Tag: celebrate

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding #376

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

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

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

This was a good week. We had a mini staycation, which included a quiet Mother’s Day on Sunday. We hiked, relaxed, and played a little soccer game with the neighbor boys…perfect! I am so grateful to be Lydia’s mom, but it’s also a little bittersweet since it reminds me of being a single parent since the anniversary of Dave’s death occurs around the same time.

On Monday, I took the day off from work and enjoyed celebrating Dave’s life with Lydia. We tried to make the best of it, though we’ve been missing him for ten years now.

The weather was really nice this week! I loved seeing all the flowery trees! Lydia helped me mow about half the yard on Wednesday, so that helped save me a lot of time! I did the trim work and then finished the lawn. Then today, we enjoyed going for a walk all around the neighborhood and later played ball together!

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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 Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Prayer, Wisdom, Worship

Hallelujah Anyway!

Monday was the tenth anniversary of Dave’s death. A whole decade without him. Not knowing how I would feel, I took time off to give myself the space to just be.

Sometimes we go away and do something special, but this year, we decided to do a staycation instead. Lydia and I celebrated Dave’s life by doing fun things all weekend. We played games, made brownies, went on a little hike, tried hyperbowling, and went out to eat a fancy dinner! I also went on a bike ride and got a massage while she was in school.

You’d think I’d have it all figured out by now. Been there, done that. But somehow, the last few months felt like I was going back to the beginning. Not necessarily in terms of deep grief but rather second-guessing myself. Like, “Why I am I still dealing with this or that?” I think it stemmed from being overwhelmed with work and other decisions while not having enough time to really rest.

Overwhelm is loosely related to fear, which, historically, has been a stronghold for me. I know when that happens, I need to re-evaluate and deal with it right away. So, as you may recall, I spoke up at work and made some personal changes. I prayerfully focused on quiet time with the Lord and self-care, such as exercise, sleep, simple meals, and restorative activities. I am feeling much better now!
Not too long ago, one of my dear college friends sent me a message that she was praying for me. She said, “The same God who was with you then is with you now. You have grown and changed and will continue to grow and change, but God has and will remain the same… mind-blowing!” She then quoted Psalm 62:5, “Find rest my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.”
Well, I think that’s a pretty good summary of God’s faithfulness! I could not do any of this without Him. He is so gracious and reliable. I feel His presence and wisdom when answering every one of Lydia’s many deep questions about life, death, Dave, and pre-teen worries.
Thanks to all those who continue to support us through prayer, words of encouragement, and the occasional hand around the house. I have an amazing family, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. I appreciate each person who sends a card, a prayer, a well-timed word, or helps around the house on occasion.
So, while Monday was a near-perfect day, honestly, I was a little relieved when it was over. We made it through, but it’s just a lot, you know? Then yesterday, I heard this song, “Hallelujah Anyway,” by Rend Collective. It was a great reminder that our hope is in Jesus. “Even if” or when life goes awry, God is still in control and on His throne, we have the Holy Spirit working in us, and we have eternity with Jesus in Heaven.
Our emotions and circumstances don’t dictate our response to God’s presence in our lives. I hope you can say “hallelujah anyway” through whatever you face today. God is worthy of all our praise and gratitude. He is so good!
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God, we praise You, when things go well and even when they don’t… because You are worthy through it all. Thanks for Your grace and goodness. May we be a living example of Your love today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Question: In what ways might you say, “hallelujah anyway” today?
Task: Life is so short. Make sure to celebrate and appreciate all the goodness in your life. Remember to praise God and thank Him, as He is the source of all good things!

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

Finding Grace #374

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 Forest Trees photo and picture

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

This was a fun and peaceful week! I had lots of prayer requests, but know God is taking care of all that concerns me and my loved ones.

The weather was sunny and in the 50s to 70s for much of the week! It’s all starting to green up, and I saw my tulips starting to grow a bit. I also forgot how nice it is to drive to work without slippery roads! I am so grateful for God’s faithfulness… He always brings the Spring!

My workload was a little lighter again this week, partially related to some cancellations. So, I was able to work on some projects that will be due soon. We celebrated a couple coworker birthdays and also a had a Cinco de Mayo potluck yesterday. Our coworker who is on maternity leave brought her baby in to visit. He was so cute!

