Tag: house maintenance

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

Finding Grace #398

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 Autumn Leaves Ilse photo and picture

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

This week was wonderful and relaxing, though I got a lot done! We Zoomed with family on Sunday, which happened to be my mom’s birthday. I always appreciate time with family… and mine is pretty cool!

Monday was the only day I worked, but it went well. I took the rest of the week off to spend time with my parents! They came to visit on Tuesday and headed back to Florida today. We had an amazing time!

My dad helped me with quite a few house projects, some that I have been trying to figure out for years. We went shopping and enjoyed eating out at some new restaurants. We watched several episodes of ‘The Chosen,’ too! It was the best week with them.

Tonight, Lydia was invited to hang out with a friend, so I had some free time! First, I did a little cleaning and exercising. Now, I am 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, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #397

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 Sunrise Mountains photo and picture

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

This was a full week, but good all around! Sometimes, this season can feel overwhelming, but by God’s grace, I am enjoying all the busyness this year. I think it’s because we are connecting with new and old friends and have a lot of fun things to look forward to! I am relishing it all and focusing on keeping a quiet heart.

On Monday, I was invited to coffee by a friend and fellow VA employee. Our girls are friends, and the two of us talked for about two hours! It was fun catching up and a refreshing way to spend our day off (Columbus Day).

There were school conferences on Tuesday. We took the opportunity to practice opening Lydia’s locker and also attended the book fair! We also ran into several neighbors and friends, which was a great surprise!

Work was busy, but I stayed on top of charting. I had three patients who had good breakthroughs after many months of struggling. It’s so gratifying to see them succeed! I also had some meetings for the two upcoming maternity leaves. I think it will be challenging but also a good chance to grow professionally. I know God will be with me!

This morning, I received a special delivery. I had looked around for an older fridge/freezer to put in the garage, but I had not found anything that seemed reliable. Then, I found a new one on sale and made the purchase. I have been thinking about it for several months, but it will be good to separate some of our items so we can actually see what we have. It will also be helpful when we have excess leftovers, company, or need to plan ahead for holidays.

Today, two of Lydia’s friends have birthdays! Last night, she went to an escape room with some of her girlfriends to celebrate. And tonight, we are going to a birthday/ housewarming party for our African friends (remember them?!). They are doing well, and I am really happy for them!

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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, Fruit, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #395

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 Apple Red photo and picture

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

This week was good, and we did some fun activities!

Lydia invited a friend over for Wednesday night youth group. The topic was on godly friends, and then they enjoyed apple cider and smores. It was fun hearing them laugh on the way home!

This week, I took home some fresh apples a coworker brought in to share. I made some apple fritters, which were delicious! She was unsure of what to make (which is one reason she was giving some away), so I let her borrow my food processor and gave her some tips.  It’s fun to collaborate!

On Friday night, my coworkers all got together for a baby shower. We had a lot of fun laughing, eating, and watching them open baby gifts. It was fun to see my friends’ little kids and a big German Shepherd, too!

Today, Lydia and I did Saturday things, including chores around the house and even mowed this evening (maybe the last time this season!). I made some phone calls and worked on some projects. Then, we watched the movie, Elemental!

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #387

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 went well!

My lawn mower wasn’t working on Sunday. Through a little reading and tinkering, I realized it likely was the carburetor. My neighbor offered to take it in for a tune-up, which was so kind. I called and set it up, and he transported it back and forth. In the meantime, he let me borrow his mower, which was a big help!

We celebrated someone’s birthday at work, which gave us a chance to laugh and connect. I also had a lot of interesting patients, including the one from last week. He seems stable but had some issues with his tube feeding regimen. I worked behind the scenes with the pharmacy since we don’t carry the formula he needed. Thankfully, it all worked out!

On Wednesday, I dropped Lydia off at our church youth group and then went to pick some veggies from a friend’s garden. She was out of town and didn’t want them to go to waste. I picked a zucchini, a few tomatoes, and some peppers. On the way back to get Lydia, I saw two fields of sunflowers, which called my name. I pulled off to get a few pictures, and as I was sitting there, a couple of men drove by. A minute later, one returned to check on me. I appreciated him and did not feel threatened since he never got out of his vehicle. Thanks, Lord!

For Wednesday’s post, I wrote about how friendships are sometimes complicated as we age. They just take more effort because there are more factors involved. Many of my good friends have moved away, so it can be hard to keep putting myself out there when people might leave. Thankfully, Jesus always draws me closer. Furthermore, I aim to be a light wherever God leads me, so I won’t hide away even though that would be easier! 🙂

Today, we stayed home and mostly relaxed. I woke up early, lifted weights, and walked through the neighborhood. It was overcast and I saw some pretty cattails (pic above). Later, I made some fried green tomatoes with my friends’ garden produce! I just added a tiny bit of oil and some Maldon sea salt flakes. So good!

