Tag: strength

Posted on in Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Personality, Prayer

Focused, Not Frazzled

Well, we are a couple of weeks into Lydia’s school year! She’s starting well and seems to be enjoying it. She has been tackling homework, and I am helping her stay on track and set some boundaries with her time. There are natural consequences if she “forgets” to complete an assignment, and we are both learning as we go!

Sometime last year, I felt God prompt me to stay available for Lydia. It’s just the two of us at home, and I am her main support. So, I have needed to say ‘no’ to many requests for my time to have flexibility. I won’t say I have cleared my schedule completely, but by and large, that’s exactly what I’ve done!

When Lydia was younger, I was much more active with friends, church, and moms groups. She was well-behaved, and I could trust her to attend events with me. As a single mom, I didn’t have many other options! I quickly learned that if I wanted to be involved in something, it had to work for Lydia, too. Often, that meant hosting events at our house so she could go to bed at a reasonable hour.

I volunteered last fall at church for a Wednesday night class. It worked well since Lydia was there at youth group. I loved meeting some new friends! But the class has changed to a different evening, and I chose not to be involved so I can be home in the evenings. Perhaps it will work out in the future, but I am confident I made the right choice for now. 

Time is flying, and I know I won’t always have this opportunity with Lydia. I am grateful for God leading me to step back a little. Anyone can serve in their free time, but only I can be Lydia’s mom!

Free Leaf Hand photo and picture

All of this has been good for me, too! I have enjoyed a slower pace, which is probably my natural preference. Slow and steady wins the race… 🙂 I have loved having time to pray and listen to God because my mind is focused, not frazzled. I am also enjoying getting up early to exercise before work. As a result, I have more energy, less pain, and a better attitude. All because I said yes to God and no to other things.

That doesn’t mean I am doing nothing with or for other people. I talk with people all day at work, serving them to the best of my ability. If anything, because I am well-rested, I am more present and patient with my patients!

Outside of work, I sometimes meet with people God Himself puts in my path – often on a last-minute basis. I will encourage another single mom when she calls. I may write a note to a friend in need. I can go meet the new neighbors because I am not rushing out the door.

I know this season won’t last forever, so I will trust God and His timing. We are still plenty ‘busy’ with mowing, house chores, work, school, etc., but I appreciate having less stress and more peace. All advantages of listening to God and doing what He says!

His thoughts are higher, and His ways are greater. He knows exactly what we need!

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Lord, thanks for helping me find peace in this season. Give me the strength and wisdom to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to the right things. May I have a humble heart and be quick to obey. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What do you perceive God is prompting you to do? If it is the same old message, try obedience.  If you are having trouble hearing Him, start with the last thing you know for sure! After you’ve tackled that, He will probably say something new!

Task: Take a little time out this week to listen to God. Pause and seek solitude. Turn off social media and any other distractions. Check in with Him and see if you need to make any changes.

Posted on in Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Our Daily Bread

I don’t know about you, but I have already gone to the store twice this week for groceries! The first time, I forgot bread, so I had to go back for it. I also picked up a few other things since I was there and all.

The bread reminded me of the verse in Matthew 4:4, in which Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” In context, He is quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3, referencing the manna that God sent to feed the millions of Israelites after they were led out of bondage in Egypt.

Jesus is talking to Satan after a forty-day fast in the wilderness. Satan is tempting Jesus with grandiose (yet empty) promises if only He would bow down and worship him. And yes, the Bible does specify that Jesus was hun-gry!

Jesus often used common everyday items to point to profound truths. Interestingly, in John 6, Jesus multiplies five loaves to feed 5,000+ people, and soon after He calls Himself the Bread of Life. He is all we really need!

Free Bread Loaf photo and picture

Anyway, I have been thinking about bread this week and how God often shows me grace and provision before I even realize I need it!

Lydia goes back to school today, and this week, I’ve had several other random tasks on top of normal priorities. Each night, I have at least two obligations—last night, it was three!

