Category: Parenting

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, MARPE/Orthodontics, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #519

You may have seen the acronym GRACE as God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is also God’s unmerited favor, or God doing for us what we cannot.

I find grace overflowing with God’s love, joy, peace, blessings, mercy, power, provision, protection, and wisdom. Thank You, Jesus!

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

This week was good and busy! We had our family Zoom on Monday night instead of Sunday night since that worked better for most everyone. It was kind of a fun twist!

Work was fast-paced as usual. I had a lot of extra phone calls and added patients, but it went well overall. I left early for an oral surgeon follow-up on Thursday and then stayed later on Friday to see a couple of patients and finish some charting from the day before.

My oral surgeon appointment went well. I am healing faster than expected and only have one small spot left to close up. We made a tentative gameplan to meet again in a few weeks. I think I see the slightest shift between my two front teeth. Not an official gap, but it is easier to floss in-between!

I am still playing around with what foods work best for me. I may just have to resolve to let foods get stuck, lol, and then clean out my MARPE device. I think it will be fine in the long-run, so I am not too worried.

I had a relaxing facial yesterday after work. It was a perk through a partnership with my orthodontist and a local spa. It felt great to be pampered!

I really enjoyed catching up with several friends and family this week. We all talked about various topics, including about my mom, my MARPE journey, parenting, barefoot/minimalist shoes, weather, birthdays, prayer, Jesus, and the Olympics!

Today, I watched Lydia perform her humorous duo at her Speech meet today. She came alive and was so funny playing four different characters. I am so proud of her.

Happy Valentine’s Day!! I had a great day watching Lydia, grocery shopping, making calls, and enjoying the “warm” and sunny 45-degree weather!! Feels like Spring… I didn’t even need my coat!

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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 Being Gracious, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Personality, Pivot

Making Disciples

Recently, I read a social media post that reminded me that most of Jesus’ twelve disciples were likely teenagers. With the exception of Peter, who would have been at least twenty years old as he was required to pay the Temple tax, along with Jesus. The boys Jesus chose would have been those who were not the best students. They would have entered the workforce around thirteen or fourteen after completing their basic education.

I knew the disciples were young, but I never connected that on a deeper level. Now that Lydia is a teenager, I can see how things went over their heads! I am reading the Bible a little more clearly! Jesus told them about His death multiple times, and they missed it. Instead, they were competing with each other and asking Jesus for special favors. It was tough sometimes, but Jesus knew what He was doing!

The disciples were awkward, impulsive, eager, and brave boys (until they turned panicky during storms or fled when Jesus was arrested). Being teenagers also probably partially explains how they were so passionate and energetic after the resurrection. They were all in, ready to give their lives for the cause. If they had been older, they might have relied on “human wisdom” (reasonable caution!), rather than on God’s strength and power.

Matthew 28:18-20 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'” You can compare how each of the four gospels records it here.

The verses above are known as The Great Commission, some of Jesus’ last words to His disciples. Discipleship starts with connecting through relationships. Then, we can learn and grow in our faith. Most of us have opportunities every day to share the love and good news of Jesus. That may be out in the world or in your own home.

I am so proud of who Lydia is becoming. But sometimes I have to remind her of simple tasks and chores on repeat. She is fairly reliable otherwise, so maybe that’s why I expect her to “get it.” Sometimes I have to laugh and stop myself from getting too upset. Lydia is totally normal, and I’m reminded that she’s my little disciple. How I say things is just as important as what I say. Indeed, I can offer her grace, especially since Jesus has been so gracious with me, and my resistance and dumb mistakes!

Last weekend, I gave Lydia the opportunity to drive in a blizzard. She did really well despite the lack of visibility! The next day, however, she decided against the “opportunity” to help me clear snow in our driveway. 🙂

Yes, teenagers are awesome in many ways. They can be funny and lighthearted. They hone in on what is important (to them) and go after it. They can be persistent and think outside the box. I have seen them do amazing things, going above and beyond.

Teens are not to be discounted! I appreciate the church youth group leaders who build into Lydia and her friends each week, and all those who built into my life years ago…

Now, let’s go and make disciples!

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God, thanks for Your patience and grace when we drag our feet or make mistakes. Help us to grow in wisdom, understanding, and endurance. May we be quick to help others and run to You for all we need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What can you learn from the teenagers in your world?

Task: Invest time in the teens around you today. Take them out to lunch and listen to everything on their mind. Pray for them and encourage them to follow after Jesus!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Pivot

Finding Grace #513

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 quieter than expected, but still good! I worked one full day (Monday) and then only two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday. Lydia has been sick on and off since the Friday before Christmas, so we’ve mostly been staying home. 

