Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

Posted on in Books and Movies I Like, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #112

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 beautiful weather and God’s grace! Lydia played outside on several days and it was all around enjoyable for both of us. Thank You, Jesus!

Work went well and included a meeting with several dietitians and nurses! It was nice to have a change of pace and connect with other like-minded health professionals.

I finished a great audiobook this week and have been contemplating God’s grace ever since. When Breath Becomes Air, by the late Paul Kalanithi, was so good. It was as comforting and encouraging as it was bittersweet. It was a great reminder to not take anything for granted… Not our day or job or time, and not our family or friends or health.

Lydia had an exciting week at school, which included a field trip and school program. On Friday, after her ‘Three Piggy Opera,’ we went to the bookstore, read a dozen books and ate a sweet treat. Then, we visited a music store and a gift shop, before eating dinner at Blaze Pizza. Then, we watched the movie ‘Pele’ on Netflix. We had the best time together! I love my sweet girl! God is so good to me…

Today, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather around 60 degrees! Lydia played outside with friends while I updated our little free library. We noticed my tulips coming up and also the start of green grass!! Praise God!

Where did you find God’s grace this 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, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #111

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 went fast and was filled with activities. It was a full week, but I was able to catch up and finish a couple books, podcast, and webinars. God is so good!

On Thursday, I started reorganizing the pantry and bought some little carts and extra shelves! Today (Saturday) I finished the job while Lydia went to play with the neighbors at their house. It feels good to have a home for everything instead of leaving certain items on the floor!

Thursday was also the day when the remaining snow on my property melted. It was around 56 degrees that day! After school, Lydia played for three hours outside with most of the neighborhood kids. I supervised and also was “it” during three rounds of hide-and-seek. I certainly got in my exercise that day! We had a blast and enjoyed the first round of popsicles for the season.

We had a no-school day on Friday because we had an extra snow day that we didn’t use. Lydia and I relaxed and errands. She played outside before we went to church for a special worship night. She insisted on wearing a little black dress and a pretty floral scarf for the event. I loved that she dressed up for God, but am thankful He loves and accepts us just as we are. We don’t have to impress Him!

Today Lydia and I went to an early spring farmer’s market. Then, we went to a local park and ate lunch on our deck. It was a beautiful day! Later, I finished the pantry project while Lydia played with the neighbors. We joined them for dinner too!

Where did you find God’s grace this 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 Books and Movies I Like, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #110

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?

As I reflect on God’s grace this week, I am filled with gratitude. It was a full week, and while we accomplished a lot, it didn’t seem too daunting. It was fun and relaxing!

This week was filled with creative pursuits! I tried a few new recipes, including a spaghetti sauce with no added sugar. I met some personal writing goals as well. This boost of creativity carried over to my dreams, too! I had several interesting dreams and slept very soundly! In one dream, I was trying to sell a house, but the house kept morphing between a tree house, brick house, and condo. Another dream revolved around politics and a circus… perhaps it mirrored real life in more than one way! 🙂

Perhaps my vivid dreams were also related to two intense audiobooks I finished. The books, If I Run, and, If I’m Found, by Terri Blackstock, kept me in suspense. I had to take a break at times to let the intensity subside, but both were very well-written. I have the audio version of the third book, If I Live, too. I hope to listen to it soon!

On Wednesday, I shared my story with a group of moms at my church. I always appreciate any opportunity to speak about God’s grace in my life. It is healing for me! Each of our personal stories has value. As we share our stories with each other, we are encouraged to embrace what God is doing in our lives. He is so good!

On Thursday, we took a tour of Lydia’s new school for next year. It was fun to see so many neighbors! We enjoyed learning about the school and meeting some of the staff. Everyone was friendly and Lydia should have a smooth transition in the fall.

We still have a decent amount of snow on the ground, but much of it melted this week. We were “supposed” to get more snow this weekend, but I think we will miss it. Many friends across the Midwest got hit instead… Thankfully, I saw a few more signs of spring. I saw the return of songbirds this week, including Mr. House Finch who serenaded me on Thursday and Friday! 🙂

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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 #109

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 I was intentional about staying in the present moment. As usual, we had a lot of potential activities to do each day. But, I postponed some on purpose to stay focused on the Lord. It was a peaceful week!