For example, I left work an hour and a half early yesterday (Tuesday) to write this post before going to Lydia’s school to meet the teachers. Then, we needed to eat dinner, before I edited my blog and attended an online workshop—all that before trying to go to bed early!

But, it all turned out well because God made sure I didn’t have a late patient scheduled. In His wisdom, He knew I would be crunched for time before I did. So, He made me aware of the opportunity to leave, let my manager agree, and helped me finish some charting that was due all in the nick of time.

God also reordered my steps a few times as the night progressed. By His grace, I accomplished everything that needed my attention and time. As in the Lord’s Prayer, He really does give me my daily bread!

Free Loaf Bread photo and picture

One “God factor” that has helped me is that our church added an earlier Sunday service, which matches my Monday through Friday start time at work! Thus, I’ve decided to stay on the same basic schedule by going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time each day. There are days it still feels like I’m running around, but it feels good to be consistent.

Thank God for His grace because I have had the goal to wake up early (trying on and off) for well over a decade. Sometimes, it’s a struggle, and I am tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. The difference now is that I have wanted to get up early, and generally, I haven’t felt like it is a chore.

I enjoy spending time with God in the quiet mornings, and putting Him first is always a good idea. But when I am short on sleep, it is hard to focus. This time, I don’t feel I am just relying on my own feeble effort. History shows that doesn’t work well!

I may need to adjust my sleeping pattern a bit, but I’m currently doing some gentle movement and stretching while I connect with Jesus. It’s been a great start to my day!

All in all, I am grateful for God’s help in pivoting and persevering. He always knows exactly what I need!

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God, thanks for feeding us with Your Word, and for giving us Jesus, the Bread of Life and Your Word made flesh. Help me keep my priorities in the proper order—You first and foremost, while trusting You for bread and everything else. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What is your favorite kind of bread? Where else do you see the significance of bread in the Bible? (Among other things, Jesus also uses it to signify His body in Communion!)

Tasks: Let God direct your path today. If you need a little daily encouragement, check out “Our Daily Bread” online or in print. You can learn more about these short, encouraging devotions here.

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

Finding Grace #441

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. I enjoyed my birthday on Monday, and we returned home from Medora. Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

On Monday, I went to the chiropractor again. My hip is still bothering me, but I don’t think it is a new injury; rather, I think it’s just from daily life building up over time. I found an online deep stretching program I will try in addition to the other things I do. After only three days, I still have pain, but I am noticing a difference in mobility!

At work, I had a full schedule but also fit in six additional patients! It will take some time to catch up with charting, but that’s okay. Two fun things happened, though. We celebrated my birthday with chocolate cake on Tuesday. Also, a coworker and I went for a walk when it started to pour, so we had to jog back to the office. We were drenched but laughing. A fun memory for sure!

On Wednesday, I was involved with a very minor fender bender with a state vehicle! I was behind the car at a stop light and rolled into it when my foot accidentally came off my brake. It could have been because I was sitting funny related to my hip. My back was a little sore, but my car is totally fine. I called the police to file a report, and I got a simple warning for “following too close.”  It was definitely my fault, and I am grateful there were no major issues with the other driver. He was very understanding!

Yesterday after work, I met a widow friend for lunch at a newer little French bistro in town. We had fancy coffee and a delicious meal, along with great conversation. I took home a couple of giant croissants to share with Lydia. 😀 Then, in the evening, we met some old friends, Owen and Krystal, who were in town visiting. They now live in Colorado with their four kids, but they were a huge part of our support system when Dave was sick (as mentioned in my book). It was fun to see them!

Today, I was on-call for work. I had to go in for two patients, but they were fairly easy. Later, I spent time with Lydia, roasted some veggies, took a nap, and made phone calls.

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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 Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Making Memories In Medora

This past weekend, Lydia and I headed west to celebrate my birthday! We didn’t have much of a plan, but that was okay with us! I have learned that sometimes the best things happen when we just go with the flow and let God surprise us.