Last night, Lydia and I were invited for an impromptu campfire at our friends’ house. It was fun and so nice to be included! We walked there since they live just a couple streets over. It was a perfect night!

This morning, I got up early for the British monarchy coronation. I’m a quarter British, thanks to my English grandmother, Norah, so it feels relevant to me. I loved all the regalia, pomp, and circumstance, as well as the history, music, and message of serving others. I texted with my sister throughout the service, as we have done for other important events. 🙂

Today, I worked on projects at home while Lydia took a babysitting class with a friend. She’s so gentle and kind to babies, toddlers, and young kids! I love seeing her become more responsible and considerate over time.

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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, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Worship

Finding Grace #373

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 Bird Female photo and picture

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

This week stood out to me, and I saw God’s grace every day. It was a week of old friends, good conversations, and throwback music. I even saw a cardinal at work, which I rarely see because I still have young trees at home. Just what I needed!

My friend, Krystal, now lives in Colorado with her husband, Owen, their three boys, and a new baby girl. Krystal was in town for a family event and brought two of her kids, including the baby. She and our friend, Sara, who also has a new baby, came over to visit with a third friend. We caught up over a few hours, and it was just like old times. (You may remember them from my book.) It was fun to see how much our lives have changed over the years.

Work was a little more relaxed this week, and it has been a nice change of pace. I appreciate our managers have listened and helped set up some better boundaries as far as our patient load. As it was, I still had several other calls to make, such as patient issues that popped up, as well as some projects to work on. I still needed to cover a few areas, but I’m glad I had a little margin.

On Thursday night, Lydia and I went to see a living legend, Steven Curtis Chapman, in concert at the Fargo Theater! Lydia wasn’t really sure who he was at first, but soon felt an emotional connection to his music. It could be that they have the same birthday, but she related our missing Dave to his own losses and grief. Hearing him discuss faith and perseverance was the best! It encouraged us to keep moving forward!

Last night, Lydia and I played a game and watched the birds outside in the yard. Today, we worked on some projects and organized around the house. Lydia also went on a little bike ride in our neighborhood with a friend. It feels great that Spring is here!

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

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

Posted on in Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Pivot, Prayer, Wisdom

Work Smarter, Not Harder

You have likely heard the phrase, “work smarter, not harder.” And depending on the context, we would probably all agree that’s good advice. Our time, effort, and energy are vital resources!

Sometimes I ask my neighbors for help when it comes to home maintenance. I am grateful for their skills and willingness. However, many run their own businesses and are just as busy as I am (if not more). Therefore, coordinating our schedules can take awhile.

Therefore, I often try to fix things myself or have to read about the issues online. I sometimes say I know a little about a lot. (My brain is a trove of random trivia!!) I generally don’t know enough to solve all the problems, but enough to get by or at least get the gist. It’s also a good thing I know when I am in over my head.

Free Door Toilet Door photo and picture

So, on Sunday, I was reading about front door locks. Mine has not been reliable lately; the deadbolt is still secure, but I needed to change the lower doorknob as soon as possible. It would lock but then not open again. Not a huge problem, except that we use the door just about every day.

The more I read, the more I realized I was out of my league. I did learn some new vocabulary, though! I also learned there are at least three basic options for deadbolts, not to mention the door knobs or levers, colors, brands, security pros and cons.

Within a few minutes, I decided to call in a professional.

On Monday, I took half a day off work, just because. I had no real plans but wanted to use a time-off award before it expired. It was a beautiful day to run some errands. In addition, I called a local locksmith, and he was able to come over right away. The problem I had been thinking about for three weeks was resolved within about twenty minutes!

I was happy to pay for the expert’s work because it saved me a lot of time and effort, not to mention the stress of trying to figure it out! I had him change the door knob and lock on the door that goes to the garage, too. That way, they match!

We who belong to Christ have a built-in expert in every area of life. The Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher. He shows us the path to take and which routes to avoid. By checking in with Him, we can save time, energy, and effort!

“When he opens doors, no one will be able to close them; when he closes doors, no one will be able to open them.” -Isaiah 22:22. This verse is about a faithful man named Eliakim, who was put in charge of the Jerusalem treasury, and you can compare it to what is said about the faithful church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:8 above. Interesting parallels!

The two verses in Isaiah and Revelation encouraged me this week. They are God’s words about those who are godly, loyal, faithful, and effective in their ministries. I am inspired to keep moving forward!

