Category: Parenting

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #137

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 well and was full of God’s grace. On Monday, I ran some errands and went to the eye doctor. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to get ahead for the rest of the busy week. Lydia and I also went to my writers group, which meets once a month.

On Tuesday, we went to parent-teacher conferences after school. I’m grateful Lydia is doing so well. She was happy to show me around her room and give me a little tour of her school! We also donated some snacks, games, and puzzles to share with her class. I’m glad to be able to encourage Lydia and her friends to learn all they can.

On Wednesday evening we went to church for JBQ. It was fun to see how much progress my little group has made. It’s so important for them to get God’s word down in their hearts, and I am grateful to be a part of that process.

On Thursday and Friday, Lydia was off from school. First, we did housework and prepared for friends to come over. To my great surprise, without being asked, Lydia started cleaning the kitchen cabinets with a little toothbrush! Then, I surprised Lydia by taking her to get her ears pierced. She was so excited because she has been requesting this for a while. It’s fun to see her growing up!

Today, we had a relaxing day at home and enjoyed the beautiful weather!

Where did you find God’s 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)!

Posted on in Fruit, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

All In

 Lately, I have been seeing two words or concepts which keep popping up in daily life: sacrifice and investment. So, I started thinking about the relationship between the two.

Sacrifice implies a loss or even a disadvantage. Investments require a temporary cost now to gain something better later. With investments, there may even be interest!

Now, I usually don’t prefer to do things half-way. I’m either all in or all out. In certain situations, I realize compromise is important. But to me, if anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

Interestingly, it seems most worthwhile goals take a fair amount of time, effort, and/or money. So perhaps you can’t really have a quality investment without some level of sacrifice. Hmmm…

At times, even small things can feel like big sacrifices. Eating well, exercising, and getting adequate rest are examples. But, these are also investments in our health. When that mental switch occurs between sacrifice and investment, my attitude instantly improves! The challenges don’t seem so difficult. The momentary struggle is worth it!

Similarly, in late September, my local school district voted on a referendum for new schools, upgrades to security, and more. For me, it was a no-brainer. Our school district is growing rapidly and needs to make some adjustments.

I’m thankful the referendum passed, but I understand that some people feel differently. It may be a large sacrifice for them. Or, perhaps they have different priorities than me. That’s okay!

My additional annual cost will be somewhere around the cost of a nice pair of shoes. Now, for me, that’s not a big deal. Ultimately, it is an investment in my community and my child.

In a few short years, Lydia will be in a school that is currently overcrowded. The referendum money will help alleviate that issue. It’s worth it…so I’m all in.

A strong marriage also requires a lot of hard work. My neighbors recently celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. Ten years ago, they planted an apple tree, and this year, they were finally able to harvest enough fruit to make it worthwhile!

They spent a lot of time this past weekend making pies, applesauce, dehydrated apples, etc. Lydia and I even received some delicious homemade “anniversary apple crisp” from their bounty. Their original investment has overflowed to bless us too!

Similarly, parenting is one investment that requires many sacrifices. I’m already starting to see some great things in Lydia. But overall, it will take another 10-20 (30?!) years to see the full impact of all I invest in her. Lord, help me do my best!

I want to be wise with my resources and be a good steward. Still, Lydia is worth every bit of my time, effort/energy, and money. That’s the nature of parenting.

In the same way, spiritual disciplines are also important. Spending time with Jesus is an investment with eternal rewards! That said, we are as close to Him as we want to be.

The more we pray and get to know Jesus, the greater confidence we have that He loves us and is for us. And, the more time we spend reading and memorizing Scripture, the more it flourishes in our hearts.

When we go through tough seasons, we can sacrifice our self-pity and lay down our fear, choosing to praise the Lord despite our troubles. Through worship, we can experience more joy, peace, grace, and blessing.

Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice with His life on the Cross. Then, He gave us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee for what is to come—and to help us live a life full of Victory!

Jesus’ commitment to us shows us just how valuable we are to Him. He gave up everything to rescue us and to prove His love for us. He’s all in!

We can never out-give God—our sacrifices will never measure up—but we can be grateful for all He has done for us! His investment in us continues to grow! Praise God!