On Friday, we took our time and enjoyed our drive. We stopped to see the world’s largest bison in Jamestown, the world’s largest Holstein cow in New Salem, and the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures along the Enchanted Highway! We also had fun looking for different types of birds!

We stayed in Dickinson, ND, which is about half an hour east of Medora and then drove in on Saturday. We decided to spend all day there and maximize our time. So, we shopped a bit, ate some good foods, walked all over the place, visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park, hiked a bit, and attended the Medora Musical! We had a great time!

According to a 2024 estimate, the town of Medora has a population of about 165 people, so most of the people we saw were tourists! I was surprised at how little traffic there was. Most people parked and then walked everywhere, as the town is small and quaint. On Saturday, I got 21,000 steps!

On Sunday, we decided to relax at our hotel in Dickinson. We slept in, enjoyed a lazy breakfast, swam, and relaxed in the hot tub. It was the perfect way to relax! Later, we enjoyed a salad bar and Zoomed with our family.

As usual, our time together was well-timed. I was so glad to spend time with Lydia before school starts next week. We bonded, joked around, and even had some serious conversations. Lydia truly enjoyed hiking, which made me so proud. I know our relationship will continue to change over the coming years, so this time together was a gift!

Ultimately, I am grateful God has given me another year of life. I have reflected on all the ways He has blessed me, and I am still counting. His grace is abundant, and I can never fully grasp all He has done for me.

“God, I’m still counting my blessings
All that You’ve done in my life
The more that I look in the details
The more of Your goodness I find
Father on this side of Heaven
I know that I’ll run out of time
But I will keep counting my blessings
Knowing I can’t count that high”
–from Counting My Blessings, by Seph Schlueter

Thanks for all the birthday cards, texts, calls, and online messages. Thanks for always cheering me on. I am so happy to have you in my life. Let’s keep moving forward together!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for the gift of another birthday! You are so good to me. Thanks for leading me this past year. Help me keep growing and moving forward. Make me who You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What are you thankful for? Have you ever tried to count your blessings? How far did you get before losing count?!

Task: If you are nearby, check out Medora! If not, put it on your summer bucket list! It reminds me of my time in Wyoming and Montana – but it is way easier to get to than Yellowstone or Missoula! 😉

Posted on in Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot, Wisdom, Words, Worship

Four Kinds of Sight

My friend and coworker – the other Natalie! – posted a link online yesterday encouraging people to watch and listen. It was a recent homily from Father Mike Schmitz, a priest in Duluth. I am not Catholic, but I can learn from anyone. And, I appreciate hearing about different branches of Christianity. We can always come back to the commonalities we have in Jesus!

We have many deep and spiritual conversations in our downtime, so I gave it a go! I am glad I did. Father Mike referenced the Israelites complaining out in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. We sometimes think they were fools, but we are much the same.

Father Mike talked about four different kinds of spiritual sight or vision. This has less to do with our actual eyes and more with our attitude or heart. I will only capture the main points here, with a few of my own thoughts, but I strongly encourage you to listen. It’s really good!

To start, Father Mike mentioned that we become short-sighted when we can only see what’s right in front of us. That might include focusing on our circumstances, such as grief, problems, or lack. In these moments, we refuse to admit there is more beyond what we see right now. We grow impatient, place blame, and want to give up or return to our comfort zone. Egyptian slavery wasn’t all that great either, but at least the Israelites knew what to expect!

Free Sinai Desert photo and picture

He then talked about having foresight when we want to know the future. It is fine to look forward knowing the best is yet to come. The problem is that we fail to appreciate and trust all God has done. We just want answers… and to skip ahead of the pain! Instead of worrying, we can rest and lean on Jesus. He is faithful and good.

His third example is relying on hindsight. This occurs when we look backward. Instead of reflecting and learning to move forward, we stay stuck in the past. If we only trust in what we can see or know, that’s not really trust or hope. We have to learn and let go to keep growing.

