Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #27

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

mums

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

  • So many interesting things happened this week! Lydia started her first week of preschool. So that was pretty big! She did great and is enjoying it so far. And, we are both adjusting to have a (more) set routine. I’m thankful for this transition year before school ‘full time’ next year!

  • I lead at team at my church; our goal is to plug people into volunteer ministry. We discussed upcoming events, changes for this fall, and welcomed another member to our team! It is an honor to help people understand how God made them and watch them thrive in their God-given strengths.
  •  This week the neighbors on our street had a block party. After living here for about six years now, we still have never met everyone. So, the party was a great opportunity! Lydia played well with all the kids, and I met some “new” friends too. We had so much fun staying up late. We got home around 10:30pm!
  • Today, while Lydia and I ran some errands, we enjoyed perfect weather of lower seventies and sunny skies! We also picked up some pretty mums, two mini pumpkins, and some bulbs for spring. It is fun decorating for fall!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #26

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

autumn leaves

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

  • Lydia and I had another full week! We had preschool orientation, where Lydia had fun meeting new friends. Truth be told, she did fine—but I was the one who needed the heads-up! Parent handbook, school pictures, fundraisers, and birthday treats…serious stuff!! I should have known, but somehow I hadn’t even considered the additional things to remember each week (or month)! Lydia will do great, no doubt. But I’m praying for a smooth transition…for ME! 😉

  • On Thursday and Friday, we had play dates with good friends at two different parks. Both families have two girls, and each of my friends has a girl close to Lydia’s age. It was great to catch up with my “mom friends” and encourage each other. In one case, the little girls came home with me while their mom ran an errand. At that point, it was just after the area schools let out, and the neighbor kids also came over. So there were about six lovely little girls all playing together! It was so much fun to watch them interact! (And by God’s grace, it was drama-free!)

  • Today, while I was mowing the lawn, I noticed one of my new trees is starting to change colors. About 30 leaves are already turning red! I have also seen a few red trees on our block—so pretty! We’ve started to have some cooler temps, though nothing out of the ordinary. In the next month or so, the weather will change dramatically! Thank You, God, for the beauty around us!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #25

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

poppy

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

  • Compared to last week, this week was rather low key. For many local kids, school is back in session. Yet, I feel like we are in limbo because Lydia’s preschool does not start for a couple more weeks. I’m thankful for a little more time with her, but I am also eager to start the change in our schedule.

  • Over the last week, I have been trying to get ahead and anticipate what we will need in the coming weeks. As such, I have been catching up on a million little tasks, like hanging pictures, organizing my office (still a work in progress), washing windows, and cleaning out the fridge. Not super exciting, but necessary—especially since these little things often get neglected for the bigger (daily) chores.
  •  Lydia has been diligently practicing riding her bike without training wheels , and I am happy to report she’s now able to ride on her own! It may sound funny, but it feels like a big milestone. There were many times when we both wanted to give up, but praise God we stuck it out!
  • Yes, things are slowly changing. We will soon be in a new season of the year… and life. It is exciting but will also stretch us. I am thankful for God’s love and grace through it all!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #24

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

orange dahlia

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

  • This was a full, but exciting, week! In addition to our normal routine, each day had something fun to look forward to. Lydia was pretty excited about her dentist appointment on Monday. 🙂 Then, on Tuesday, I worked with a client, at her office instead of mine. So, it was nice to have a change of scenery that day.

  • Wednesday brought the delivery of my new dining room table and chairs. Perhaps I will post later about this, but it made me feel really special. The table is so pretty and I was thankful for God’s help finding a good deal on it!
  •  On Thursday, we attended a special car show—put on by Dave’s employer to honor his memory. This is the 4th year of the car show, but Lydia was more aware of it all this year. Perhaps this will be another post as well, but it was amazing to see God’s grace all over again. I was reminded of how beloved Dave was and it was great to catch up with his old friends and coworkers.
  • Yesterday (Friday) was also very good. We met my friend, Amy, and her kids for bowling. Amy is also a widow, like me, so we have much in common. We discussed some big decisions and I was so glad to help her process them. While neither of us would have chosen to be in our circumstances, it is helpful having someone who understands how it feels!
  • And then today, I enjoyed texting back-and-forth with my friend, Kim, while watching the women’s triathlon on the Olympics. Kim is an Ironman Triathlete. Not me…though I did manage a little online shopping and paperwork… 😉 But it was fun to cheer on Gwen Jorgenson as she won the gold! Her husband’s family is from Fargo, so that is a cool connection!

Watching the Olympics is pretty much the same as working out, right?!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #23

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

pink sedum plant

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

  • This week was loaded with God’s goodness and grace! Earlier in the week, as I worked on Wednesday’s post, I was overwhelmed by God’s goodness over the years. It took me awhile to craft just what I wanted to say…my heart was bursting with gratitude for all that the Lord has done for me!

