Category: Finding Grace Weekly Recap

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!

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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)!

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!

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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)!

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?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #17

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!

lake

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

  • This week was fairly restful. I had a gazillion things to do (as usual!), but took them at a slower pace. I just decided to enjoy myself! I treated myself to a massage and went to the chiropractor. Wow, I really needed it!
  • I met with a new friend, and helped her feel more connected at church. We had a long discussion about starting over after loss. She recently moved to Fargo and needs to rebuild her support system. (Her family lives several hours away.) She spent several years running from God, and I pray she will see the pattern of His abundant grace and mercy in her life all these years.
  • When I pick up Lydia from daycare, she always asks if we can go for frozen yogurt. Nearly every day! Usually I say, “No.” and we go home. This week, I told her if she had a good attitude for three days, we would go for frozen yogurt. Man, that worked like a charm. Except it actually took about five days for the three days to really “count.” 😉 But, by God’s grace, she did it! I’m not sure who was more proud!!
  • Earlier in the week, I posted a cute story about Lydia on my personal Facebook page. We had a great conversation about serving the Lord and volunteering at church. I explained, “Someday, you will get to do something to help others know God better, too.” Excited, Lydia said, “Well, I’m going to have lots to do if I am going to do that AND be an astronaut and ballerina!” A radio host/friend noticed it and shared it on the radio! Lydia was in awe as she listened. The hosts encouraged her to dream big and do great things for God. You should have seen her little face!

*******

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 #16

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!

creek waterfalls

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

What to say about this week? In all honesty, I felt so overwhelmed by technology! I spent way too many hours with computer problems on Monday, as I wrote in Ctrl+Alt+Del. Yet, it gave me some perspective. Then, later it the week, I tried about a dozen times to download MS Office with a (still valid) code. I probably tried about a dozen times, taking around 45 minutes each time, but only received error messages. Grrr!

For me, daycare is a necessity each week. I try to maximize my time when Lydia is there, so I can be present when we are together. Still, it’s an internal battle because I never feel like I get everything done. And Lydia doesn’t understand if I still have “work” to do; she just wants to play and have fun! (I’m pretty sure every parent struggles with this!)

So this week, I planned to use my “daycare time” to finally read (skim) a couple short manuals for online resources I use. I haven’t put much effort into learning how they work, so that was a major goal for this week. But the computer issues sidetracked those plans.

Enter God’s grace. When filtered through the lens of grace, I was able to regain my peace. I spent a little creative time cooking in the kitchen and realized that most of my “to do” list wasn’t urgent. My goals will still be there tomorrow! As long as I make a little progress, they will eventually get done. While computer problems are frustrating and inconvenient, they are not my main thing.

I realized I can try to force my plans to go one way, when God gently redirects me on another path. Sometimes I have to ask for help, which can be difficult to do. Often, I should be more realistic on what I can actually accomplish. Occasionally, it’s good to take a break and circle back around another day. But most of all, I need to remember:

People come before projects.

Even though I was annoyed with my computer and the lack of “progress” it caused, by God’s grace, I was purposeful in the areas that really matter. Clearly, being Lydia’s mom is priority, as are my other roles. Like being a good neighbor, friend, sister and daughter (not necessarily in that order). So, I made a few phone calls to family, sent a few messages to friends, and met a few needs that presented themselves as a result.

I took some extra time with Lydia each day. We built a fort, watched a movie, read some books, and played outside. We each focused on having good attitudes, and all things considered, it was a good week! And, today, I decided to try one more time…and successfully downloaded the program with help from online support. Thank You, God!

*******

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 #15

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!