Finally, Father Mike said the only real option is using insight. Insight happens when we slow down to gain Jesus’ perspective and see what He is doing. We acknowledge the trials and accept His presence. We understand God has led us where we are, and He has not abandoned us. It might be dark or crazy, but He will help us get through it. We can wait for Him to move on our behalf. 

There’s so much more I didn’t jot down here, but I hope you are blessed as much as I was. After listening, I thanked Natalie for sharing the link, and we chatted about which of these ‘four sights’ we most relate to right now. I appreciate having friends and coworkers who know Jesus because we can pray for and encourage one another. God is so good!

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God, thanks for being with us in every stage of life. Thanks for leading us and giving us vision. Help us see You clearly and follow You wholeheartedly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What type of sight do you relate to most right now?

Task: Listen to the homily linked above. It is about twenty minutes long. I’d love to know your thoughts after!

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

Finding Grace #439

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 Flowers Gardening photo and picture

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

This was a good, straightforward week, and I was able to soak up God’s grace!

Work went well, and I managed to take several walks during my lunch break. The weather was hot, but I am glad to be able to enjoy summer rather than just stay inside at my desk all day. It really is a good reset for me, which translates into how I care for my patients. I am calm and focused as I listen to them and help them develop creative solutions. Win-win!

On Wednesday, there was a little afternoon storm. The rain brought cooler weather and I was able to mow the lawn after work. This felt like a personal gift because it was getting long, and God knew I needed to get it done. I finished a few minutes before another little bout of rain! Thanks, Lord!

On Friday, I took Lydia and a friend along to do some shopping. We went to the mall and a couple other stores. I let them walk around together while I did my own thing. We checked in from time to time, but it is really fun watching them make decisions and grow together!

Today, Lydia and I spent time doing chores, laundry, and cleaning. It felt good to get things done, and I plan to relax tonight!

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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, Personality, Wisdom, Worship

Doing A Good Job

It’s Olympics season, and it has already been a wild ride! I have not been able to follow along as closely as I would like, but I have been catching clips of various events.

It is fun to cheer for those who consistently win, such as Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Katie Ledecky. But it is also fun to cheer for the underdogs.

You may have heard about the US Men’s gymnastics team yesterday. It has been many years since they earned a medal, but yesterday was their day!

People all around the world are talking about specialist Stephen Nedoroscik. He only came to the Olympics for one thing: pommel horse. Choosing him was controversial because he is not as skilled in the other areas and could possibly hurt the overall team score.

But yesterday, he aced it with a laser focus. He knew what he needed to do and came through with flying colors. I saw a quote where he said he was not bothered to be last. He looked at it like he could be an “exclamation point” at the end of the long day! That is a great perspective!

I can’t imagine how many hours and years of practice it takes to be an Olympian. But, I do know they have to keep showing up, working hard, and getting back on track over and over again. They know they have a job to do, and no one else will do it for them!

Free Old Gym In Hot Springs Fordyce photo and picture

As Christians, we also have a job to do, though it looks different for each of us. The main thing we have in common is Jesus. We are on His team and follow Him. But beyond that, He created each person for a unique purpose. I love that we are all different!

Yesterday, I also learned of the recent, sudden death of a lady who inspired me to move forward with my blog. In 2015, I had started writing blog posts in May, but didn’t go live until my birthday in August. That week, I attended a conference hosted by this lady, and I told her I was nervous to “put myself out there.” She validated my concern and encouraged me to go live anyway. I am so glad I did.

We cannot live to please others, only God. But, each of us can influence each other toward success. We cannot afford to waste time since so much is at stake. The comments and condolences on my friend’s social media page showed she did her job well. She knew she was on a God-given mission and went after it with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength.

When we don’t do our job, there are consequences—too many to list here! Of course, we never know when our last day will be, so we should always do our best and aim to finish strong. May we hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I want to be known as someone who is dependable and who comes through in a pinch. I may not be the best at everything, but I can be the best at being who God made me to be. Even if I am still figuring it out! 😉

I may not have all the answers, but I can keep pointing you and others to the One who does. I can show up, pray for others, and encourage them not to give up.

