Tag: winter

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Crashing Into Grace

Over the weekend, we got several inches of snow. I spent much of Sunday clearing my driveway so we could get out that afternoon.

Later, as we pulled out of the, my all-wheel-drive Subaru got stuck in the heavy snow. (That doesn’t happen often, but the snow plow had not been through yet.)

I could have made it through but decided to back up instead and turn around. Well, I ended up hitting a big snow bank with a good amount of force and put a dent in my fender! Grrr…

I was pretty disappointed because I try to take good care of my car so it will last.

So, on Monday, I tried to pop out the dent on my own, but it was near my exhaust pipe and kind of awkward. I couldn’t get enough leverage or oomph.

Monday night, I posted online to ask for help (or recommendations) on social media. Two friends commented that I should heat up the area with a hairdryer to make it pliable. Genius idea!

When I put Lydia to bed, we prayed for wisdom to fix the dent. After that, I heated up the area as suggested. I was ready to try anything!

At first, the heat didn’t make much difference. So after a while, I put the hairdryer on a 5-gallon bucket to give my hands a break. Meanwhile, I found a variety of tools/objects to help me pop the fender back into shape.

I prayerfully tried a lead pipe (too long), a hammer (too risky), a bottle emptied of its fluid (not quite strong enough), and a few other items. Nope.

After an hour or so, I was really frustrated. I prayed again, saying, “Jesus, this is not a huge issue in light of everything else. But I’d really like to fix this and I can’t do it on my own. So You’re going to have to help me.”

The Lord loves to help us and show Himself strong on our behalf.

So once again, I let Him.

Then, the idea came to me to try one more time from underneath with my hands only (no tools). I had tried it earlier but only by kneeling and trying to push/pull it from the outside.

So, finally, I crawled under the car again and just pushed with my fingers.
Suddenly, everything very gently moved into place, like the easiest thing ever.

This all required a fair amount of faith and ‘elbow grease’ but I am grateful it is fixed. If you look close, there might be a slight mark or tiny indentation left, but I’m calling it a sweet Victory in Jesus’ Name!

I was so excited and posted a praise report (similar to this) online.

Several people commented on how God loves to help us with the little things. Yes!

To me, the dent proved just one more way that the Lord works for my good and His glory (see Romans 8:28). Praise God!

As my Aunt Deb mentioned online, “Faith moves mountains and car bumpers.”

I hope this example shows that God can help you do mighty things, too! No problem is too small or too unimportant for Him. Put your faith in Jesus… He loves you so much!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your help with my car! You do all things well. Thanks for the sweet reminder of Your love and grace. Help me trust You for greater things as well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you have a recent praise report? How did God show up?

Tasks: Listen to this song called “Nothing is Impossible!” Don’t wait to pray until a “collision” occurs in your life. Ask God to help right away!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

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)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #155

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?

I saw God working in several areas this week.

On Monday, we had a quiet President’s day. We enjoyed time at home. Lydia played outside and read. I was able to get ahead for the week, without rushing!

We received more snow this week, and I used my snowblower twice. I also shoveled, but enjoyed the slightly warmer (10-20 degrees F) weather! Three different times neighbors helped clear the snow for me, which I greatly appreciated. (Thank you!!)

Last night, a friend came over for dinner. We had tacos and watched Netflix. It was a great way to relax after a busy week. We had a fun girls night!

Today, Lydia and I took another friend and her mom (visiting from another country) to the local home and garden show. It was at the Fargodome and we spent several hours walking around and seeing the sights. Then, we went to my friend’s apartment for lunch. She made salmon, rice pilaf with vegetables, and fried plantains. It was a real treat!

Lydia has been adjusting well to her braces. She has only had one or two times where she needed some pain medication. Overall, she’s very pleased to have them on. We can already see her teeth improving! Praise God!

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)!

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

Finding Grace #154

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 full of cool surprises! I love when that happens!

On Monday, I noticed it was snowing just like a snow globe. There was no wind and the snow fell gently for hours! It was so pretty and completely different than the wild blizzards we’ve had lately. God is so creative!

A couple months ago, I bought an online voucher to swim at a local hotel. On Monday, I was able to use it one more time before it expired this week. I went while Lydia was in  school and had a wonderful time. It was so peaceful!

This week I ran into two old friends and had good conversations with them. I also met a new friend for coffee, talked online with other friends, and chatted with family throughout the week. It’s great to feel connected!

On Thursday, Lydia lost her ninth tooth; got her expander removed at the orthodontist; and received braces (top front teeth only). She was really excited and seems to be doing well. She didn’t even mind skipping most of her Valentine’s candy from school!

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

**********

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 #153

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 fairly quiet! We had more cold and snowy weather, which is normal for winter in Fargo. I read an article about how it feels like we’ve had a long winter, but that the snow we’ve had this year does not even rank in the top ten!

This week, I was thankful for my flexible work schedule. I didn’t have to miss any work when Lydia was home for another snow day due to a blizzard. We had a fun and relaxing time together. We canceled our evening plans and just took it all in stride.

