Tag: spring

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

Finding Grace #323

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 Flowers

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

This was a great week!

Mother’s Day on Sunday was nice and relaxing. We enjoyed church and some rainy weather. Later in the afternoon some friends came to visit, and then we saw family over Zoom.

On Wednesday, we finished up our ladies group with a meal. The host brought most of the food, and I was blessed by her generosity. I hope to join up with the same ladies for another book study sometime!

Friday was quite busy after work. I bought some new shoes, returned some clothes for Lydia that didn’t fit, and bought some stain for my deck. I also did some grocery shopping and dropped off a small gift for a friend whose mom died that day. Then, I dropped Lydia off at another birthday party and ran some more errands!

Today, Lydia and I had a YES day as we honor Dave’s ninth anniversary of being in Heaven (tomorrow). She was so excited to call the shots! While we certainly miss him, we are choosing to celebrate instead of be sad. Thanks for your support!

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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, Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #322

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today, a friend brought her puppy over for a visit. The dog did so well and even took a nap! Then, Lydia attended a birthday party for a friend. It was a good, relaxing day!

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

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

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #321

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!

Flower, Petals, Buds, Blossom, Bloom, Spring

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

This was a rainy week full of God’s grace!

I was playing catch-up all week at work; it was just busy! I saw a lot of patients, which is nothing unusual. But, I was crunched for time when it came to charting. I did my best, and I am satisfied with that!

On Monday afternoon, we went to the dentist, and each of us received a good report! Also, we had another chiropractic adjustment on Thursday. The chiropractor is impressed with how well we are doing. That means we can spread out the sessions even further!

I was able to connect with several friends and family via text throughout the week. It was good to encourage them and cheer them on in some of the trials they are facing.

Today, we spent a couple of hours helping a widow clean out her garage. It can be a burden to go through all the ‘stuff’ after someone dies; there are so many decisions to make! I had some friends help me go through things when Dave died, so I was glad to pass on the blessing. It was good for Lydia to use her muscles and serve as well! It was rainy, and we came home wet but happy.

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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

Finding Grace #320

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Finding Grace #319

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

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

Easter Lilies, Flowers, Blossom, Garden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Wisdom, Worship

Easter Thoughts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #318

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!

Bird, Western Meadowlark, Ornithology, Species, Fauna

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

This was another great week!

The weather was chilly and windy, but ended on a good, sunny note! Lydia made me laugh when she questioned if we should stay home because of the wind! We did receive a little snow, but nothing major… and now, most of it’s gone again!

I had a really great chat with one of my closest friends a couple of nights ago. She lives in a different time zone, so great to catch up over the phone! I am always amazed by God’s timing. We were dealing with similar issues, and we were able to encourage each other!

Today, I was on-call for work, though I did not get called in. It’s always good to be prepared either way! We had also some family visit this weekend, and they took Lydia to do some fun art activities while I waited for my on-call time to end.

Later, we went out to eat, watched a movie, and went shopping for a new bike for Lydia! Now, she has a 26-inch bike with a small-medium frame. She’s so excited and will be able to keep growing into it for a while. I was surprised we bypassed the 24-inch size, which was clearly too small for her. Thankfully, this one should last her a few years of potential growth!

Otherwise, it was a normal, busy week! It was good to find God’s grace along the way, and I am grateful for all the little ways He showed up. Bible study discussion with friends, chocolate ice cream at work, and creating a bulletin board at work highlighting peoples’ pets (a fun team building activity). 🙂

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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, Parenting

Finding Grace #317

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #316

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Today, Lydia and I are doing our “Saturday tasks” as we usually do. This often includes reorganizing, cleaning, catching up, or getting ahead for the next week! Otherwise, we are enjoying the beautiful, sunny day! 🙂

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

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

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

Finding Grace #273

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?!

I don’t usually start off with the weather, but this week we had a good variety! I really enjoyed a couple warm days, followed by some cooler days. Sun, clouds, blue sky, wind. One day, I wore my jacket and the next, I wore shorts and ate dinner outside!

Lydia finished school this week! She went to school all year, with a little bit of online learning at first. I am so grateful she had that option. As a single mom, life would have been much more challenging if we had to switch our school and daycare options so I could work. She made it the entire school year without having to quarantine. That doesn’t mean we won’t have to do so sometime, but I am praising God for protecting us!

Tonight, we are heading to a friend’s high school graduation. I can’t believe she is going to college, as she was a little younger than Lydia is now when we met her! It will be good to see her and her family. They also knew Dave through Caterpillar, so that’s a nice connection, too.

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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)!