We were invited to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert with friends, but we had to skip it because Lydia was sick. It would have been really cool, but it was for the best! We also canceled an appointment and two get-togethers with friends. Thankfully, we can reschedule those!

With Lydia down, I had some “extra” time to do quiet activities around the house. (I had already taken off Wednesday and Friday, plus had off Thursday anyway.) I caught up on some paperwork, read some books, started my next online course for church, cooked some meals, deep-cleaned a few areas, and exercised. It was really nice to have unhurried time.

My neighbors on either side of us were really kind to help clear my sidewalks this week. I cleared some snow before dawn, knowing the snow company would clear the main driveway. Later, I left work an hour early on Monday to do the sidewalks before my chiropractor appointment (instead of after), but the two men had already done them! I was so grateful and took some cookies to each of them. Plus, it was good to check in with each family and thank them for being good neighbors!

Well, Lydia was in bed most of the week and is starting to feel better now. I think we will watch church online tomorrow, just in case she is still contagious. Hopefully, next week everything will be back to normal!

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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, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Personality

Finding Grace #509

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!

Free Snow Trees photo and picture

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

This was an interesting week!

On Monday, we had a funeral and a white elephant party back-to-back. It was bittersweet to hold space for both. But God is gracious and good to help us.

Work was full but good, and I was able to take advantage of a potential opportunity. I don’t know how it will turn out, but I am trusting God and will be content either way.

The weather was much colder than usual at this time of year. The snow we have will likely stay now, but overall, it isn’t too bad. I couldn’t get a good picture, but one morning on my way to work, I saw a sunrise ‘sun doggie’ so orange and bright that, when combined with the steam from some of the buildings, the whole Eastern sky looked like it was on fire! 

On Wednesday, I taught another round of the class I taught two weeks ago. We had a good conversation, and I was glad to help. Then on Friday, I met for coffee with someone from church to discuss some more future options in that same area. Both were fun uses of my abilities, and I am hopeful that God will let me continue doing those types of things!

Today, Lydia and I relaxed. We made some Christmas treats and worked on an Advent puzzle. You do one section every day, so it is not too overwhelming!

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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 Being Gracious, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom, Worship

Holding Space During the Holidays

Well, we made it to December! It has already been an interesting month. On Monday, we had work and school, followed by a funeral and a class in the evening. It was a lot to juggle!

The funeral was for a thirteen-year-old girl, someone Lydia knew a bit from church. They were in the youth group together, though they went to different schools. They were two months apart, so her sudden death was very sad and shocking. We attended the visitation (skipping the funeral) because I also needed to take Lydia home before returning for my church leadership class in a separate area.

Free Wreath Flowers photo and picture

The funeral was still happening when I walked back into the building, and I heard several students talking about how the girl had made a difference in their lives. She loved Jesus and seemed to be very sweet and encouraging.

My class was the final meeting of the semester, and we had pizza for dinner, a lesson on prayer, and then a white elephant gift exchange! It was a lot of fun, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity.

During the training, we prayed for the family of the girl who died. We discussed how to hold space for these two different events of the night – the funeral and the training/party. We can rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.

It’s not easy, but it is important to honor the sadness and grief while also moving forward and celebrating Life. The holidays seem to be full of these situations, don’t they?

This year feels like it flew by, with so many personal wins, but there’s also sadness because my mom died in February. This time of year is challenging for other reasons anyway, including Dave’s birthday, Christmas, and the fact that he’s not here either.

But, I also recognize how GOOD God is through all of it. Jesus very much understands the dual nature of sorrow and joy. He was a Man of Sorrows, yet He also possessed the fullness of God’s joy (Psalm 16:11). Somehow, He held both simultaneously and remained faithful to His mission.

If Jesus can hold space for emotional duality, so can we. I know from experience this is true. While I don’t know what you are facing this Christmas season, Jesus does. He loves you deeply and cares about your concerns.

It is okay to feel conflicted, whatever you are experiencing. None of it is a surprise to the Lord. Take a little time to rest. Then, bring all of your emotions to Jesus and let Him help you sort them out. He really wants to be there for you, if you will let Him.

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Father God, thank you for the gift of Life and for emotions to express how we feel. Help us hold space for all You are doing in us and through us this holiday season. Bring us comfort and peace as we trust You and lean into all You have for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How are you holding up so far this week? Do you have any helpful tips for the holiday season?

Task: Take a few minutes and check in with Jesus and tell Him how you really feel. Don’t stay stuck in your emotions; let them be indicators, not dictators.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Pivot

Finding Grace #508

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!

Free Autumn Leaves photo and picture

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

This was a fairly restful week.

Work went well, though a few people canceled or did not show up, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. I don’t get credit for seeing them, but I also get some time to catch up on charting!

