Finding Grace #240

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 a great week! It was just as full, but for whatever reason, it was less stressful. Maybe it was because I went shopping one afternoon and even squeezed in a nap. At any rate, I was grateful for God’s grace and goodness.

On Wednesday, a friend took Lydia to church again. I went to pick her up a little later, but it was helpful to have some extra time at home preparing for the rest of the week.

Friday night was spent with the same friend (and others) at church praying for our nation. There are so many issues we are facing, personally and in our communities and beyond. Prayer is so important and I appreciated meeting together with these wise people as we sought the Lord’s help.

Today, Lydia and I enjoyed time outside at a local park and then went to a local farmer’s market. We bought some veggies and sampled a few treats. We also walked through part of a historical neighborhood enjoying the beautiful houses on this sunny day. Then, she played outside while I worked on a project and made veggie lasagna using the biggest zucchini I have ever seen!

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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 #239

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, but really good! A friend came over on Sunday, and then we had our family Zoom time. My little nephew gets cuter by the day!

On Tuesday, Lydia and I took advantage of an opportunity for free mulch down the block from us. We took five loads/roundtrips with a shovel, loaded wheelbarrow, two 5-gallon buckets, and another small bucket, but we got all our steps in and then some!

Work was a little slower paced and more manageable this week. It seemed quieter with less activities, and I appreciated the chance to catch up! That said, I am grateful for the work God has given me to do! 

Yesterday, I fixed my coffee maker and saved a fair amount of money (by not replacing it). It had recently started leaking water underneath, which was odd. So, I went shopping for a new one, but they didn’t have it in store. Then, I researched similar models, but finally decided to try fixing mine, and as a backup, order one next week. Thankfully, I found a couple videos online. One person had taken their machine completely apart, while another used a dremel. I tried the first way, but it was very tricky. So, I borrowed a dremel from my neighbors and reattached the hose (in back). Success!

Then, in the evening, Lydia and I made some chocolate chip cookies, watched a show, and called my parents (to tell them a couple jokes). We enjoyed the quality time together!

Today, I graded some assignments, worked on a couple projects, cleaned the house, replaced a faulty light switch in the bathroom, and ran some errands with Lydia. She especially enjoyed walking around the arts and crafts store!

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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 #238

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 a little smoother than last! It was still somewhat stressful, but I’m grateful a friend stopped to pray for me. I tried to get more sleep, too.

Lydia had a fun week. She continues to enjoy school and daycare. Also, on Wednesday night, a friend offered to take Lydia to church with her family, so I could have a little extra time at home. I picked her up afterward, but it was very helpful!

Work continues to be busy, but I am enjoying what I do. It was fun to grade some assignments this week, though it can be difficult at times to assess someone else’s learning! Nonetheless, I feel privileged to work both with Veterans and college students.

Yesterday evening, I mowed the lawn, hopefully for the last time this season. I had to run and get gas beforehand, so it was a last minute choice. I mowed as fast as I could and finished just before it got too dark. The street lights came on, so that really helped! 😉

This weekend, I have some more assignments to grade and prepare. I have a couple of projects to continue working on, too. I’m trying to find a good balance!

Tonight, some friends are coming over. It will be the first time we have been together since March! I am looking forward to catching up!

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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 #237

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 good, but I didn’t get enough sleep! I stayed up late several nights for various reasons, only to get up early to go to work and daycare. I had some technical difficulties that took until Wednesday to resolve. Thankfully, there were no serious problems, just a lot of back and forth and playing phone tag with IT support.

Lydia had a lot of fun at daycare and school this week. She worked on several really cool artsy projects at daycare and home. At school, she enjoyed seeing her friends and bringing homework to do on her days off. A win-win, perhaps?!

Work went well for me this week all around, but there is just so much going on! Thankfully, the activities I get to do are all worthwhile. It makes a huge difference when you enjoy the tasks overall and see the purpose behind the work. I had some fun, engaging conversations with both Veterans and students! Thank You, Jesus!

This week’s weather was gorgeous. I enjoyed driving all over town to work, school, daycare, and a few stores while running errands. I love seeing all the stunning colors!

Today, I worked on a project and graded some assignments. Tonight some friends were supposed to come over, but we cancelled when some of their family members weren’t feeling well. It’s better to be wise and safe. Instead of visiting with friends, I am continuing my projects and enjoying some time 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)!

Finding Grace #236

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 picked up a few extra hours at the VA and had a great time teaching my students. On Labor Day, I was off from the VA, but had two Zoom calls for Concordia. I was glad for the slower pace because the rest of the week was full!

On Wednesday, I mowed the lawn after work. I looked ahead and saw potential rain, so I took advantage of the timing and gorgeous weather. It was cool but calm! Mowing early in the week helped free me up later in the week. It did rain a little, but I also worked extra hours and had a few activities planned with Lydia. 

School went well for Lydia this week! She had fun learning and even was stretched as she tackled some personal fears with success. She seems to be adjusting well!

Today, a friend came over for our writer’s group. We always have fun discussing our ongoing projects. Then, Lydia and I did some cleaning and are relaxing 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)!

Finding Grace #235

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 jam-packed week! On Sunday, we hung out with an African friend, and she made food from her homeland of Ghana. It was soooo yummy!