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Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus! You are so faithful, going above and beyond to rescue us and bless us. May we show our gratitude and bless others, too…seeing relationships as investments, not just sacrifices. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What kinds of sacrifices and investments are you making in your day-to-day life? Is Jesus part of that process?

Task: Listen to “All In” by Matthew West.

Posted on in Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Wisdom

Counting Every Blessing

It’s that time of year again! Lydia started school this week! She has been so excited for about a month. She could hardly sleep on Monday night… Tuesday, she started a new school and was happy to see her friends.

I’m proud of Lydia for all the ways she’s already grown. She’s been challenging herself to try new things and be more independent. Her dad, my late-husband, Dave, would also be so very proud.

I have been purposely relying on the Lord as we start this new season. As such, I haven’t really thought much about the bittersweet nature of our circumstances. Still, this week is one of those times when it is apparent: Dave’s not here.

Lydia’s teacher seems really sweet. She’s a first-year teacher and full of excitement, too. When we met her, I didn’t want to burst her bubble… so, I simply wrote her a short explanation about Dave on Lydia’s back to school papers.

Yesterday, after Lydia got off the bus, we went home and talked about her day over a scoop of ice cream. She had a fun day, of course, and I know she will have a great year.

To my surprise, Lydia said she was glad I didn’t mention Dave to her teacher in person. Specifically, she said, “I’m glad you didn’t cry like you did last year.”  (and the year before…) I might have embarrassed her previously!

Truthfully, I’m happy Lydia seems unaffected, but it makes me slightly sad. I have tried to ensure that she knows who Dave was and that he loved her very much. I want her to be able to talk about him whenever she feels the need. I want her to be okay with it.

But instead of feeling sorry for myself (and Lydia), I decided to count my blessings!

First, I’m grateful for Lydia! She’s always a bright spot and has kept me moving forward. I love to coach her and watch her grow. I don’t know where I’d be without her!

I’m grateful Lydia and I can have honest, heartfelt conversations about tough topics. We have had many ups and downs, which has made it interesting!

I’m also grateful Lydia is so much like Dave. She doesn’t overthink things like I do! She is pragmatic like Dave and has a good perspective. Though, she is like me in lots of other ways.

I’m grateful for how well Dave set us up. Because of his planning and God’s provision, Lydia and I are in a good position. I have no reason to complain!

I’m extremely grateful that each year, we’ve reached new levels of healing. We think of and talk about Dave often, but we are still living a full life in spite of our loss(es).

I’m grateful for so many things, actually. But most of all, I’m grateful that God’s still holding us together. He has brought us this far and we are doing well.

I can trust Him with confidence. He’s got this!

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Heavenly Father, You are so good! Thanks for taking such great care of us. Open our eyes to each of Your blessings and help us trust You more in this new season. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you find yourself in a new season of life? Have you been expecting it or did it take you by surprise?

Tasks: Listen to this song, “Counting Every Blessing,” by Rend Collective! It’s so good!

Posted on in Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

A Smoother Ride

Last week, Lydia and I took a short bike ride to a park in our neighborhood. Most of the time, I let her ride before me because I am faster and don’t want to leave her too far behind. Lydia set the pace, but I directed her and chose which path to take.

As we rode along, it was so peaceful. It was just me and Lydia in the evening heat. We chatted about our day and fun things we plan to do before school starts again next week. At times, we would stop and wait for cars to pass before continuing on our way.

During our ride, I decided to take Lydia to a smaller more secluded park than the one we originally planned. She hadn’t been to this park before and didn’t know the way.

So, I told her, “I’m going to come up on your left and when we get to the intersection, you follow me. We’re going to cross these two streets instead of staying on this path.”

As we got to the other side of the intersection, I stayed back in the street and let Lydia go ahead of me. She asked why I chose to do that, and I told her I was blocking her from any traffic that might come up.

I had noticed a car waiting for us at the stop sign and wanted to protect her. At least the driver could see me in the middle of the road…

Lydia did so well as she listened and followed. Our bike ride was a compelling picture of how God leads us and directs us through life. Everything goes so much better when we just trust Jesus!

That doesn’t mean it’s always an easy ride. For example, as we crossed through the intersection, Lydia had to speed up and go uphill. She had to work a bit to get where she needed to go.