  • I took full advantage of my birthday week, which also coincided with the Olympics. I stayed up late each night watching swimming, gymnastics and other activities. I slept in late most of the mornings too. It felt like a mini vacation!
  •  Over the last few weeks or so, I’ve been selling some old house items and replacing them as I go. I sold my dining room table and chairs a couple weeks ago, but hadn’t found anything I liked until this week. We have been using a smaller table in the meanwhile. I probably looked at a dozen different stores (online and in-person). On Wednesday, I looked at an online sale and then went to the store to see a table in-person. The table was not on sale in-store, but they honored the online price anyway! I was glad to save money and was thankful God worked on my behalf.
  • Also on Wednesday, my neighbor and her mom were dividing a sedum plant and shared two of the sections with me. I was able to fill in a couple gaps in my flower bed. With a little help, I was able to envision a couple changes for this fall to make the flower bed look better. I was thankful for their generosity!
  • Yesterday (Friday) was my birthday and it was a wonderful day. Lydia actually acknowledged my birthday, instead of forgetting it or thinking it was HER special day. 🙂 We talked with several friends and family; had lunch with a friend; opened a few gifts that were sent in the mail; and enjoyed a local minor league baseball game. It was so much fun seeing Lydia’s excitement during the game! She followed along and enjoyed cheering. She had her first cotton candy experience and loved the fireworks at the end.

  • I also received many birthday wishes, cards, texts, emails this week. This was in addition to kind comments on social media and my blog this week. It is always so cool to see how many people we still have encouraging and supporting us, both near and far. Thank you!

    *******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #22

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

flowers in the woods

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

  • This was a really fun week. Lydia had Busy Beaver camp all week (at the Y). She went with a friend and had so much fun learning about science. As a result, my work schedule was altered in order to pick up the girls. It seems God had it all planned out though, because I had some unexpected free time on two of those days I normally work. I had a great meeting with a friend and was able to finish off an important project as a result.

  • Later in the week, my mother-in-law came to visit. We went window shopping, enjoyed several new restaurants, and went to a new little zoo outside of Detroit Lakes, MN. We took Lydia to a park to enjoy the fabulous weather and took a family friend to dinner. We had a great time with her!
  • My mother-in-law is so helpful with Lydia and she often has good ideas. I will need to re-stain my deck in a few weeks, but I had forgotten how the process worked. It can be challenging to make house decisions on my own, when previously Dave was so knowledgeable. This time, my mother-in law helped me sort through the plethora of options at the store. Thankfully, I remembered the original colors! A few years ago, some men from church volunteered to help me stain the deck, organize the garage, and lay down mulch. By God’s grace, the fact that I can do it myself this year is a testament to just how far I have come!
  • I have been making some upgrades to my home lately. For the most part, I have simply been switching furniture around and hanging pictures. But, in a few cases, I have sold items and bought replacements. So, this week, my mother-in-law also helped me pick out a cute little bistro table for my deck. Since Lydia and I don’t need a large table with tons of chairs, I wanted something a little smaller. I already found the one I wanted, but couldn’t decide which color on my own! 🙂
  • The entire bistro table and two chairs came in one box. The directions were written in spotty English and it took at least 30 minutes to understand how to put it all together. Enter God’s grace! It would have been very frustrating to do it all on my own, but my mother-in-law was very helpful! She held chair legs in place and together we figured it all out!

  • Finally, this week, my mother-in-law suggested Lydia learn to ride sans training wheels. With her at our house, there was more motivation! Next year, Lydia will probably be too big for her current bike, and this one is closer to the ground should she fall. Considering my mother-in-law helped Dave (Lydia’s Daddy) so many years ago, I am sure she took special delight in helping Lydia!

    *******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #21

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

under the sea

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

  • This week was amazing in many ways. While I have intentionally put a few bigger projects on hold, this week filled up fast. In addition to several house maintenance and reorganization projects, I had many great conversations with friends and neighbors. Also, Lydia played with many of the neighbor kids throughout the week. I’m so thankful for these families doing life with us!

  • For several weeks, Lydia kept asking to see The Little Mermaid at our local outdoor amphitheater. I found an online coupon and bought two general admission tickets before our trip to Illinois. After we returned to Fargo last week, I was mowing my lawn and a neighbor offered me three more general admission tickets….free.
  • After some consideration, I decided to take her tickets and invite another friend to the show. Then, I gave my two tickets to my next door neighbors. The mom was excited to surprise her little girl—apparently, The Little Mermaid is their favorite show! It was so much fun to be a blessing to them.
  • God’s grace goes even further in that the friend I invited is from Africa and had never been to a theater production before (let alone a cool outdoor show like The Little Mermaid)! She has been so generous to us, and I enjoyed treating her to a fun evening. We went to dinner and had a great time with Lydia. My friend said the show went well beyond her imagination! It was an honor to take her with us!