Now, we are enjoying a good thunderstorm. My lawn really needs the water, so I am thrilled. The downpouring rain on my windows means it’s a perfect night for a movie and some popcorn with Lydia!

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #385

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 Sunflower Yellow photo and picture

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

This was a busy but good week! Each night, I stayed up fairly late but still didn’t accomplish everything I needed to. I was chasing my tail, but it all worked out alright.

Work went well and kept me on my toes. We had an employee appreciation event and that included lunch, plinko, other games, and axe throwing! It was a modified version (for safety and liability) but was so fun!

My evenings were quite busy, too! On Monday, I ran errands and did paperwork after work. I finished my blog on Tuesday night and also mowed, pulled weeds, and caught up with my neighbors. Wednesday was volleyball and youth group for Lydia and grocery shopping for me. On Thursday, I helped Lydia with a few little projects. On Friday, among other things, I completed Lydia’s school registration and paid some bills. Whew!

This morning, I was on-call for work and had to go in for four consults! It wasn’t so bad, but I did stay about three hours. I was glad to be able to serve these patients this morning.

Lydia went to a Minnesota lake with a friend’s family for the weekend. She sent me a couple of messages about all the fun she’s having. I told her I am watching movies and eating ice cream. So, a win-win, right?! 😉

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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, Kindness, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #382

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! It seemed longer since I had a regular work week of five days instead of only working a couple days each of the last two weeks! 😉 I felt productive and was happy to help my coworkers. We shared some fun laughs and learned a lot while performing one of our annual competencies!

Lydia and I did some more weeding and caught up with our neighbors. One night, we helped some young kids find books at our little free library (on the edge of our property). It was fun to meet them and watch them interact with the books!

Yesterday, I went to a funeral service at the Fargo National Cemetary after work. I wanted to support my widowed friend and also saw some other people from church. I have been to several funerals with military honors, but never one at a national cemetery. It was so cool to see how this Veteran was honored. I am thankful for his service, and it fills me with gratitude ahead of the 4th of July next week.

This week, Lydia joined me during my exercise routine. I let her use some lighter weights and she followed along with my personalized program. It was fun to see her write down her accomplishments. Today, she told me she already feels stronger!

Today, I made a few food items, did laundry and some other chores, worked out, and then mostly relaxed! We did some reading and then watched a couple of shows together. It felt good to have a slower pace after a busy week!

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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, Travel

Finding Grace #381

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 very relaxing week filled with family on vacation! On Sunday, Fathers Day, we hung out with my dad and mom plus Dave’s family at the beach in Florida. It was a perfect day.

Then, on Monday, I tried surfing for the first time. I’m really proud of myself and felt strong and confident. Sometimes, we need to push out of our comfort zone and try something new. I am so glad I did, and I can’t wait to go again!

We flew back later Tuesday and spent the next day resting. Both of us weren’t feeling well, so I am glad I took Wednesday off from work ahead of time. Lydia did manage to go to volleyball practice, but then she skipped youth group and was in bed by 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, I went to work a little late to make sure Lydia was okay. I wasn’t quite 100% either, but I pulled through. I knew I had a busy day covering for someone else who had been on vacation, too. Lydia just rested all day, which is the best thing she could have done.

By Friday, we were both healthy again. Lydia said the best part of her day was that she felt well. I stayed later at work to finish up some patient care and came home to do a few little tasks.

This week, I tore down a barnswallow nest earlier in the week (after confirming there were no eggs). They had already made a big mess, and I didn’t want them sitting right on my front door. I set out a little plastic owl figure on the step and haven’t seen them since. I hope they find another place to roost, though. They sure are pretty!

Today, we mostly relaxed! Usually, we jump right back into our routine, so it’s been nice to have a slower pace. It rained on and off all day, thus we enjoyed reading and having some quiet time together. I need to mow, but the grass is wet. I’ll take it as a confirmation just to rest!

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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 Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Wisdom

Dandelions and Thistles

I have really enjoyed taking care of my yard this summer. It’s nice to be outside and physically active! I’d love to get some flowers and do more landscaping, but I don’t have that much time and energy! I could hire someone, but that gets expensive, especially when I don’t really have a plan in mind.

Besides, I have an ongoing problem.

Lots of hot sun + not a lot of water = dead patches.

I have a little green grass, a fair amount of dry thatch, and a variety of weeds. It’s all a little defeating sometimes because the thatch and weeds are so prevalent.

I actually don’t mind some weeds; right now, they are the greenest, prettiest portion of my yard! I do try to pull the thistle weeds because they hurt, but the occasional dandelion or creeping whatever-it-is-called doesn’t bother me.