I don’t know about you, I tend to work, work, work, but I can only accomplish so much when I am running on fumes! But, in John 10:9, Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

When we’re faithful, it blesses God. When we feel weak and tired, may we run to Jesus, our source of strength. He is the Door, and with Him, all things are possible! I am confident that His plan is better than mine and that He will help me work smarter, not harder! 

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God, thanks for being my source of strength and energy. When I don’t know what to do, help me run to You. Help me work smarter with Your wisdom, not run myself into the ground. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How can you work smarter, not harder? How can you rely on Jesus today?

Task: Read these Bible verses about doors! 🙂

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance, Pivot, Prayer, Wisdom

Finding Grace #371

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 Robin Red-Breasted photo and picture

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

This week was filled with God’s grace. We had some company in the earlier part of the week. It’s always fun to have visitors, and we were especially glad to celebrate Easter together!

I’m thrilled to report I saw our first robins of spring! Today, I saw about twelve all sprinkled through my lawn. They enjoy my deck and trees, as do several other birds: finches, juncos, sparrows, starlings, and swallows so far!

The weather finally warmed up this week, although it will be chilly again for the next few days. The snow is melting more, hour by hour, and the grass is growing a little. I wonder if my tulips will even come up this year since they are usually already up and gone again! Perhaps I will be surprised!

Work went well this week; still busy, but I had a good discussion about the workload with my manager. Hopefully, we will figure out some manageable strategies in the coming weeks. We can only bend so far before we “break” or burn out. I took off the day on Friday for an appointment and some R&R, which really helped.

Today, Lydia and I watched our friend’s little girl! We enjoyed cuddling with her and catching up with her momma when she returned. We will probably relax for the rest of the evening, maybe watch a movie or play a game!

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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, Miscellaneous, Prayer

Finding Grace #370

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 Easter Lily Flower photo and picture

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

This was another good week, but it required a lot of prayers! Nonetheless, God really came through for me! One little highlight was watching little songbirds hopping around on the gigantic piles of snow in my backyard!

It seems like I talk about work almost every week, but as you know, I spend so much time there. I helped with a nursing fair and saw several patients. I also had some important conversations with my coworkers. We had some laughs and also brainstormed our way through some potential problems. It was a good feeling!

The weather was a little crazy this week. Lydia only went to her actual school on Monday; Tuesday through Thursday were remote learning due to the weather. Then, yesterday, she was off for Good Friday already. Thankfully, she handled it all like a champ!

Thankfully, the last couple of days have been above 40 and sunny, just in time to celebrate Easter! We enjoyed our church’s Good Friday service last night. We sat with some friends and worshiped the Lord. I’m grateful for the Cross!

My mother-in-law also came to visit, so she stayed with Lydia while I went to work today (I was on-call). Then, we went to lunch and went shopping! Tonight, we are enjoying a movie together. It was a really nice day after a wild week!

I pray you all have a blessed Easter weekend!

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

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

Posted on in Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Personality, Pivot, Wisdom

Grace Galore

I hope you are having a wonderful day! Generally, I want my blog to be an encouraging part of your week. Perhaps, it also challenges you, too! I appreciate that it reflects where Lydia and I are in life. It’s been fun to track our successes and work through some of the tough issues we face. 

That’s all good, but as we near the ten-year anniversary of Dave’s death, I have been wondering what all I/we have accomplished in the last decade. It’s a good question to ask sometimes!

Now, before you worry about me, I am okay. I realize a lot is going well for us. I worked very hard to write and publish my book. I have a great job with awesome coworkers, and  Lydia is looking forward to middle school this fall. There’s so much to be thankful for.

It’s just been a stressful few months in many ways, and sometimes I second-guess myself. On those chaotic days, I have wondered how I may have grown or changed when I still see some of the same problems. Have you ever felt that way?

Recently, I had time to talk with some friends and explain how I felt. That helped, especially since they were stressed about the same things! We all have slightly different issues and factors, but stress is stress. 🙂

As a result, I was able to rethink how I perceive some of the stress, and I was able to see God’s grace and provision clearly. He has been so, so good to me.

Free Mountain Path photo and picture

With Easter around the corner, I am again reminded of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. He died so we could live. He rose in Victory; now we also walk in Victory.

Nothing is impossible for God. We bring Him our weaknesses in exchange for His strength. Praise God, we have His Holy Power in us! 

