Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #97

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 good week, starting off with my ten year wedding anniversary. This was my fifth one without Dave. I’m thankful for the time we had together, but the fact that it snuck up on me shows how much healing has occurred. Lydia and I enjoyed our day.

At church, we celebrated a week of prayer, which I feel set the tone for the rest of my week! I didn’t know how I was going to squeeze it all in, but by God’s grace, I did. I met deadlines, had fun clients at work, and had enough energy for all our evening activities.

My cousin and I started an online cooking class together. Actually, she lives in Ohio, but we are comparing notes as we go. I made a delicious pineapple-mango salsa and bought myself a new cutting board! It is a six-week course, so I am sure we will make lots of good recipes! For me, it’s about being creative, having fun, and trying new things.

Today, Lydia and I enjoyed spending time with friends. It is too chilly to go sledding or be outside for long… So we went to their house to visit instead! It’s always good to hang out with friends! We enjoyed seeing what God is doing in their lives.

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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 #96

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 really chilly week, but we still saw an abundance of God’s grace! We jumped back into our normal routine and also added some fun activities. Lydia started a cheerleading program with friends at Upward Sports. They will cheer during youth basketball programs. I hope it will be a good way for Lydia to make more friends, have fun, be active, and learn use to her voice in a new way.

We resumed JBQ on Wednesday and Lydia has learned so much already! It is amazing to see these young kids hide God’s word in their hearts. I believe it’s one of the most important things they can do, so it’s good they are starting young. It makes me glad when Lydia says how much she loves it.

Of course, I went back to work and also tackled my ‘usual’ projects, such as deadlines and housework. I also started a new at-home yoga program which I always enjoy. I’ve been doing ‘Yoga with Adriene‘ on-and-off for awhile and can really notice a difference in how my joint, muscles, back, neck, and shoulders feel. I also notice when I skip it. It’s a good reminder to take care of myself…and remember to breathe!

In the little bit of ‘downtime’ I had this week, I watched a nature show on Netflix called ‘Frozen Planet.’ I love these types of shows! I enjoyed watching polar bears, penguins, caribou, wolves, and other animals prepare for winter. I also watched snowflakes and ice form in slow motion and was in awe of just how amazing our Creator God is! It is a short series, so I will have to watch more of it later!

This week, I started scribing the Gospel of John with some friends around the country. We simply copy down each word in John, going at our own pace. This is a great way to spend time with Jesus, the Living Word, and learn directly from Him. Then, we connect online and discuss our thoughts on each section. It’s been really rewarding both personally and corporately. My friends come from a variety of Christian denominations and backgrounds, so it is really cool to see the larger Body of Christ (that is, the Church) in action. One benefit of doing this is that we can retain the written Word longer than just reading it. Plus, we can share insights and encourage each other along the way. Praise God!

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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, Travel

Finding Grace #95

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 an exciting week! We took a snowy road trip to see family in Illinois!  We celebrated Christmas with my parents and sat around the warm wood stove…one of my favorite places. It was so restful. I’m grateful for time with loved ones.

Lydia and I road-tripped it back to Fargo on Wednesday to beat more snow-fall and sub-zero temps. I’m thankful for the Lord’s provision and protection during our trip! The weather is always a factor to consider, and He is so good!

Since Lydia and I arrived back, we have been hanging out at home having fun and preparing for the new year. We have a lot of fun events and activities coming up. So far, we’ve played games, watched movies, and made yummy food. I trimmed Lydia’s hair and have done some cleaning and organizing. I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store in the coming weeks.

Happy New Year!

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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, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Worship

Finding Grace #94

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 busy but good week! I worked extra hours this week, in case I want to take some time off next week. Lydia will be out of school, so it is good to have options. I’m thankful to have a flexible schedule and understanding supervisor!

On Sunday, we celebrated Dave’s 39th birthday, his fifth in heaven. We went to church, Blaze Pizza, and the new Ferdinand movie. We think of him often, but I know he would be proud of us! We received several calls and texts throughout the day. I’m so thankful for everyone’s continued prayers, support, and encouragement! I’m also grateful for how far the Lord has brought us and look forward to how He will continue using our story.

On Wednesday evening, we attended a Christmas Eve service at church (early!) to give us more flexibility with our holiday schedule. This year, Lydia has been learning Christmas carols at school and on the radio. It was fun to hear her singing Joy to the World and other songs. I also enjoyed seeing her take it all in and process the lyrics.

At the Christmas Eve event, we also lit candles at the end of the service. It was a leap of faith to give Lydia her own candle. We caught the eye of more than one mom…! Thankfully, nothing (and no one) caught on fire. We did, however, have a good conversation about how Jesus is the Light of the World and how we can share His light with everyone we meet. Thank You, Jesus!

During the Christmas Eve event, a video was shown of kids acting out the first Christmas. Sometimes it is good to see the Bible from a different angle. In one scene, the little shepherds raced to find Jesus. One of the boys fell in the mud with a thud. In that moment, I could envision the real Bible characters in their struggles…and what challenges they might have faced. The shepherds were likely outcasts and the wise men were foreigners (on a lengthy trip in unfamiliar territory). Life wasn’t easy for any of them. I know we can all relate. Yet, they pursued Jesus anyway. What joy each of them must’ve felt when they finally found Him!

We’ve had some snow this week, which is perfect for Christmas. One day, the sun reflected upon the white in the most perfect way. It was so beautiful that Lydia and I felt like we were driving through a winter wonderland! Merry Christmas!

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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 #93

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 an exciting week! We had a layer of ice before it snowed this week, so that made me rethink my daily routine. I don’t like to go out if I don’t have to. Still, a friend flew into town and invited us to a little gathering. Lydia and I decided to brave the weather that night and go. I’m so glad we did! It was great to catch up and eat dinner with a handful of dear friends and meet some new friends too.