With all the blowing snow, I had 34″ snow drifts in my driveway! The snow went above the shaft of my snowblower, making it impossible to clear. Thankfully, my neighbors were great to help! We’re at that point in the season where it is becoming more difficult to find places to put all the snow! 🙂

Since this is good weather to stay inside, I have been trying new recipes. I’ve made a warm soup with lots of vegetables. I’ve also made steel cut oats, pancakes, veggie burgers, and some tasty salads. Of course, I often freeze extra portions for later!

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

**********

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 #152

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 an unusual week, due to the extreme cold! Most of the Midwest was affected by the Polar Vortex, which meant school closings, delays, and businesses shutting early. We made the best of having a break in the middle of the week. Read more here!

In some ways, the extreme weather has forced me to slow down and spend more time with the Lord. Indeed, Monday felt like a spiritual retreat day. I accomplished quite a lot while Lydia was at school, even though I didn’t have anything pressing in my schedule. I simply sat with God for a while (reading and praying) and kept Him close as I went about my day. I felt Him lead me as I did chores and prepared for the week. Somehow, He helped me be more productive than usual, even though I spent “extra” time with Him! 🙂

Because I was more in-tune with Jesus, I also was able to face some fears and took several steps of faith. I’ve been working on a project for quite awhile and am entering a new phase. It’s good but a little scary. All month, I stalled and made little progress—but on Monday, with God’s strength, I pushed forward. And, I had several encouraging conversations as a result!

On Thursday, my friends came over for Bible study. We enjoyed our conversation and discussed several pertinent mom issues. I’m grateful for godly friends!

Friday evening was spent volunteering with an organization called, Feed My Starving Children. We opened, filled, weighed, and sealed small bags of food. It was cool because Lydia was able to help and see the direct result of her effort. The event put our own eating habits into perspective, too.

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

**********

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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Polar Vortex!!

It’s only Wednesday, but I’ve already seen God’s grace in action! For much of the Midwest, it has been super cold and snowy this week! That may be an understatement…

Thanks, Polar Vortex! 🙂

Our local schools were canceled yesterday and today, due to the extreme cold. Our wind chills are expected to be near 60 below and our actual temperatures could be around 25 below (-35 F overnight!). Many of the cities around us are shutting down temporarily. Even mail delivery for us is canceled today due to the cold.

Thankfully, my friends and family in and around Chicago (and everywhere between) are also staying in. Several places in the Midwest could break records!

(Not quite as cold as Fargo, but yes, still chilly!) 😉

My neighbors were a big help to me yesterday when I needed to work. Lydia went to their house most of the day to hang out. I was even able to work a little longer yesterday, so I could take today off! Thanks, Melissa!

Last night, Lydia and I watched a movie and enjoyed our time together. I’m sure we will do something fun today. I foresee some baking, games, puzzles, science experiments, learning about snowflakes, and more movies in our near future! It’s like a free day!

Instead of complaining about the cold, I’m being grateful for all God has done for me. To start, He has given me extra time with Lydia, a warm house and outdoor gear, my snowblower and shovels, all-wheel drive, remote start, and a day off work! Woohoo!

School rarely gets canceled in Fargo, and we have two built-in makeup days in March and April. I know God will take care of us then, too, but for now, I’m relishing the beauty of today… weather and all.

When He redirects us, it is always for our good.

Lydia and I slept in today, and I woke up to messages from friends and family around the world… well wishes and reminders to be safe. That is a wonderful feeling to know we are so loved! Thank you!!

Maybe you’d rather hibernate and/or skip out on the cold weather. Or maybe you really enjoy it. I’m rooting for “Team Polar Bear” this week, as I am in awe that God actually designed them for these conditions. Amazing!

You know, God never sleeps nor slumbers… and He never takes a ‘snow day’ either! Yet, He graciously knows we need them on occasion! He loves us so much and knows exactly what we need. He has us covered!

Unlike snow days, we don’t have to make up or pay back God’s grace (as if we could!). It is free and available to us every day. Thank You, Jesus!

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God, thanks for keeping us warm and safe. Thanks for leading us and directing our path. Help us make wise choices and be generous to others. Help us be a blessing! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What are your favorite ‘snow day’ activities? Have you ever tried snow ‘ice cream’ or blowing bubbles and watching them freeze midair?!

Tasks: If you do have to be out and about, dress warm and be prepared! Stay safe and don’t take big risks. And most certainly, thank God for your blessings!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #151

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 cold and snowy, but still really good. It was rather lowkey, which was fine by me! Lydia was off for MLK day, and so we stayed home and relaxed. I enjoyed reading MLK, Jr. quotes and stories, and Lydia told me what she had learned at school.

Tuesday and Wednesday were work and school days. On Tuesday, my neighbor used my recently fixed snow blower and helped clear both our driveways. We also helped a couple other neighbors. On Wednesday evening, I was grateful ‘blizzard conditions’ held off until after our evening activities at church.

