Finding Grace #289

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, and we participated in a lot of fun events!

At work, we had two celebrations, which is really appreciated with how busy we have been lately! On one day, we had a DQ ice cream cake for a coworker’s birthday. The next day, we brought treats to say goodbye to another coworker. She is leaving to focus on some other things, but we will really miss her on our team!

I had some women from church come over for some encouragement. We had indoor s’mores and a fun conversation with multiple topics! We prayed together, too, and I am really grateful for these godly ladies!

Lydia and I did some yard work this week. While she tied her shoes, she noticed a bumblebee on the sedum. I came over and also noticed a honey bee! We watched them for several minutes, in awe!

Yesterday, a friend came to hang out before a movie night at church. While Lydia was still at school, we painted with watercolors! Neither of us has any experience, but it was fun.  I certainly won’t become a professional, but it was a relaxing right-brain activity!

Later, we drove to church to watch Inside Out. I have seen it before, but last night, I was able to pick up on more details I must’ve missed before. Specifically, Joy had to finally allow Sadness to do her thing. By acknowledging pain and sadness (or grief), we can eventually move forward with greater joy.

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

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

Finding Grace #288

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 “short” week in many ways! I worked over the weekend, to cover nutrition consults and admissions. Because I worked four hours on Sunday, I was able to take off four hours later in the week. I also had Monday off (Labor Day) so we had fun with my mother-in-law.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were workdays, and I had Friday off! I did about three hours of yard work and then met a friend for coffee. It had been a couple of years since we caught up so I really enjoyed our 2.5-hour chat! Such a blessing!

We had another amazing weather week. Sunny, 70s, no wind or bugs, perfect! I finally mowed, though it took a little longer because of how tall the grass was. I also did some raking and weeding, as I will probably need to put down some new grass seed in certain spots.

Today is has been a good day to reflect on 9/11. Lydia and I discussed what happened, and I am glad she has been learning about it at school, as it is so important not to forget. Twenty years ago, I was in college and remember watching the towers fall on a small television in a commons area. A few days later in class, my classmate was understandably upset because her boyfriend was being deployed. Some of my extended family were traveling internationally and had difficulties returning stateside. I remember how we, as a nation, all pulled together in unity. Where were you on September 11th, 2001?

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

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

Finding Grace #287

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 fun and productive! On Sunday, we enjoyed talking with family over Zoom and catching up with a couple of friends. I also made some vegetarian-style pozole (soup). I had a recipe but didn’t follow it much. I just winged it and it was good!

Work was busy this week, but good. I encountered a few unexpected tube feeding challenges and a couple of food insecurity problems. That said, I am glad to be in a position to help our Veterans, especially those who have had a rough life. I am grateful to do what I do, even if it makes me teary-eyed sometimes! Also, I was in charge of a birthday celebration for a coworker, and I brought all sorts of fun toppings for a sundae bar! Yum!

This weekend, my mother-in-law is here visiting for the long weekend. We have tried a couple of new-to-us restaurants and went shopping for Lydia. She received some new clothes and two new pairs of glasses (as backups in case her other pair breaks–all on sale!). We enjoyed a gorgeous day, walking through our neighborhood and the local zoo. Just about every animal was alert and active today, more than I have ever seen before! It has been a fun visit all around!

We had a week of awesome weather. Mostly, it was sunny and in the 70s (my favorite), but we also had a day of rain. Just what we needed! I enjoyed using my umbrella at the morning bus stop and walking into work. I’ll have to mow my grass again soon, though it seems fall is on its way! 🙂

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

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

Finding Grace #286

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 peaceful and laid back compared to last week! We had a wonderful time with our friends, and I just carried that feeling through the rest of the week. (I am still getting used to my new phone, but I am thankful for the unexpected upgrade!)

On Monday, our friends left mid-morning. Then, I had the rest of the day off from work. With Lydia at daycare, I got a massage and met with a new friend for coffee. I rarely have a day to myself, and I felt so relaxed!

On Tuesday morning, I still had a little planned time off work, so I did some mundane tasks I have been putting off, like updating some files and balancing my checkbook. It was good to take care of those things amid the peace and quiet, while I was focused. Then, I went to work for a short day and enjoyed my evening with Lydia!

Thursday was Lydia’s first day back to school. It’s hard to believe she’s in fourth grade! I feel this is going to be a great year for Lydia. She has some good friends in her class and really likes her teacher. I am excited to see how she grows!

This week, we finally enjoyed some rainy weather. My grass is starting to turn green again! You know, right before fall when it dies! 🙂

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

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

Finding Grace #285

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! Much of the time my mind was going in several directions, and I had a little difficulty keeping everything straight! Basically, on top of a busy work week, I had a lot of meetings and people to connect with, and was getting Lydia ready for school which starts later next week. It all worked out, though!

On Monday night, I had some ladies over from church. Instead of leading a small group this year, I am coaching other small group leaders. So, in a way, I have a small group of small group leaders! We had a lot of fun, laughing and getting to know each other.

On Wednesday, I had a meeting with other small group coaches. We enjoyed tacos and dessert, along with good conversation and planning. I’m excited to see what God has in store for us this year!

This week, I finally decided to water my lawn. Actually, I had Lydia do it one night and then I joined her a couple evenings later. We each had a hose going! I am not aiming for green grass, but just trying to prevent the grass roots from dying. Ironically, we did get some rain after we watered, which I was very happy about!

Yesterday, I stayed late for work to get some paperwork done. Then, I ran a few quick errands. I made some returns and bought some new shoes. After that, I met a friend for coffee! We live in the same neighborhood, but life gets busy and we don’t run into each other often. We had a great conversation and are planning another coffee date soon!

