This week, I noticed my tulips were starting to sprout with the warmer weather. Now they are covered by a two-foot-high snow drift (see the picture above). Thankfully, the snow won’t last… and hopefully, my flowers will still bloom like normal.

Yesterday evening, I volunteered to help with a ladies event at church. One of my friends offered to let Lydia come over and play. We ended up having Lydia spend the night. It was one of her first sleepovers and both girls were so excited. Lydia said she couldn’t stop smiling. I heard they stayed up quite late talking and giggling! Then, Lydia came home and took a two-hour nap on my lap! She told me she wasn’t tired, lol!

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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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)!

Peace Be Still

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

He said this after he had already healed the lame, blind and sick; fed the 5,000 people (not including women and children); calmed the storm; and raised the dead. He had a pretty good record, but as I wrote last week, His disciples still did not believe.

I’m grateful for the peace Jesus gives. For me, it often means a sense of quiet and calm. Externally, peace can include having growing, healthy relationships and no schedule conflicts. Peace can mean “free” time and flexibility without rushing. For me, living in peace often comes at a slower pace. But that may look different for you!

Internally, I find peace means freedom from fear, anxiety, or worry. I can reject the idea that I have to make quick decisions or be someone I am not. I don’t have to please or impress anyone. Thank God, Jesus set me free!

When everything in my little world is tranquil, though, it can become unsettling if I fail to see it from God’s perspective. Sometimes, I take pride in what I have achieved…and other times, I am waiting for the next storm or catastrophe. But with Jesus’ peace, I can expect good things because He is good and He is with me and for me.

We weren’t meant to live in turmoil. Even in the midst of chaos, holy peace is the sense that everything will be okay because Jesus will make all things right someday.

This begs the question—how does the world give peace?

The world cannot give peace, because real peace comes from Jesus alone. Only Jesus can be our refuge and defense. To refocus on Him, sometimes it can be helpful to pause and unplug from the news, social media, or even extra activities.

As amazing as this world can be, all we see is only temporary. We were meant for more!

Without Jesus, whatever we seem to gain is at risk. If we put all our hope in what the world offers, we will only end up with empty promises. Any sense of peace we do have won’t last. Yet everything we have in Jesus is safe and secure.

Jesus’ peace comes with His presence. In fact, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, in the verse preceding this one. He never leaves us on the path alone. Sometimes, He clears a peaceful path and sometimes, He enables us to walk it as it comes.

Growing in the fruit of peace is a sign of God moving in our lives.

Jesus’ peace brings new purpose, despite any pain or hardships we may endure. He brings real progress, but never expects perfection. Our fulfillment comes from Him alone.

In addition to His peace, Jesus also protects us and provides for us. His promises are sure and His love is strong. As such, we can rest in His mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

I’m grateful we don’t have to perform or earn this free gift of peace. The world often expects something in return and leaves us disappointed. But only Jesus gives to us freely… Praise God!

Don’t go another minute without true peace. Trust Jesus and rest in His love!

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God, thanks for the free gift of salvation which brings us peace. Thanks for righting our wrongs and forgiving us. Help us extend grace and peace to others as we point them to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What does God’s peace mean to you?

Task: Prayerfully listen to this song, “Peace Be Still.”

Finding Grace #158

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 exciting week! On Sunday, I backed into a snow bank, but on Monday evening, I prayed and God helped me remove the dent from my fender! I appreciated the input of my friends, too. They advised that I heat up the area with a hair dryer, which worked really well! Thank You, Jesus!

Work went well this week. I enjoyed being shadowed by some dietetic interns. It is fun to see their excitement for our field and to teach them about various diseases and conditions. I appreciate being able to influence these students and give back.

This week, we were due for yet another winter storm (aka ‘bomb cyclone’). Our evening activities were canceled and so was school on Thursday. We did get some rain (ice) and snow, but thankfully not as much as predicted. Other areas around us did get hit, however, so it was better to be safe than sorry. We enjoyed another relaxing day at home.

Yesterday, Lydia had a planned day off of school. I took her to my tax appointment, and then we had the whole day to ourselves! We had fun reading at the bookstore, eating at Chick-Fil-A, and going to the dollar store. Later we ran some other errands and did some spring cleaning at home! It was a productive day!

Today, Lydia and I went with a friend to see ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ in Moorhead. We really enjoyed it! The singing and dancing were original yet reminiscent of the first movie. I am glad we saw it in the theater!

It has finally started to be warm enough to start melting. We had about 63 days of below freezing temperatures, so even 33-degrees (F) feels sublime! I’m looking forward to the Spring thaw, but also praying we don’t have a severe flood. Slow and steady wins the race…

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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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)!

Finding Grace #157

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 banner week in many exciting ways! God answered a prayer that I first mentioned five years ago. I met Huldah Buntain, a missionary to Calcutta, at church; it was a dream come true for me!

My mom sent Lydia the original Mary Poppins movie (on DVD), and it arrived this week. It is one of my mom’s favorites and I’m grateful she wanted to share it with Lydia. We watched it on Tuesday after school, and Lydia loved it! Soon we will watch Mary Poppins Returns, but I wanted Lydia to see the original first so she would understand the context. Thanks, Mom!! 

Lydia also received her new fitness device this week. It works well and has already out-performed the old, faulty one. She walked 10,000 steps two days in a row! I’m grateful we finally got a satisfactory resolution.

Yesterday, I had my three month (post-Lasik) eye checkup. My eyes look like they should and my vision is good. I still have some healing to do, but that is normal and to be expected. I’m grateful I took step of faith and underwent surgery in December!

Today, we have had another winter storm. But that gave us a good opportunity to stay in and relax. Lydia and I played games, read books, researched black holes, exercised, and watched videos. Tonight, at bedtime we were snuggling, and she said, “Mom, I wish we could stay like this forever!” It melted my heart. So sweet. 🙂

Finally, I set my clocks one hour forward for Daylight Savings Time! I always miss that hour of sleep, but I am glad for the upcoming spring and summer! Woohoo!

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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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)!

Finding Grace #156

I love giving God a shout out for what He has done. We don’t do that nearly enough!

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 grace-filled week! I finished many small tasks and made progress on larger ones. God stretched my time and helped me accomplish what I needed to do.

Nothing super eventful happened, but our routine activities went smoothly. I enjoyed catching up with family over the phone and had several good conversations.

Yesterday morning, my neighbor surprised me by leaving monster cookies on my front step. Yum! I tried one and saved the rest. Sooo good. (Thanks!!)

Then, after school, Lydia joined the same neighbor’s family out our back door to try snowboarding for the first time. She had fun and came inside with a few new words in her vocabulary (ex. wipeout!). I’m grateful they included her and showed her some new tricks.

Last night, a friend came over for dinner, chatting, and Netflix. She also brought some snacks. It’s always nice to spend time together!

Today, we went to a birthday party for one of Lydia’s friends. I helped out with the party, and then afterward we stay to visit/play. They also fed us a yummy taco dinner!

I’m grateful for how God always directs our path and blesses us. He is so good!

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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)!