Monday was loaded with activity! Work was busy at the VA, and then Lydia had a class in the evening. I also bought some treats for a coworker’s birthday. All of these things went well, but I had so much on my mind in terms of details and such. I stayed up late and got up early all week long trying to stay on top of everything.

The rest of the week was full with nonstop activities and many details to remember. Most everything was fulfilling and purposeful, but there was just so much going on. It was a little stressful at times! On Wednesday, I stayed a couple extra hours at work to care for a Veteran. It, too, was a very good experience; it was just unexpected to stay so late. 

On Thursday, Lydia started school (hybrid model)! She was confident in her new shoes and did not seem to nervous. She said her class washed their hands more than she thought they would: every hour, coming and going, eating, and transitioning to other activities. I hope it is a good experience overall; she did not complain too much about her mask.

On Friday, I taught my nutrition class again! I am really enjoying it, and I am learning more technology skills. I appreciate being able to come and go, and organize and teach how I want. It is a fun experience for me, and I am really grateful to be there! Also, on Friday afternoon, I picked up a few hours at the VA to help cover while others had the day off. It was good because I was able to get caught up on some of my tasks after a busy week!

Today, I enjoyed sleeping in after a long week. I made some rice krispy treats with Lydia and watched a movie while working on a project. A nice way to relax!

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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 #234

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 busy, but fulfilling week! On Sunday, Lydia got a new pair of shoes for school. We also met her teacher this week, and Lydia made sure her desk and locker are ready to go for her first day next week! With the current COVID guidelines, she will have about ten kids in her cohort, with the other thirteen kids in her class are in the other cohort (attending on different days). It will be an interesting year!

I had some great patients at the VA this week! Several Veterans were making good progress, which is always gratifying.

On Friday, I also taught my first nutrition class at the local college. I hope it goes well, and I can already tell it is a good fit for me. I have a lot of prep work still to do (to revise assignments and such), but I had fun meeting my students!

Today, one of Lydia’s friends came over to play. After that, we hung out with another family. We walked around some local botanical gardens and went to get frozen yogurt. We always have fun together, and I’m glad we made time to meet up!

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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 #233

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! On Sunday, we enjoyed our usual church gathering, and I noticed some of the trees are already starting to change colors! I saw beautiful yellow leaves, but I’m not sure I’m ready for cooler weather… 🙂

On Monday, I attended orientation at the local college where I will be teaching a nutrition class! The semester starts this next week. It was good that I did because I learned a lot, met some great people, and got a little more acclimated to my department.

This week, I celebrated one year working at the VA! I can’t believe how fast this year flew. I have really enjoyed serving Veterans, and I love working with a wonderful team of dietitians and other staff! At the same time, I have been challenged and grown professionally, which positions me well to teach at the college this fall. #winning

This week, I made some exciting progress on a few projects. It can be challenging to keep everything straight, but my family was good to offer input on some key decisions. I also confirmed plans for Lydia’s fall school and daycare options. This included calls, emails, and paperwork. It was a big week, and I had to keep everything straight! It was a little complex, but, I am really thankful for God’s provision and direction.

Yesterday and Today, I have been hyper-focused on finishing up my syllabus! I mowed a couple days ago and postponed hanging out with a friend so I could keep my momentum. Earlier, Lydia helped me with some housework (teamwork makes it faster). Then, she after that, she spent much of her time playing with a friend. So, that has been helpful!

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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 #232

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 full of God’s grace! On Sunday, we enjoyed seeing friends at church, and family over Zoom. Lydia also got her hair cut. It is just above her shoulders now, which makes her curls really pop! She’s so cute and confident!

On Wednesday, I celebrated my birthday! I took the day off work, got a massage, started a book, watched a movie, talked with family and friends, and enjoyed time with Lydia. We got ice cream and took a scenic walk with great conversation! It was just right. I’m grateful for a chance to reflect on all God has done for me this last year. He is so good to me!

This week had some wild weather extremes! Most of the days were very enjoyable. Mostly sunny with perfect temperatures. At work, I took some brief walks with my coworkers. Friday had crazy storms and with flooding potential most of the day. I had an errand to run and waited to go in between storms. I didn’t get too wet, thankfully!

Today, has also been fun and productive! First, I got my oil changed. Then, Lydia and I went to the bookstore for a little while. We got fancy drinks and read some books. Then, we went to Costco before returning home. She played with a neighbor friend while I made some calls, paid some bills, made some stuffed peppers, and worked on a project!

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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 #231

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 wonderful week seeing family in Illinois! We did not get to see everyone, but it was good to see my parents and new nephew, among others. We tried to be smart by wearing masks, as needed, and social distancing as best we could. We didn’t have any specific plans and tried to limit errands as much as possible.

We had perfect weather in Illinois. While the summers are typically hot and humid, the first part of August usually brings a cooler spell. My mom and I were both praying for a reprieve and God made it happen. It was sunny and in the mid-70s most days!

Lydia and I stayed in a hotel in Wisconsin on the way to Illinois and back. It helped us break up the long drive and not feel so rushed. I’m grateful for traveling mercies and no major traffic incidents along the way. There was plenty of cars and trucks, not to mention boats and RVs, but the  roads didn’t seem to be as crazy busy.

As we ease back into our normal routine, I am taking the vacation vibes and extending them! I am catching up with laundry and such, but I am reminding myself to relax and not stress about this upcoming season. I enjoyed mowing the yard this morning, paid some bills, and put together two puzzles 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)!