Life is indeed challenging. Circumstances may turn out differently than expected and there will be some bumps along the way. But at the end of the day, it’s just me and Jesus.

He is the one constant in my life! Ultimately, He is in control. Did I stay close to Him? Did I wait for Him? Did I listen and obey Him?

Thankfully, with Jesus, all things are possible. He protects us, provides for us, and directs our path. When we follow Him, it’s a much smoother ride!

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God, thanks for all the ways You love us. Thanks for guiding us as we follow You. Help us listen and trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: Do you have anything left on your summer bucket list?

Task: Listen to “Control (Somehow You Want Me)” by Tenth Avenue North

Posted on in Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Travel

MN/WI/MI Summer Road Trip 2018

Wow, what a week! We started off last Wednesday afternoon for Superior, WI (next door to Duluth, MN). I left work a little early, which helped make the 5+ hour trip a little better. We made a few rest stops, including Serpant Lake in Crosby, MN. We stayed overnight on Barker Island and enjoyed walking around the marina. We even saw a boat from Fargo!

On Thursday morning, we headed out to see friends in Bayfield, WI, which was on our way. We met Gary and Judy back in 2016 when we went to the Apostle Islands. We had a bite to eat with them, and went searching for fresh local fruit. Before we left we stocked up on blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and apple cider. Yum!

Our time in Bayfield wasn’t long enough [only 2 hours] so we’ll have to get back there again soon! Then, we continued the drive into Michigan… We spent the night in Marquette in the Upper Peninsula (UP). I had never been there before, but loved the gorgeous never-ending trees. We drove through SO. MANY. state and national forests this trip!

Friday was our third day of driving. That afternoon, it was raining lightly as we crossed the iconic Mackinac Bridge, which is 5 miles long! (But just before that I got pulled over by a Michigan State Policeman! He didn’t give me a ticket, though Lydia got a teddy bear!)

Due to rain and timing, we skipped a few activities and opted just to reach our final stop. We finally arrived in Cadillac, MI, for our family reunion just as other family members were showing up. Perfect timing! We saw family members from Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Louisiana, New Mexico, Colorado, and Greece. So much fun!

Before our trip, I had wanted to go hiking or kayaking. But when I had the opportunity, I changed my mind. The details just didn’t add up. Nonetheless, I was happy with my choices and thankful for time spent with other family members. It is good to hold our plans loosely so we don’t miss other (better) God-given opportunities!

On Monday, we started back home to Fargo. We crossed the Mackinac bridge again, but this time it was bright and sunny! I am not joking…the water was turquoise. Amazing! I would have taken a few pics of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, but of course I was driving. 😉 Thankfully, we picked up a couple magnets and postcards along the way…

We also stopped elsewhere for a few pics of Lake Michigan before continuing the nine hour trip to see friends in Minocqua, WI. We arrived in Minocqua around dinnertime to stay with friends I’ve known since I was a teenager. Years ago, Cathie and Randy were my youth group leaders and were eager to have us visit. 

Lydia and I were able to cram in a lot of fun activities in a few short evening hours! Our friends live on the lake, so I was able to kayak after all! Lydia fished off the dock, while I tried stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) for the first time. It was awesome! We also saw bald eagles, went boating and hot tubbing, and sat around a campfire.

The next morning, after a good night’s sleep and delicious breakfast, Lydia went paddle boarding, jet skiing, and tubing with Cathie before we left. She even squeezed in another round of fishing with Randy! Lydia will be talking about this trip for quite awhile!

Our last visit was in Grantsburg, WI. We stopped to see some friends who used to be Fargo neighbors. Elissa and her three boys were swimming at the public pool, so I let Lydia jump in for a quick dip before continuing on our trip. Elissa and I caught up too! It was the perfect break for a long day of driving.

A few takeaways from this trip…

I spent 99% of the trip on back roads with no way around cars ahead of me. I had plenty of time to think of life situations where you just have to ‘follow the leader’ whether you like it or not. Takeaway #1: Life works better when you are cheerful. Perhaps God allows ‘slow cars’ and detours to refine us? You will still get where you need to go, but it sure does help having a good attitude when circumstances are out of your control!