Today, we have some college friends coming to visit for the weekend. They live several states away and we haven’t seen them since moving to Fargo eleven years ago. We are excited to host them and their kids. Lydia’s looking forward to meeting and playing with the girls! I am honored they would drive all the way to see us!

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

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

Finding Grace #284

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 birthday week! It was a short work week, which included some chocolate cake and ice cream. I feel so grateful to have caring coworkers!

I also took off some time to host a guest. It had been awhile since she visited, so Lydia and I had fun showing her around our community. She left this morning, but it was nice to spend time with her!

Last night, our guest wanted to go to the Pyrotechnics Guild International finale show. This event rotates through Fargo every few years. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was up for it, since fireworks events go so late. They are cool from a distance, but the booming noise and flashing lights aren’t my favorite. Nonetheless, I agreed to go and it was fun. We didn’t get home until after midnight, but it was an adventure, after all!

Today, we did a little cleaning and laundry before we relaxed. Later, we went to a park so Lydia could show me some skills she recently mastered! I’m grateful for the ebb and flow, some busy days and some easy-going days!

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

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

Finding Grace #283

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! We started off the week in Ohio family. It felt great to relax with some of our favorite people! Then, Monday we flew back home. We had two flights with a few hours in O’Hare. It was late when we finally went to sleep in our own beds, but it’s always good to be home after traveling.

At work, I hit the ground running. I saw several Veterans and completed some online trainings. finished setting up my new office space, too. I moved a filing cabinet, and swapped the garbage and recycling cans. I organized some drawers and handouts. Also, the printer was moved around the corner and my cabinets and bulletin board were moved up a few inches to give me more space. I am happy with how it turned out! 

The rest of the week was spent unpacking (laundry!), organizing the house, running errands, making phone calls, and catching up with mail. Lydia’s suitcase, which actually belonged to Dave and is at least fifteen years old, came off the airplane with a large hole. It was time for an upgrade! I bought her new slippers, too, since we snagged a good sale!

Today, we mostly cleaned and organized before company comes next week. If we don’t stay on top of things, they quickly get out of hand! So, you we had our work cut out for us. 🙂 Lydia rode her scooter and drew with chalk a bit. Later, some neighbor friends came over to play!

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

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

Finding Grace #282

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 full week! On Sunday, Lydia enjoyed telling everyone on Zoom about her adventures at camp.

Work went well, too. A lady in our department is retired after 20+ years, so we had a surprise celebration for her. It was so funny because we chose Wednesday for the actual party, but I suggested Friday as a “fake” celebration to throw her off a bit. My other coworkers  and I had a fun time covertly planning the party. We will miss having her around, but we also have a good plan in place for the transition as she leaves.

On Tuesday I felt so loved at work. A friend, who arrives earlier than me, saved me some coffee from the old batch, specifically knowing I am not a fan of the fresh, flavored kind that she made afterward. It was sweet of her to think of me! Also, a couple of the managers went out of their way to help me transition to my “new” office space. It was kind of them to take the time to help when they are usually so busy!

Lydia and I had a great time visiting family in person this week!! We celebrated my aunt’s birthday, and it was the first time my parents and all my siblings had been together in at least a couple years. We saw my nephew, now a year old, and met my new baby niece. Lydia enjoyed playing with both of her little cousins and seeing much of our extended family. Many of us meet weekly over Zoom, but visiting and hugging in person was wonderful!

Otherwise, Lydia and I did some deep cleaning as we prepare for a busy August full of visitors. She reorganized some of her play areas, desk, and backseat of the car. I worked on the kitchen table and my bedroom, since things seem to pile up there! It felt good to cross these tasks off our list! Now, we just have to keep these spaces looking nice!

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

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

Finding Grace #281

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 fun week that flew by! Work was very busy, but good. There were times my coworkers and I were all over the building to educate Veterans. It kept us on our toes!

Lydia had yet another exciting week!! She went to Bible camp with some kids from church. I wasn’t sure if sending her two hours away for three days was a good idea, but I am glad I listened to God’s leading. She had an awesome time, made deeper friendships, and learned more about God’s love. I’m sure I will be hearing about her experiences for days!

With Lydia at camp, I also had a busy week. On Wednesday, I had dinner and a meeting with friends. We had yummy food and great conversation, while making plans for this fall!

Thursday night was a women’s game night at church. I saw several ladies I knew and met many more! It was a lot of fun. I even met three new nutrition grad students!

Last night, I did a few things around the house while Lydia was gone. I didn’t mow since it was so hot, but I did trim some of the areas that are still green and growing! I also did the dishes, cooked some food, paid some bills, and signed up Lydia for the next school year! We’ll have to go shopping for school supplies soon!

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

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

Finding Grace #280

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 fun week! It was warm and sunny with a little haze from various wildfires (not local). I need to mow at some point, but I think I might just wait another week! 😉

Lydia had another exciting week. On Wednesday, she hung out with a friend, and they went to a tie dye camp! A few items were included in the cost of the class, but Lydia also brought her own t-shirt to dye. It was a white Caterpillar shirt, which reminds her of Dave. She doesn’t wear it as much as her black CAT shirt, given it is prone to get dirty quicker. But the tie dye turned out so well, I bet she will now!

Then, last night, we attended an outdoor musical production of Cinderella. It was so good! I always forget the actors are only in high school. The music and singing, not to mention the costumes, were fantastic! Lydia and I had a really fun time together.

Today, we slept in and have had a relatively relaxed day. I did clean out under the kitchen sink and reorganized the pantry and freezer, so that’s a win! Ironically, I found a few extra packages of frozen peas!

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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)!