daisies in the rain

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

  • As I reflect on this past week, I can’t help but feel like I am in the exact place I need to be. I am excited to be a part of what God is doing in my life.
  • I found a free online writing summit and of 41 speakers in ten days. I am thankful because it would be very expensive to see this many well-known authors at an actual conference. (Each interview is available for a few days, so I can pace myself.) I have been encouraged and motivated as I listen, and am content feeling like God has designed me a certain way. I have laughed many times when these authors describe many of my own habits and quirks as their own! Praise God!
  • Lydia had a big week this week. She finished her swimming lessons, and I pleased to report that she passed! I’m so proud of her! It was a time-consuming commitment, but so worth it. She also “helped” dig in the dirt and spread mulch when our three trees arrived to be planted. Otherwise, we’ve gotten along better, and Lydia has been catching herself before she loses her temper or starts whining. I am thankful for encouragement from other parents. It helps knowing we’re all in this together!
  • I met a good friend for coffee this week, when she came to Fargo. She and her family moved away last fall, but we have stayed in touch. Her two girls and Lydia always play well together. It was great to catch up with this mom, hold her precious 4-week-old baby boy, and hear what was on her heart.
  • Also, another family who moved away came to visit for a couple days. They moved away a year-and-a-half ago, but were key players in our cancer journey. Lydia spent a lot of time at their house when she was little, often at a moment’s notice. I seriously don’t know where we would be without their friendship and support! Lydia loved playing with their three boys, and I enjoyed catching up with old friends!
  • I have to water my three new trees every day for the first couple weeks. I came out to the garage this morning so Lydia could play, while I wrote today’s post and watered the trees. It looked like it might rain, but not very much. As I finished with the last tree, it started pouring! I quickly raced around the house to put down the gutters, happy because my yard needs the rain! (Lydia ran inside the neighbors’ house when the rain came.) So there I was…alone in my garage… writing this post and enjoying the soothing sounds of the thunderstorm. 🙂
  • After the storm, Lydia came home. We ate lunch before riding our bikes around the neighborhood and enjoying the sunshine…only half-trying to avoid all the puddles!

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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)!

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

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #14

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!

pool toys

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

  • This week didn’t necessarily go as planned, but it still was good. Lydia had swimming lessons in the morning, and it kind of threw off our normal routine. Thanks to some flexibility, I was able to adjust my work hours. I cut out a few other activities, altogether, as I decided to keep a more simple schedule. Thus, I didn’t accomplish many “new” things, but I did catch up on some reading and a few podcasts I like.
  • I needed an extra dose of God’s grace this week for parenting… I am still considering what could have gone better (on both sides). At any rate, I am the parent. After several rounds of prayer, discipline, and “intense discussions,” I’m glad to report we ended the week on a positive note. We enjoyed good weather, played outside, and had pizza and good conversations with several neighbors. God is good!
  • I met with a friend at a coffee shop this week, though neither of us bought any coffee! It was late afternoon, and she had a lot on her heart. For some reason, I often end up crying as I listen to this friend share her story. Note to self: Remember to bring Kleenex next time! (It’s a little embarrassing, and this generally doesn’t happen with other people. But I just couldn’t keep it together…total ugly-cry!) This friend has been through many difficult things, yet she keeps moving forward with God’s help. The best thing I could offer was a listening ear and prayer afterward. But she seemed relieved after spending a couple hours together. She said, “Whew. It’s been a long time since I really sat down and had a chance to talk about all this.” I’m thankful for the opportunity to help my friend process God’s faithfulness to her and His grace in her life.

*******

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 #13

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!

maple-leaf

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

  • This week was relatively low-key, though I accomplished a lot! In the quiet moments, I read some more about my personality type. It was fun to see how this impacted my choices, thoughts, relationships, etc. Our personalities work like a filter on how we see each the world.  However, it is most important who God says we are. (Click here for a great handout; I didn’t write it, but refer to it often!)
  • After a little prompting, I did something I had been putting off for at least a couple years: I bought some trees for my backyard! I hadn’t done it yet, partially because landscaping decisions have a long-term impact..so I was hesitant to make a quick decision. (For me, that often means delaying.) 🙂 Indeed, it was challenging to figure out all the details on my own! But after discussing my options with others, I was compelled to move forward with it.
  • I am thankful for God’s help in the tree process, because I struggled to make those decisions. Yet, God went before me and gave me peace! I researched trees I liked, measured the area, and made a list of questions. I looked at two local nurseries, and the choice was clear. One nursery had fewer trees in my price range and I could not find any staff to help me. The one I chose had a wide selection of trees, with a knowledgeable staff. And for an additional fee, they are going to deliver and plant the trees for me next week! It turned out to be fairly easy once I started the process. (I had some friends volunteer to help me, but I will have them help me with another upcoming project instead.)
  • It turned out to be an expensive week! In addition to the trees, I also got an oil change and some other timely maintenance done on my car. I questioned whether or not to bother with the extra maintenance. On the other hand, I know our gracious God blessed me with the car, and so it is my responsibility to keep it in good working order. Like a good steward, I spent the money wisely, knowing God is a good Provider. He always takes such good care of me, as I rest in His grace. Finally, the dealership did some extra work I requested at no additional charge.

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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)!

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