We all have it in us to be good neighbors, friends, family members, and employees. We often don’t understand our impact until much later! Yet, our primary goal should be to bring honor and glory to Jesus, not ourselves! So, bottom line, let’s do our job (whatever that is) and do it well. We can trust God to take care of the rest!

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God, thanks so much for Your kindness in calling and equipping us to follow You. May we always do our best and serve you with joy as an act of worship. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What is your favorite Olympic sport to watch? Do you know your God-given mission in life?

Task: Create a mission statement for your life. Pray about what God has created you for and how He wants to use you. Then, seek Him with all your heart and do your best!

 

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Personality, Wisdom

Signs and Signals

I love to shop online, as it is often faster and easier. The items come right to my door! However, I also want to promote local businesses when I can. It is fun to see products in person and pick out the best option. Then, I can decide in the moment if it’s right for me.

Recently, I went to a few stores looking for specific things. I have to admit, I was a little annoyed when I showed up and saw they had summer hours. I have no problem with changing their hours if it is less busy during this season. The issue was that I didn’t know until I showed up! Often, the stores are out of my way, and so it felt like I wasted my time.

I parked, got out of my car, and then walked up to the entrances four separate times (one store twice on different days). That’s when I saw the sign that the stores were closed. I was irked because I looked up their hours online, but they were incorrect.

One of the stores posted that its hours had changed due to a family illness. I understand that, but I hope they can update their website soon and/or find someone to help cover while they heal. Another store has such random hours that it will take me a week to get back there since I work during the day. I took a picture of their sign and could possibly order from them online. But, the shipping costs are more than I want to pay when I could just pick it up.

Free Phone Confused photo and picture

Unfortunately, the signs on the doors did not reflect what I expected when I looked online. This happened all last week, so I started to notice the pattern. It was rather frustrating, though not the worst thing in the world.

I also thought of the signs and signals we portray to others. If we ignore people, they may not want to confide in us. If we grumble and complain, we may not portray our gratitude or the hope we have in Jesus. If we swear and yell at people, we may not reflect the grace God has given us.

Then again, people often make assumptions about each other anyway. We tend to judge and misjudge clothing, cars, lawns, and more! Someone who smiles often could be seen as joyful or like they have no problems! Someone who is quiet could come across as rude, socially awkward, or just shy. That’s why it’s good to try to understand and learn more about one another.

Clearly, we cannot live our lives to please every person we meet. That’s impossible and unnecessary. But, we can consider culture, circumstances, upbringing, personality, and other factors.

Overall, we need to do the best we can to please Jesus. However, it might be worth considering what signs and signals we are giving off. Perceptions are a two-way street! A negative vibe could turn away the very people God wants us to reach. While we can’t be true friends with everyone, we can be friendly and cheerful to anyone we see.

While it is not our job to save everyone, it is wise to connect with as many people as possible so they can meet Jesus, who does the saving! Ultimately, we can listen to the Holy Spirit’s signals and not worry about the rest!

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God, thanks for creating each of us uniquely. Help us grow in knowledge and understanding of those around us. Give us grace for one another. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Have you ever been misjudged? Was it all on the other person, or was there something in your control, too? Is there any situation you misread and need to reconsider? Is there someone to whom you could extend grace?

Tasks: Pray about your next steps this week. Consider how you can be more open with others and show them God’s grace, too! Forgive those who have misinterpreted your signals, as well!

Posted on in Books and Movies I Like, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Pivot, Wisdom, Worship

Book Review: Truth Changes Everything

I listened to an intriguing audiobook recently on my way back and forth to work. I liked it so much I may purchase a paper copy! It is called Truth Changes Everything by Dr. Jeff Myers.

The book covered apologetics and theology of the Christian faith, along with mini-biographies of people who changed the world because of their faith in Jesus. Dr. Myers discusses areas like human dignity, medicine, education, sciences, arts, politics, and more. He also discussed the difference between absolute Truth (that is, Jesus and all He represents) and “truths” (such as my story or your story).