My family helped load up our belongings before heading home. When my sister told me she even tossed my dirty laundry bag in my car, I had to laugh! Takeaway #2: We all have our quirks or negative traits, but a good family overlooks our messes or our ‘dirt.’ In fact, a loving family will help you get through it (or in this case, help keep it all contained)!

On the way home, we stopped for a quick break. Lydia pointed out a coffee cup that said “Super Mom’s Coffee.” She said, “Oooh, Mom! Make sure you get some coffee!” I’m by no means a perfect parent, so Lydia’s comment made me happy that she thinks I am worthy of that title. Takeaway #3: You might feel like you’ve totally blown this parenting gig, but your kids are resilient and forgiving. Do your best and they will be just fine!

Finally, after spending five of the last seven days in the car, we arrived home in Fargo around 9pm last night. 1776 miles with 5 of 7 days driving. Lots of memories. Little sleep. Totally worth it!

Despite plans changing a bit, God directed my path. We had an even better experience than I could have imagined. Special thanks to my friends and neighbors who mowed for me, checked my mail, and watched my house while we were gone!

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God, thanks for a wonderful road trip to see family! Thanks for protecting us and providing so well for us. All glory to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Have you been through Michigan’s UP before? Do you like road trips?!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Prayer

Finding Grace #123

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, with the heat and relaxed schedule, it has really felt like summer! Monday was an awesome day for me. I met an important deadline and received a letter from a dear friend in Sweden. Also, a new friend came over with her three children. The kids were all a little older than Lydia, but she had a lot of fun playing ‘big kid’ games with them. My friend and I had a great discussion about prayer and all that God has done for each of us. Later in the evening, we joined some neighbors for ice cream. It was a smile-filled, red-letter day for me…and as if that’s not enough, I even had a good hair day! 😉

At work, I had some really friendly patients, who were all eager to learn. As a dietitian, it’s my job to help people make healthy changes. It’s great when people want to learn and modify their habits. Believe it or not, that doesn’t always happen…change can be difficult! So to have ALL my patients on board is really fulfilling. On one of those work days, our neighbors volunteered to watch Lydia, instead of having her go to daycare. It was a big help to me and a great day for Lydia! 

On Thursday, another friend came over to catch up and chat about our plans this fall to do ministry together at church. It was fun to hear all that God is doing in my friend’s life and we challenged each other to keep moving forward. God is good!

The summer always coincides with lots of ‘togetherness’ for Lydia and me. She grows more independent every day, but also needs to be reigned in from time to time. (It’s not all popsicles around here!) 😉 This week, we addressed our ‘bad attitudes,’ not listening, and showing respect. It was a good reminder to keep open communication and make sure we are connecting every day. Going to bed early to get enough rest might also be a wise idea…but also a challenge! 🙂

The rest of the week was spent relaxing; planning ahead; eating ice cream, watermelon, and corn-on-the-cob; talking with people; and doing routine activities around the house. On Friday, I talked to several different people, and joyfully spent 2.5 hours on the phone in three different conversations. 🙂 I’m grateful for my flexible schedule and am glad to be available to encourage and help other people when needed. Thank You, Jesus!

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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 find God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #121

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?

Overall, this was a relaxing week! On Sunday, a new friend and her husband came to church. I invited them after meeting her at swimming lessons last week. They enjoyed the services and hope to return tomorrow. She said how friendly and warm everyone was. Later, I discovered she is a writer and we have many things in common!

Speaking of swimming lessons, Lydia passed! I’m so thankful she did because she worked really hard. I’m proud to see her confidence grow and am glad she can move on to the next level soon. I’m sure God feels the same about each of us when we achieve our goals!

One evening this week, our neighbor boys came to hang out while their parents had other plans. Then, when their mom came, she and I chatted and let the kids play. I threw together some food and we had a good time! Then, we went to hang out with their family on another night! I’m grateful for those low-key moments because we can just go with the flow and experience God’s goodness as it comes!

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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 find God’s grace this week?

Posted on in Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

Keep On Kayaking

On Sunday afternoon, Lydia and I celebrated a fun accomplishment! We went kayaking! For me, it was a dream come true…something I have wanted to do with Lydia for quite some time.

Kayaking was a personal victory on several fronts. First, I simply managed to do it! Paddling on a river is one of my favorite things to do—I love the challenge and find it relaxing. Yet, I haven’t gone out in years.