In addition to visiting with friends, we have another round of company at our house for the weekend. So far, we’ve had lots of fun and giggles. We’ve made cookies, played games, and drove to see some Christmas lights at night. We have lots of other ideas!

This afternoon, we attended a musical production at our church. It was a modern rendition of “A Christmas Carol.” It was fabulous! The music was an original score and the cast of adults and children seemed professional. I was amazed to see many familiar faces…we have some talented people at our church! It was a free show and was a great blessing to our community. I’m thankful to see so many people using their God-given gifts!

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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 Books and Movies I Like, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Words

Finding Grace #92

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 good and interesting week as I saw God working all around me! On Monday, Lydia’s school let out two hours early due to blizzard conditions. A blizzard means poor visibility, not necessarily a ton of snow. I ran two errands just as the storm was starting and was glad to get home safe. When I picked her up from the bus, Lydia said, “Mom, I am only a little sad…because I love school so much!” We spent the rest of the day doing fun little projects!

Early in the week, I met with some ladies in a writing group. We meet once a month, and I shared about my blog. It was fun to see how much I have grown through the writing process. Later in the week, I had another important writing meeting. I left feeling encouraged about a big project. There is still a lot to do, but I am on the right track!

This week, I shared a video with a friend after we talked at church. The video was about something called a Journible. This is a simple little journaling book in which one can copy the Bible by hand. There are many benefits, including understanding and remembering God’s word at a new level. I have a few friends who decided to do this with me. If you would like to join us (or need more information), leave a comment here or check out Grace and Lemonade on Facebook. I will post more information there. I’m excited to encounter God’s word in a more personal way!

Lydia and I decorated our Christmas tree last night. We listened to Christmas music, and I tried my best not to be sentimental. It is still a little bittersweet to put up old ornaments that Dave loved so much. But, seeing Lydia’s face light up was well worth the emotions I was facing. This season, I am choosing to walk in Victory!

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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 #91

 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 packed with activities! After enjoying a long holiday break with family, we jumped back into our normal routine. Yet everything felt condensed because we hit the ground running. We made it through by God’s grace!

December started off well and I was able to meet an important deadline on time. Now I can use my time to catch up on everything else I have let slide. Hmmm…I see a pattern here. 🙂 I’m grateful that the Lord loves me even when I can’t keep it all together!

We’ve had great weather and joined our neighbors for fun activities today. We took our kids out for “T-Rex” pizza and then to a local art museum for an event. We painted, cut, and glued cardboard boxes; thankfully it wasn’t too messy. We also added a little light using a simple circuit. Lydia painted her box blue and added a colorful sailboat inside, floating toward the little light in the ‘distance’.

Then, we and our neighbors walked a block over to a local Christkindlmarkt in downtown Fargo. We had never been before but really enjoyed it. We walked around to see the vendors, got some yummy treats, did a few kid activities, and listened to a group of Christmas carolers. It was a fun day with friends and a great start to the Christmas season!

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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 #90

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 fun week partially due to Lydia’s birthday and Thanksgiving! Lydia’s birthday was early in the week. Then, we celebrated more with family for Thanksgiving. I made a triple chocolate cheesecake to share with everyone at Lydia’s request. My Instant Pot came in handy once more!

I am really thankful for a flexible work schedule! I completed my hours early, so I could enjoy my time off. God is good, and I am so thankful for how He provides for us.

We’ve had great weather and have enjoyed being together. We have eaten yummy food, played games, watched movies, and went shopping. Today, we all put together a double-sided puzzle. It was a map of the world; each side represented one part of the globe. It was challenging, but we had fun!

Otherwise, we are just relaxing. It’s nice to not have ‘planned’ activities. It doesn’t happen often, but I relish doing “nothing” with loved ones… I’m sure we will think of other fun things to do… I appreciated my dad helping with a few house maintenance chores. Maybe we will even put up our Christmas tree this weekend!

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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 #89

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 felt so blessed this week to catch up with so many wonderful people! On Monday, a meeting was rescheduled, so we had dinner with a friend. She brought me roses and we both had a great time together!

I also caught up with family and several friends in different states. It’s always fun to see how many of us are connected and what God is doing in each of our lives. I’m thankful to know so many lovely people!

Work went well this week. Some of my patients had complicated issues, but, God helped me provide the right education and answer their questions. Instead of just focusing on their nutrition needs, I treated them with compassion and met them on their level.

Today, we attended a Junior Bible Quiz meet. Lydia didn’t buzz in or score, but she had fun anyway. I think she’s getting more comfortable. I’m glad she’s getting God’s word down in her heart. I’m also enjoying getting to know more families in our church.

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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, Perseverance

Finding Grace #88

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 good week! We received a little snow this week, but most of it is gone now. I bought a new snow shovel and snow boots, both of which are a great blessing. Thankfully, the snow was mostly in the evenings. We didn’t have to drive much in the slick weather.

On Thursday, I went to our new Aldi store. It is over in Minnesota, but not too far of a drive. I was trying to hurry, so didn’t spend too much time there. I bought a few items for much cheaper than normal. I’m not sure if the gas money was worth the savings, though. Nonetheless, it was fun to visit a familiar store that reminds me of my family in Illinois!

Lydia had Friday off of school for Veterans Day. We enjoyed a fun day at home and took some time to discuss the meaning of the holiday. Today, we put together puzzles of the United States. We also watched a video about veterans who had suffered major wounds in battle yet were not letting the loss of limbs keep them from living a full life. This prompted a lot of good discussions regarding perseverance, bravery, and gratitude. Thank you, veterans!

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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)!