  • Finally, I met a new friend from church who needed some encouragement and direction this week. God showed up in our conversation and she left feeling much better. I was so happy to meet her, point her on the right path, and connect her with others. It is such a blessing to see God at work!

    *******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Travel

Finding Grace #20

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

lightning

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

  • This week was spent in Illinois. Yes, Lydia and I took another road trip! A friend of mine got married last Saturday, and then we spent a little time with friends and family. We had a great week and a relaxing visit. Though, we don’t always get to see everyone, we are thankful to know so many wonderful people.

  • I had wanted to take Lydia to the Como Zoo in St. Paul this summer, but so far it hadn’t worked out. Yesterday, on our way back to Fargo, I decided to get a hotel overnight and visit the zoo. It was so hot and humid, but we had a great time anyway! My favorite part was the Butterfly Garden exhibit—between 800 and 1000 colorful butterflies flying all around us in an enclosed exhibit. Wow! Lydia loved the animals and experienced her first amusement park rides at Como Town (connected to the zoo). Later, we ate dinner, swam at the hotel, and watched HGTV. 🙂

  • I am thankful we went to the zoo yesterday, because we had an adventurous trip back to Fargo today! We got around the twin cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) and stopped for a bathroom break and snack. No problem. It started sprinkling as we left the gas station, and after about ten minutes back on the highway, we drove into a downpour of rain! Lightning surrounded us as I prayed for God’s protection and help. Scary! By God’s grace, Lydia slept through the entire storm!

  • Many cars pulled off the road due to decreased visibility. I missed a few exit opportunities because I couldn’t see the signs until too late. I was thankful for a truck to follow, several car lengths back. As long as I could see the truck, I knew I was on the road.I was also thankful for my navigation system because we took a few construction detours in the midst of the storm.

  • After an hour or so, we finally drove through the storm, but it rained on and off until about eighty miles outside Fargo. That’s about 2.5 hours of our ~4-hour drive. Along the way, I pulled under an overpass to check my tires. I was concerned I might have a flat tire, as my tire pressure censor came on. Perhaps I ran over a nail—or perhaps it was just the twenty-degree sudden drop in temperature! I will check out the tire, put in some air, and repair it if needed. But, praise God we arrived home a couple hours ago safe and sound!

  • Now, we are jumping back into our routine. I’m almost finished with two loads of laundry, unloading the car, unpacking, going through the mail, etc. I watered my trees and will probably mow tonight. This week will likely be full—I already have about five people to connect with—in addition to work and my own projects. Lydia is happily playing with friends in the neighborhood. Thank You God for Your grace!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #19

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

purple rose

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

  • The theme of this week was meetings. I generally don’t have many meetings other than coffee with friends. 🙂 But this week was different. I prayed before each meeting—for church, work, and financial planning—because I wasn’t sure what to expect. There are changes coming in each area, and sometimes, change is difficult for me. Still, each meeting went so well and I could see God at work in each one! I am now excited for the fall and to see what God is doing all around me.
  • This morning, I was outside running on a country route I take often. I never run with headphones, because I like to hear and see traffic coming. Today, a certain delivery truck came barreling down the road behind me. I heard him coming, saw he wasn’t slowing down, and jumped in the ditch. The driver did not slow down or move over to his side of the road. Later in my route, we met near a T-intersection. I heard him coming fast before I could see him; my vision was blocked because of the tall corn. There was another car coming from the another direction; that car had the right-of-way. I saw a potential accident unfolding before me and stopped about thirty feet away, unsure of the outcome. The delivery truck driver barely stopped and almost collided with the car. Perhaps the driver of the car saw me and slowed down before running into the delivery truck… Either way, I am thankful for God’s grace and protection today!
  • Today, Lydia and I are going to a wedding for a dear college friend. We are both excited! It is a beautiful day for a beautiful wedding. God is good!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Travel

Finding Grace #18

I love the concept of 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 in God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

sail boat

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

  • At the beginning of the week, we were still on our vacation to Lake Superior in Bayfield, WI. We had an amazing time and made wonderful memories. It is always good to settle back in at home, and we had plenty of tasks and errands to keep us busy the rest of the week. 🙂
  • One exciting event was that I upgraded Lydia to a twin bed. It was long overdue, but I just got around to it this week. A friend helped me put it all together, and I surprised Lydia after picking her up that day. She was so excited she even volunteered to take a nap! We had to rearrange her room, but all in all, it was a great experience.
  • I dislike sitting for long periods of time for several reasons. Whether it is due to inactivity or unintentional slouching, prolonged sitting brings me discomfort. And of course, I sit more when traveling or writing regularly! I found a handy sitting contraption this week, that has already brought immense relief. This BackJoy seat forces you to sit differently, by simply tilting your pelvis forward into its natural, preferred position. I have found it super comfortable and would highly recommend it to anyone who has back or posture problems. I am thanking God for this easy solution!

*******

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)!

Where did YOU see or experience God’s grace this week?