It can be difficult to try new things or go to new places on my own, let alone with a child! Sometimes, I don’t give myself enough credit… In fact, I had previously talked myself out of canoeing or kayaking this month because it seemed overwhelming to coordinate our schedule with the rental facility hours, weather, the water conditions, etc.

Second, I wasn’t sure Lydia would be able to paddle much, and I didn’t know if I could handle everything on my own. Between paddling and safety, there’s a lot to consider! Besides, even if she could paddle, I thought for sure, she’d want to quit after two minutes…and/or start complaining.

Earlier in the week, I decided to scout out the area beforehand so we knew where to go. It was easy to find and there were several vessels available…check. I picked up a ton of brochures to read…check. Lydia seemed to enjoy it…check.

On Sunday, the forecasted rain looked like it might miss us. Then, I showed Lydia a couple YouTube videos on paddling so she knew the basics. (It was better than nothing, haha!!) And, with a leap of faith, we headed over to Moorhead, MN.

I had very low expectations and mostly just wanted to get Lydia some experience. At the dock, I decided to ask a few questions and let the workers give me feedback on if it was a good idea. If they advised against it, I told Lydia we’d go geocaching along the shore instead.

After explaining my concerns, the workers assured me that we could do it! The water was high and the current was fast due to recent rainfall, so they suggested a kayak instead of a canoe because it is lower to the water level. It would be more manageable in the fast water.

So, we put on our life jackets and got a quick lesson in paddling. Then, I helped carry the tandem kayak to the dock and we were off! We paddled up stream and then, later, coasted back. There were other families and individuals doing the same.

I’m happy to report, Lydia totally proved me wrong! She did so well, and went far beyond my expectations. She never complained, she paddled like a machine, AND she asked if we could go again soon. 🙂

We made it under two bridges and I bet next time we can go to the third! We both had a lot of fun and were proud of ourselves. It was very fulfilling. Win-win!

I’m glad I didn’t let fear stop me from taking Lydia on the water by myself. I now feel confident that we can have many more adventures together! We will definitely keep on kayaking… Thank You, Jesus!

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God, thanks for giving me courage and for protecting me! You fill my life with good things. Please direct my path and help me keep moving forward in faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What is on your summer bucket list? Is anything holding you back from accomplishing those adventures?

Tasks: Don’t let fear dictate your steps—choose to move forward in faith! Quite likely, you’ll find some blessings and surprises along the way!

Posted on in Being Gracious, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Procrastination, Wisdom

A Good Day for a Good Deed

This summer, I only have a couple main goals. First, get outside as much as possible. And second, introduce Lydia to as many of my favorite outdoor activities as possible. Pretty simple, but not necessarily easy…

Regarding my first goal… Often, on gorgeous days, I feel “stuck” indoors trying to complete my to-do list. I know that sounds lame, but I rarely feel caught up around the house. Still, I have realized that my chores, bills, and laundry will get done eventually. But certain opportunities—like perfect weather in Fargo—are sometimes few and far between!

I don’t want to miss a chance to connect with Lydia, other people, nature, or God’s abundant grace. I want to make the most of the time I have been given.

For my second goal… So far, we have gone birding and on a few bike rides. I’d also like to take Lydia canoeing locally to get her some experience. I’d also love to go on an extended road trip to hike or camp somewhere, but I might have to settle for some smaller day trips. I want to build up Lydia’s endurance but not make her hate the experiences…

This week, I’m extra proud of myself because yesterday, I had a lot of work inside…but I chose to ignore it until later so we could opt outside. Instead of procrastinating, I chose on purpose to postpone the work. As it happened, we accomplished both of my summer goals!

We went to Lindenwood Park near the Red River (bordering Minnesota). We started off on a new path looking for adventure. Lydia let me borrow a small backpack for my phone and keys, but she kept her emoji stickers so she could document ‘how she felt’ about the hike. Lydia wasn’t happy at first…she really just wanted to go to the playground!

On the hike (which was really more of a glorified walk), we saw a dog. Lydia thought it was a wolf because of its markings. 🙂 After several minutes of no one claiming the dog, I checked the tags and called the owner. Sure enough, the dog was lost!