Recently, the students at Lydia’s school held a small fundraiser for a local boy battling cancer. Just with spare change, they raised around $1100! When the little boy stopped by the school this week, the students surprised him with a song. Lydia was so excited to tell me all about it…but it unexpectedly took me back a few years…  Later, I watched a video of that day and could see how encouraged the boy and his family were. I’m glad the community is rallying for this little boy. And, I’m thankful Lydia is still somewhat unaware of how much turmoil cancer can bring.

My parents celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary on Thursday and have been in Florida for a little over a week! What a way to start off a new year of marriage! I’m grateful for all they have accomplished and look forward to how God will use them next!

Today, some neighbor boys came to play for a few hours. We always enjoy when they come to visit! Then, Lydia went to a birthday party at SkyZone, which is a trampoline park. She ended up riding with the family hosting the party, so I had a couple hours to myself! 🙂

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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 #108

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?

Once again, this week was low-key but enjoyable. We had snow on Monday and Friday, so that was a factor in some of my decisions (to stay home). But, I am equally grateful for a reliable car for when we do need to run errands or get around town!

My parents made it safely to Florida! I talked to them yesterday and it was 82F. I told them about my snow and they were teasing me that it is time to move to Florida! It was so good to hear them enjoying themselves. I am excited for all God has in store for them!

Work went well this week. I had a lot of paperwork to fill out…and no patients. It was kind of funny; occasionally everyone cancels. But I was glad to have the extra time to fill out the important documents! I’m grateful for the Lord’s timing.

On Tuesday, I ran into a friend at the movie theater. It was an unexpected blessing and a great reminder of how God also directs my steps! God is good!

We celebrated Good Friday yesterday at a noon church service. Lydia was off of school and we enjoyed a day together. We also baked PINK Hello Kitty cookies and then hung out with the neighbors that evening. A good time was had by all!

We celebrated the Holy Week leading up to Easter with these Easter story eggs. Lydia has been excited to open each day’s egg and read a little bit of the passion week story. Lydia also made me a special sticky note reminder for the regular Easter eggs, too! 

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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 #107

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 rather low-key but good. We have been on-the-go for much of the last three months, so a quiet week was much appreciated!  It consisted of writing, cooking, catching up with friends/family, and even some online shopping. 🙂 

We had a light dusting of snow early in the week, and a little more snow today. Thankfully, it has been fairly nice and “warm” in the upper 30s most of the week, so the snow shouldn’t stick around for long. It always seems like spring takes awhile to come… But I saw tell-tale signs of spring on Friday morning: Robins and buds on the trees!

Work went well this week. This month marks one year since our merger happened. I can’t believe how fast the year went… and how much God has blessed me. I am thankful for a stable job that still provides a good amount of flexibility.

This week, I finished up a class I lead at church. I met with some new friends afterward and also ran into about twenty other people I know. Sometimes, our feelings get the best of us and we forget how connected we are. But Wednesday was a great reminder of belonging. I am grateful for all the wonderful people God has placed in my life!

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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 #106

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 beautiful, restful, grace-filled week! On Sunday after church, Lydia and I drove 6 hours to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. We finished our trip the next day, as we went to my parents’ house in Illinois (see pic). They are moving at the end of the month, and we needed to get a few keepsake items. It is exciting and bittersweet. But, I won’t complain… Florida is a great place to visit, too! 

We returned to Fargo late on Wednesday after driving 1550 miles roundtrip! Both ways, the roads were clear and we saw signs of spring. We enjoyed blue skies in four states. At one point in Wisconsin, I asked Lydia, “Isn’t this so pretty?” She agreed, but said, “It is pretty, but it is also long.” After spending 12 hours in the car one way, we decided that it was indeed “pretty long.” Nonetheless, I am grateful for a reliable car, a safe trip, and a cheerful travel buddy. God is so good!

On Thursday, I caught up with work. Also, a friend helped me move some items I acquired in Illinois. It went much faster with help! Then, in the evening, friends generously invited Lydia to Disney on Ice! Someone canceled last-minute so they had one extra ticket. Lydia was so excited…and I enjoyed a kid-free evening on my own! Win-win!