Technically, dandelions are good and, perhaps, cheerful, though they may be unwanted. They are even edible, though I don’t think I’ve ever tried them. In other news, I am seriously thinking about planting micro clover! It is bee-friendly, hearty, and low maintenance. It might conserve the soil, too.

Free Dandelion Flower Dandelion Egret photo and picture

As I was pulling weeds recently, I was able to pray and contemplate. During these precious moments, I was reminded of weeds in the Bible.

In Matthew 13, Jesus taught several parables to explain spiritual issues. He used a lot of agrarian principles, such as sowing, reaping, and weeding.

In the first parable, Jesus talked about a sower who threw seeds onto the ground. They landed on 1) the path and were eaten by birds; 2) rocky ground without much soil, which caused the roots to scorch in the heat; 3) a patch with many weeds, where the seeds were choked out; and 4) good soil, which produced an abundant harvest many times over.

It seems the environment and soil has a lot to do with how well the seeds did. There are lots of other insights if I had more time to get into this. But, I’ll keep it simple today and point you to verses 18-23 linked above. Basically, we need to guard the seed, which is God’s Word, dig deeper, and remove distractions.

Later, in another example, Jesus said to leave the proverbial weeds because removing them would ruin the rest of the crop. He promised to take care of them once the Harvest is at hand.  Soon… come Lord Jesus, come!

Free Wildflower Meadow Flower photo and picture

What are the spiritual weeds in our lives? These could represent the concepts of good and evil, which still coexist in the world. But, personally, I’m considering distraction, social media, laziness, disobedience, fear, and more. They choke, entangle, and sap our strength. They hinder growth and may prevent maturity. They keep us from living a full life!

I suppose a lot of my problems would be solved if I would consistently water the grass that’s left. Perhaps it would even sprout in some new areas with some grass seed. Though, I am a little conflicted. Water is a precious resource and the vanity of the short growing season.

So, for now, I will just get the weeds I can and do my best. Unfortunately, they just spread continually. Perhaps more importantly, I’ll diligently remove spiritual weeds, as they also spread quickly. And perhaps I can keep researching that micro clover!

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God, thanks for being such a good Father. Thanks for tending to us and providing for us. Help us remove spiritual weeds from our lives. Give us wisdom as we grow and see You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you enjoy yard work? Do you like vegetable or flower gardening? What spiritual weeds are you enabling in your life?

Task: Read Matthew 13 and meditate on it. Pray about any spiritual weeds in your life. You will need God’s strength and power to remove them for good!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #379

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 Bird Barn Swallow photo and picture

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

This week went by quickly! I stayed home from work on Monday because Lydia was not feeling well. The heat over the weekend got to her, so we focused more on self-care and rehydrating. Thankfully, she felt better by the end of the day!

Work went well, and I kept busy with charting and patient care. I had some friendly patients but also helped my coworkers and read up on various nutrition topics.

After work yesterday, I ran some errands. Then, I came home to find a pair of barn swallows building a nest on my front door. This happened a few years ago, but I hung up a little dangly, twirly thing which seemed to help. This time, the birds were swinging on in and giving me a piece of their mind! They are pretty but feisty! So, I sat outside for a few hours in front of the door to shoo away the birds. I read a book and watered the grass, as well!

Later, I asked for input online and got some good tips to discourage the birds. For now, I put up some pinwheels until I decide which of the tips to implement. So far, 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, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Worship

Finding Grace #373

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 Bird Female photo and picture

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

This week stood out to me, and I saw God’s grace every day. It was a week of old friends, good conversations, and throwback music. I even saw a cardinal at work, which I rarely see because I still have young trees at home. Just what I needed!

My friend, Krystal, now lives in Colorado with her husband, Owen, their three boys, and a new baby girl. Krystal was in town for a family event and brought two of her kids, including the baby. She and our friend, Sara, who also has a new baby, came over to visit with a third friend. We caught up over a few hours, and it was just like old times. (You may remember them from my book.) It was fun to see how much our lives have changed over the years.

Work was a little more relaxed this week, and it has been a nice change of pace. I appreciate our managers have listened and helped set up some better boundaries as far as our patient load. As it was, I still had several other calls to make, such as patient issues that popped up, as well as some projects to work on. I still needed to cover a few areas, but I’m glad I had a little margin.

On Thursday night, Lydia and I went to see a living legend, Steven Curtis Chapman, in concert at the Fargo Theater! Lydia wasn’t really sure who he was at first, but soon felt an emotional connection to his music. It could be that they have the same birthday, but she related our missing Dave to his own losses and grief. Hearing him discuss faith and perseverance was the best! It encouraged us to keep moving forward!

Last night, Lydia and I played a game and watched the birds outside in the yard. Today, we worked on some projects and organized around the house. Lydia also went on a little bike ride in our neighborhood with a friend. It feels great that Spring is here!

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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)!