On our way to meet the owner, we hopped on a (Park) golf cart with a man who was on the same mission. The ride was fun and the dog did surprisingly well at my feet. Lydia thought it was cool we could ignore the ‘wrong way’ signs and that all the cars had to slow down for us. It’s the little things, I guess…!

After we returned the dog, I ran into a coworker and her family. We chatted for a few minutes before I convinced Lydia to walk the half-mile or so to the playground. That quickly turned into a nature walk when she found several pinecones. We also took some selfies and slow-motion videos on the swings. Lydia decided her next emoji sticker would be a peace sign. 

It was an exciting afternoon, and I felt we were in the right place at the right time. As we were pulling up to our house, I ran into a neighbor who is a fireman. He previously agreed to help me replace the batteries in my fire alarms. The timing worked well yesterday, and I now have peace of mind. Also, I was grateful to knock that off my to-do list because the batteries were nearly 8 years old!

It’s funny how I often try to accomplish something on my own, but when I let go and follow God’s leading, it turns into a greater blessing! Yesterday, Lydia and I got to have fun together, experience nature, save a lost dog, take a joy ride, see some friends… And with God’s perfect timing, I still got my fire alarm batteries changed!

It was a good day for a good deed! We had quite the adventure and saw God’s grace in it all. I know if I had stayed inside, I would have missed so much!

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God, thanks for all You do for me! Thanks for guiding me and providing for me. Open my eyes so I can see You at work all around me—in big and small ways. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you have any special summer goals or plans? What are your favorite outdoor activities?

Tasks: When possible, opt outside. Let God direct your path and lead you on an adventure. Don’t worry, your indoor chores will still be there when you get back! 😉

Posted on in Fruit, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom, Words, Worship

Philippians 4 from a Child’s Point of View

On Sunday, Lydia and I unexpectedly slept in! It felt great, but since it was rather late, we didn’t make it to church. I don’t like to miss the weekly opportunity for worship and fellowship… So, Lydia and I made time for God by having our own devotion time together. It was time well spent!

In the Bible app on my phone, the verse of the day was Philippians 4:6. On a whim, I decided to read the surrounding verses and share our ideas.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Line by line, I asked Lydia for her thoughts on the text. We answered basic questions, like “What did you learn about God?” and “What did you learn about yourself?” and “Why do you think it says…?” Here are our combined thoughts on Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)…

Verse 4: First, Lydia picked up on the word rejoice. She thought it meant to praise God. I explained how we can have joy regardless of what is going on in our lives. For me, choosing joy takes consistent effort. For Lydia, the concept seemed relatively easy—at her age, she takes things at face value and lives primarily in the moment. Duly noted!

Verse 5: For the next verse, we discussed how our gentleness to others could make God’s love for them more obvious (evident). I explained how some people might feel God is mad at them (perhaps because they don’t know Jesus wants to forgive them). So, loving people well could help them want to know God. Lydia also said we should be kind because God is with us. We represent Him!

Verse 6: Per Lydia, “don’t worry or be mad.” (That’s it, pretty simple!) In other words, be thankful for what God has done for you and trust Him to answer your prayers. Don’t be afraid to ask God for what you want or need. He already knows what you are thinking!

Verse 7: God’s peace is special. We may not quite understand it, but per Lydia, “it’s like God locks up our hearts. Then, Jesus stands guard” so nothing can take our peace. I had never thought of it like that…

As I explained some of the text to Lydia, I was forced to adjust to her level of understanding. She didn’t know the historical context of persecution surrounding Paul’s letter written from jail… yet, going back to the basics actually brought new life to the text for me, too!

Normally, I enjoy researching Biblical topics and looking up details about each verse. But sometimes I can make it more complicated than necessary. On Sunday, my devotional time with Lydia was refreshing. While we didn’t use any fancy Bible study tools, we both learned something new and sensed God’s love for us!

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Heavenly Father, Your Word is alive and active! Thanks for the new perspective on child-like faith. May Your Word flourish in our hearts! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: What is your favorite way to read and study the Bible?

Tasks: Read a few verses of the Bible with a child or a new believer in Christ. Let them explain the text before you chime in. (Or, check out The Jesus Storybook Bible!) Maybe you will learn something new, too!