My coworker had her baby, a sweet little girl, so she is now on maternity leave (the third one this year). So, I was the backup for her weekend on-call. I went in today for one patient, and it wasn’t too difficult. The next five or six weeks will be fairly busy until the second coworker returns from her leave in January! But God is good, and we are grateful for all the cute babies!

Thanksgiving was just what I needed. Instead of a big turkey dinner, we had meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie from Costco. I didn’t want to spend all day cooking, so Lydia and I just kept it simple. We had a fun and quiet day, relaxing and watching movies.

Yesterday, after work, I braved the Black Friday crowd at the mall. I needed to return something and picked up a few small items. I enjoyed the holiday sounds, lights, and overall atmosphere. If I didn’t have an appointment to get my oil changed, I would have stayed to people watch!

We got our first snow of the season on Tuesday, and it took me an extra twenty-five minutes to get home! But it was good to go slow and stay safe. We got a little more snow today, but further south will probably get a lot more. I bet the snow we received this week will not melt, since temperatures will stay chilly and probably dip lower!

Today, Lydia and I both had online tests. Lydia passed her driver’s test for her learner’s permit! It will be a couple of weeks before I can take her to pick it up, lol. And, it will be at least a year, maybe two, before she can get her actual license, but at least she can start practicing. I passed my last test for the church leadership course I am taking this semester! Our final class is next week, and then we start up again in January. We also did some cleaning and Saturday things. Later, she will hang out with a friend, and I might watch a movie!

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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, Fruit, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Personality

Finding Grace #507

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!

Free Fall Waterfall photo and picture

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

This was a red-letter week full of many blessings!

On Sunday, Lydia and I had an awesome day at church. It was fun to see how we are connected to so many people in God’s family!

This week, I had my performance evaluation at work. It has been a wild year with a lot going on, but by God’s grace, I received my highest ranking ever! I was pleasantly surprised and want to give Jesus all the glory!

On Tuesday night, I was asked to teach a lesson on personality traits and spiritual gifts at church. There were sixteen people, and I had them complete two brief assessments. Then we discussed their answers and some details to consider. I have not done that in a few years, so it felt really good. I was right in my element! I was honored that a couple of people heard I was teaching and came to hear me speak. And, the pastor in charge of that group asked me to come back again in two weeks to share more!

Yesterday, Lydia turned fourteen! She is such a blessing. To celebrate, we had one of her friends spend the night. They watched a movie and ate snacks. 🙂 Then, today, I took them to the movies to see Wicked: For Good. It was somewhat sad, but it was well done!

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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, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Prayer

Finding Grace #502

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!

Free Autumn Forest photo and picture

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

This was another week of hustling!

We served in the kids’ ministry at church on Sunday, and I squeezed in a quick walk with a friend. Then, we ran home to get Lydia packed for Congress before her team left on the bus.

Lydia was gone all day Monday, but did really well at Congress. She gave four of her speeches and scored high enough to place! It was a cool end to her first season!

My Monday was very full but good. I stayed close to Jesus and enjoyed several church-related events. I’m grateful.

On Tuesday evening, we attended a golden birthday party for one of Lydia’s school friends. If you recall, we met a family from Africa a few years ago at the bus stop. Over time, we have seen less of them since they have gotten more settled. We enjoyed catching up, eating really good food, and enjoying their culture and traditions. And, they sent us home with leftovers!

Wednesday was my mom’s birthday. We all miss her so much, but we are doing well. And, she is with the very One who loves her the most. So, while we are sad, we are also happy for her and proud of her!

At work, I felt like I was chasing my tail all week, and I was only there four days! 🙂 I barely stayed on top of my charting, but somehow did. I know God was helping me all along the way. I had nice patients and accomplished a lot. Thanks, Lord!

On Thursday night, I dropped off Lydia and a friend at church for a youth convention that went through today. It was a funny week because I was pretty much on my own for much of it (Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).

Yesterday after work, I met up with my coworker, Natalie, to hang out again. (She is off on maternity leave.) She had her new baby girl and her older son, who did not have preschool that day. It was fun to spend time together, and we visited a church ministry on the NDSU campus before getting coffee!

After that, I went to Menards and then finished up some outdoor projects at home… while catching up with my sister on the phone. Next, I did some studying and watched a movie. It was a fulfilling day!

This week, the weather definitely felt more like Fall! It was a little chilly, overcast, windy, and rainy. I didn’t mind too much and am thankful it wasn’t snow!

Today was a fairly restful Saturday. I did some studying before running errands and picking up Lydia from the youth convention. She had a big week and ended up resting for quite a while after that! After a three-hour nap, I had to wake her up!

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These are only a few examples, but God’s grace never runs out!