On Friday, I finished up with my work hours, got my taxes done, and had a phone meeting. I was in awe of how well God takes care of us. I don’t always understand how it all turns out financially, but I am grateful for His provision. God’s economy is the best!

Today, a friend from Ghana invited us over for lunch. She made fried plantains and a dish with blackeyed peas. Together, she called the dish ‘red-red’ and it tasted as good as it was pretty! Then, she came with us to the final celebration of Upward Sports. Lydia’s cheer team did a short performance, and then we watched the Hanson family from Iowa do a juggling/unicycling act. It was a great end to an awesome 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, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #105

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 I really relied on my neighbors! On Sunday, Lydia across the street while I had a meeting at church. I could have taken Lydia with me, perhaps, but she was much more excited to go play with her friends. I was grateful.

Then, Monday turned out to be a snow day and school was canceled! I was glad but had planned to stay home that day anyway. Lydia and I relaxed at home, other than a phone meeting with my writing coach. With the blizzardy weather, I was going to wait until later in the day to clear snow. While I was on the phone, my neighbors came and cleared my driveway and sidewalks. It was totally unexpected and such a blessing.

Tuesday and Wednesday were normal work days. On Tuesday, another friend stopped by to see if I needed help with the snow. It was already done, but we had a good conversation instead. In the evenings, we also finished up cheerleading and JBQ seasons. It will be nice to have our evenings a little freer.

On Friday, Lydia was off for a planned teacher day. She kept busy reading and playing, while I prepared for a talk that night at church. I was sharing my story with some other ladies for a women’s worship night. It was a fun event, and Lydia once again went across the street to visit the neighbors!

The weather has been slowly getting warmer. It is supposed to be in the 30s this next week, and I am sure the snow will be melting even more. Spring is almost 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)!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #104

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 had a ton of fun events! On Sunday, Lydia went to a friend’s birthday party at a local gym… and I got a haircut. 🙂 We also visited two local Asian markets with a friend. We found some interesting fruits to try, such as dragon fruit, which tastes similar to kiwi though milder. God’s grace was spot-on because my friend was available unexpectedly and one of the Asian stores was next door to where the birthday party was!

Tuesday and Wednesday were regular days, filled with school, work, and evening activities. But, I also felt God’s blessing in little ways: good patients, productive work, good conversations with friends, and fun moments with Lydia.

On Thursday, I finished off a massage gift certificate (from my birthday in August!). I was grateful for the generous gift. Later, I turned in some writing material for a deadline. I don’t know how those edits will turn out, but at least I was totally chill! 😉

Friday was our busiest day. I read a book to Lydia’s class at school and went grocery shopping at two stores. Then, in the evening, we went to the sold-out Newsboys concert at our church! Another friend invited us months ago and bought tickets for us. We all went to dinner before the concert, and the entire night was such a blessing! I probably relived 20+ years of my life during the scope of that three-hour concert!

Today has also been busy, but good. We had cheerleading, Saturday chores and catching up around the house. We also enjoyed the warmer weather and Lydia played outside with friends. Winter sweeps in again tomorrow! 

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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 #103

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 really full but good! On Monday, Lydia was off school for President’s day. We ran errands, went to Lydia’s dentist appointment, and went to a local (monthly) writers meeting. I also made some cheesecake to use up some ingredients before they expired. 🙂

On Tuesday, I spoke at a local mom’s group about end-of-life decisions, went to work, twice cleared snow off my driveway, and sent Lydia to bed early (yay for discipline!). That night, a good friend came over for a ‘girls talk’ and we enjoyed cheesecake together. I also chatted with another friend about the Olympics. It was just what I needed!

On Thursday, I took some time for myself while Lydia was at school. I listened to a healthy eating podcast, exercised, did some writing, and read a book. It felt good to relax! That day, I also attended an important meeting with a dear friend who needed support. My neighbors watched Lydia for me and fed her dinner. Then, my neighbor walked Lydia back to our house and brought homemade cookies! I am thankful for her generosity!

It was beautiful and frosty this morning when we went to cheerleading. Now, we are enjoying a gentle snowfall. I might have to clear snow later, but it feels very cozy right now. We did some reading, art projects, and are planning to watch a movie 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)!