God wants us to know the Truth and went to great effort to ensure that happened, even to the point of Jesus’ death on the Cross. All of our personal stories, thoughts, and feelings matter but are far less important than the overall greater “capital—T Truth.” We can measure our scope only as far as we can understand, but God sees everything.

I was fascinated to hear how Christians changed astronomy, medicine, biology, chemistry, and physics. Essentially, they took huge leaps of faith to explore and learn all they could about the Universe God created. They sought Truth, and the knowledge they discovered in each field took us to new heights. As Dr. Myers explained, science and faith go very well together. Science helps us know how things work, and faith in Jesus shows us the meaning of it all (why).

Together, seeking Truth through the lenses of faith and science pushed the bounds. I also loved hearing about the contributions women made right alongside men. Though not all of them received credit in their lifetimes, some of them did!

Interestingly, most modern hospitals and educational institutions around the world have their roots in Christianity. During the Black Death, most people ran away from illness, but Jesus’ followers were moved by compassion. They did not let personal risk stop them; in fact, the promise of eternity quelled fear and compelled them to serve. They created places to care for those in need and studied what worked well and what didn’t. Their missions work set the foundation for the future.

I also learned about how the creative pursuit of Truth changed the Arts, such as music and painting. I cracked up hearing how the famous composer Vivaldi started off studying to be a monk, but he was always off writing music instead of doing his chores. Eventually, he left that area of ministry and served orphans, many of which had been disfigured and abandoned due to diseases. He saw their inherent value and beauty and created musical works for them to perform. This was a shock to society at the time, but it helped them earn income and overcome their feelings of defeat. Wow!

I could go on and on, but maybe you should just read the book! 😉 I hope it will give you confidence in your personal faith and inspire you to step out and make a difference. Each of us has a calling to fulfill, and God has already empowered us. It is our part to learn and grow!

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God, there is no one like You! Thanks for being our Rock, the Absolute Truth we can depend on! Thank You for the Victory we have in Jesus. Help us honor You every day as we walk out our faith in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What books have you been reading lately? Are you able to explain the basic tenets of your faith in Jesus? Do you know what you believe and why? (1 Peter 3:15)

Task: Get this book and read it! Buy it online or check it out at the library!

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

Finding Grace #434

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 House Sparrow Bird photo and picture

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

This week was fairly simple and felt just right. As we often do, we enjoyed seeing family on Zoom. We always have a good time!

Work went well and was manageable. I had easier patients and a little more open time to catch up. Later in the week, I had some walk-ins and random issues pop up, but thankfully, I actually had the time to fit them in without any stress. I love that. 

On Thursday, I left work early to meet a widow friend for an impromptu chat. We met at Nichole’s Fine Pastry for coffee and dessert. We stayed for a couple of hours catching up and encouraging each other! I was grateful not to be so busy at work so I could go. I’m sure that was part of God’s plan, and my manager was also very understanding.

Lydia also hung out with various friends this week and went to two friends’ houses. As Lydia is an only child, I appreciate she can keep up her connections with some really sweet girls. This means a lot to Lydia, too.

This week, we enjoyed the slower pace by reading books, listening to music, and bird-watching. This was helpful since I still have been coughing all month! Thankfully, my doctor prescribed a short-course steroid to calm down my lungs. I am already starting to feel better… praise God!

Yesterday, Lydia and I also got to do a little shopping together. This was after we mowed the lawn and worked on a painting project—we earned it! We walked around a furniture store for fun, tried on some clothes, perused lotions and soaps, and even went to Scheels!

Today, I woke up early and had some quiet time to myself. I listened to some Bible lessons and cooked! I made crunchy chickpeas, bean burgers, jacket potatoes (baked like they do in Britain), and some tofu. I was excited that everything turned out so well! Later, Lydia and I tried making some homemade jello using fruit juice and agar-agar. Fingers crossed on that one!

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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)!