There’s grace in every situation—we just need to look for it. God promises if we seek Him, we will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13)!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot

Pasta and Feeling Perturbed

Yesterday, I woke up with a sore neck and spent most of the day trying to stretch or rub the affected area. Periodically, at work, I noticed I was slouching a bit and clenching my jaw, which didn’t help the pain. I tried to correct my posture, of course.

Also, I had a few stressful moments at work and knew I needed to refocus. By the time I got home, I was trying to relax; however, I was still a bit agitated. Lydia then asked me to pick her up from the high school a block away because she was hot, and it was hot outside.

I agreed to pick up Lydia, although she is fully capable of walking to and from school. Still, when I saw her, I was a little annoyed to see that she was wearing sweatpants and Uggs — definitely not a good choice when it is 80+ degrees! Teenagers…  🙂

Free Noodles Pasta photo and picture

I decided to make pasta for dinner, specifically, a box of cavatappi noodles. These are like corkscrews, and I was eager to enjoy them since the shape was kinda fun.

Well, I left the kitchen and asked Lydia to finish the noodles. I expected her to wait until they were fully cooked and then drain them. For whatever reason, she only watched them for a couple of minutes before draining the noodles. Apparently, Lydia likes them still crunchy, but I prefer them softer.

Well, the only way to fix the noodles would have been to reboil them. I didn’t want to do that… I was too hungry and too irked to wait! Lydia could tell I was a little grouchy and apologized several times. I told her it was fine, but that her saying sorry was also “too much,” especially just for pasta.

After dinner, we each went our own ways. I started my blog post (this one!) and she worked on some homework downstairs. About when I got to this point, I went downstairs to check on Lydia. I apologized for my bad attitude, and she again apologized for the undercooked pasta. 🙂

My neck still hurt, but I needed to keep moving forward. I happened to read a little table calendar with a short prayer: “Lord, help me to rest in You, keep a quiet heart, and look forward with hopeful expectation to the things You are working together for good.”

Free Poppy Flower photo and picture

I started to thank God for all the ways He has been moving lately. We’ve had amazing weather, uncharacteristically warm (but not too hot). I’m on top of my winter house preparations list. Lydia has been doing well at school, and work can get crazy, but I appreciate having a good job. We have plenty of food and clothes. I have amazing friends and an awesome family. So, I just need to chill.

I have no reason to stay perturbed for long. If things don’t go my way, it’s not the end of the world. Life is too short not to enjoy it. Thankfully, I was able to get over myself, lol!

On some level, these minor annoyances can also be viewed as a spiritual attack. The enemy only pushes us when we are making progress. When he feels threatened, he tries to trip us up. If I weren’t doing something important, he wouldn’t bother. So, consider this a reminder to check your pride and ego, as well as anything that might hinder your progress. Use God’s armor to remind our enemy of the Victory we already have in Jesus!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for being in my corner. Forgive me for my bad attitude. Help me walk in Your Truth with eyes wide open. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: How have you turned a bad attitude around to praise God?

Task: Don’t live by your feelings, but pay attention when you are in a funky mood. Catch it, check it, and change it!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Pivot, Wisdom

Finding Grace #498

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!

Free Flower Herbstaster photo and picture

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

This was a full week, but good overall.

Monday was the busiest day I’ve had in quite a while. I had a big presentation at work, which went really well. I prayed for God to help me and had total peace. Then, I had about five patients in five hours, so I didn’t really get a lunch. That night, I had a church training, which went well, but I didn’t get home until 9 p.m. or so, just in time to say goodnight to Lydia. Whew!

The rest of the week was a little less “busy” but still had a lot going on. One highlight was helping Lydia with her Congress preparations. She wrote some awesome responses for real pieces of legislation. I listened to her, timed her, and provided some feedback. I’m really proud of her!

I mowed the lawn on Wednesday, which was perfectly timed before a few rainy days! We had just the right amount of rain, in that I could use my umbrella but didn’t desperately need it. It was a bit cooler, just perfect for autumn. I even noticed a few of the trees are turning colors now.

I talked with my sister and dear friend back-to-back on Thursday. It was fun catching up with their lives and asking for some advice on mine. I’m grateful for their godly wisdom and support.

On Friday after work, I went to see the Downton Abbey Grand Finale. I liked it overall, and it was a little bittersweet that it is “over.” I enjoyed the costumes and seeing all my favorite characters, though! I also had a coupon for a cheaper ticket and free popcorn, so that was good! 🙂

After the movie, I ran across the street to introduce myself to our new neighbors. They have been there for a couple of weeks, but I was waiting for them to get settled. The family has two elementary-age kids. I hope they stay there for a long time, so we can get to know them better!

Today, I was on-call and went in for two patients. I did some grocery shopping and bought myself some flowers on the way home. Then, I came home to do ‘Saturday things’ and do some studying. For dinner, Lydia and I had lasagna, grapes, and salad. It was delicious!

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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)!