On Thursday, school started 2 hours late. Lydia was glad to sleep in! Thankfully, I wasn’t scheduled to work that day so didn’t miss anything important. It took me much longer to clear snow that day, because I had to inch through major drifts. Still, I was grateful for my snow blower and that I didn’t have to shovel afterall!

I spent a lot of time praying this week, for friends near and far. Some needed prayer for jobs, sick children, and other medical issues. I also spent a lot of time praying about the recent abortion law(s) that were passed. I want to be sensitive to differing views than my own. At the same time, I’ve been considering what to do to help. Lord, have mercy on us all.

On Friday my schedule opened up so I made a little progress on a project. Later, a friend came over to hang out and watch Netflix. This evening, we are having a girls night with Netflix and Chinese food. My friend also asked me to give her hair a trim (about 3″)! 🙂

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)!

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Wisdom

Well-Prepared

Good news! Over the weekend, my snow blower was returned. It has a brand new carburetor, which helps fuel and air get into the engine. It was perfect timing because yesterday morning I needed it!

On Monday evening, I shoveled my driveway because it was fairly late. I didn’t want the noise to wake up anyone. I also hoped I wouldn’t need to clear snow on Tuesday.

I was wrong. Overnight, we received about 4 inches of powder!

Of course, I didn’t realize this until right before I took Lydia to the bus stop. So, I quickly tried to shovel at least enough to get my car out (without leaving tracks). I planned to finish the rest later that morning before I left for work.

While I was shoveling, I greeted my neighbor who was doing the same. I mentioned my snowblower, but how I was short on time. A few minutes later, we agreed it was worth snow blowing. He used my machine for both of our driveways while I drove to the bus.

At the bus stop, Lydia and I discussed the weather and our plans for the day. She was excited to play on the mountain of snow at school. I reminded her to be careful because there was ice under the fresh snow.

Nonetheless, Lydia felt she was ready with all her snow gear.

Her hat, gloves, coat, snow pants, and boots were all she needed to play outside. She looked forward to the challenge ahead!

Lydia didn’t consider how much she had grown this year and that ALL of her outdoor gear needed to be upgraded this season. She just knew she was well-prepared!

As her mom, I knew what she needed and provided it beforehand. Gladly!

On the way back home, I thought about God’s timing and provision.

Without my snow blower for the last 2 weeks, I had prayed that we wouldn’t get much snow until it was fixed. Like a good Father, He listened and helped me.

While God is by no means required to give in to my requests, He loves me and gave me exactly what I needed. Before I was aware of my need!

When I returned home, my neighbor and I teamed up to help a couple other neighbors as well. It felt good to accomplish so much before 8 a.m.!

Before I go much further, I do know what it feels like when it seems God isn’t listening and/or doesn’t care. I also know that my feelings are not reliable and that God is always with me. That’s a promise!

Sure, Life is not without its challenges—in fact, Jesus himself said we would have trouble. That’s the nature of this fallen world. Yet, with Him, we are more than conquerors.

When we face challenges, we don’t have to be afraid. God can move any mountain in our way or help us climb it as we lean on Him! Either way, we have Victory!

In your difficulty, remember: Nothing is too difficult or too big for Jesus. He can handle it and empower you to bear it. He loves us more than we can understand and takes it upon Himself to care for us. Draw close to Jesus.

God has not left us on our own. He does not send bad things upon us, but uses them for our good and His glory. No matter what happens—good or bad—we are covered by His grace.

Let’s see our circumstances from Jesus’ point-of-view. There are no surprises to Him, and He sees to it that we are well-prepared for anything we face.

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Heavenly Father, thanks for taking such good care of me. When I am overwhelmed, help me turn to You. Remind me of Your love and grace. Help me see what is happening through Your eyes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: In whatever circumstances you are facing—good or bad—can you see God’s hand at work? How has He prepared you for such a time as this? Can you trust Him more?

Task: Read this post—“Father Knows Best”—it was one of my first on Grace and Lemonade!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #150

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 flew by, but went well. Recently, I recorded a video about my story and grief for church. Lydia and I were there when the video was shown Monday evening. Now she thinks I’m famous (haha!). I love her current age and stage!

Tuesday and Wednesday were fairly normal. It’s been chilly all week, but it hasn’t snowed. I’m really glad I haven’t had to shovel or blow away snow lately!

This week, I caught up with people in four different states. On Thursday, I caught up with a dear friend, who moved away this summer. Then, on Friday, I talked with three other people!! I also invited a friend over for an impromtu dinner. It made me feel so good. What a blessing!

Today, Lydia and I hung out at home. Our neighbor boys came over to play for a few hours. We played, ate snacks, and watched the new Carmen Sandiego show on Netflix. I also made up a game called ‘Apple Zombie Tickle Monster’ which was a hit! Basically, it was me chasing and tickling all the kids much to their delight. 😉 Creativity for the win!

This evening, Lydia and I also caught up with my parents, and discussed tomorrow’s lunar eclipse (in addition to the super blood wolf moon)! We also ate leftover veggie enchilada bake and some cherry cobbler I made yesterday. A grand finale to an awesome week!

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)!