No matter how hectic life gets, I am grateful that Life has so much more to offer. THIS (whatever your THIS is) isn’t ALL there is. The best is yet to come!

Growth isn’t easy; change may require much effort before seeing results. But, we can take steps toward greatness every day. We can choose a good attitude and rely on the Lord. Knowing God’s grace will cover us, we can work hard and do our best.

Perfection is not the goal. We don’t have to get it all right. That’s God’s responsibility. Jesus gives us His righteousness and we can rest in His grace galore!

Of course, the expectation of an “easy” life is unrealistic. Jesus never promised us that. Suffering is not for nothing, however. Challenges will always come, but blessings are built in if we look for them.

Don’t let a bad day, week, or month keep you from living a full life.

Lord, give us Resurrection eyes of faith!

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God, thanks for your grace galore. Thanks that we won’t have to be perfect or have all the answers. Help us walk in the Victory Jesus died to give us. In His Name, Amen

Questions: What is God resurrecting in your life today? How is He making it new, and where can you see His grace at work?

Task: There is stress, and then there is “perceived stress.” Check out this Perceived Stress Scale. To me, it is almost a measure of how much I am worrying (and where I need to trust God or seek help). I hope it is helpful for you – that you can see the silver lining and know where you need to shift your focus.

Posted on in Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

Finding Rest Among Busyness

Well, it’s another full week and I can already see God’s grace at play. It happens to be Spring Break (Wed-Fri). That said, I took the time off to spend with Lydia, but also scheduled five, maybe six, routine appointments for the week!

I could have spread out the appointments over the next several weeks, but I thought it was best to take advantage of the timing. For example, I am getting my taxes done and getting my oil changed (plus some car maintenance). Also, Lydia has a quick appointment where I won’t have to take her out of school. I will try to work on some organizing projects around the house, too.

I worked Monday and Tuesday, though I left early yesterday because Lydia wasn’t feeling well at school. We did meet the very helpful school nurse, so that was a bonus! Lydia is fine overall, but her POTS got the best of her. It was good for her to rest.

Free Time Work photo and picture

I left her at home for a few minutes while I went to her parent-teacher conference alone. It hit me as I walked through the book fair: it was our last conference and book fair in that school. Next fall will be completely different!

As I waited for my turn, I talked with my neighbor boys in the hallway (waiting for their parents). It was so good to catch up with them, as I heard all they are interested in. I offered condolences on the recent death of their cat, and one of them offered to help clear my snow sometime. It was refreshing as I have known them for all these years, and they are still as friendly as ever!

Lydia’s conference went well, as I expected. I can’t help but get a little emotional, though, and yesterday was no different. I tend to become rather reflective.

It’s good to hear how well Lydia is doing, but I also see how much she has grown and learned. Time is going so fast! I am grateful God has entrusted me with her, and I think of how Dave would be so proud. I also think about how much he is missing, though I am confident God will make it up to all of us in Heaven.

Lydia has been missing Dave a lot lately, even wearing some of his clothes around the house. She is so much like him, and we talk about him often. In fact, two months from today, we will be celebrating his life and us making it ten years without him.

That’s hard to believe, but God has carried us all this time. I appreciate the friends who have reached out to offer support, most often unaware of how we have been feeling. Isn’t God good like that?!

Free Lists To Do illustration and picture

In addition to the appointments coming up this week, I told a friend how I had four specific things to accomplish last night after the school conference, including my tax prep work and blog. The most time-consuming was probably the tax prep because I wanted to review an entire year’s worth of data (which I had to find and download first!).

While I wasn’t happy Lydia was sick, God graciously gave me a few extra hours to work on my taxes yesterday before the appointment this morning. I didn’t want to show up completely unprepared, but I hadn’t been able to get to it until then. Whew!

And, that made it so I had a little more flexibility with the other items on my to-do list. Lydia and I even enjoyed watching the movie, “Annie,” which was the perfect way to start off our break together! It was fun hearing a lot of the famous songs and one-liners. The song, “Tomorrow,” is always encouraging on its own!

While all of this may just seem like a lot of busyness (even with important appointments), I have spaced them out, so we are not rushing. Instead, I will stay focused on God and let Him redeem our time. He helps me prioritize.

May we all stay close to the Lord and rest in Him, even when life gets a little hectic.

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Gracious Father, thanks for all Your love and care. You are so good to us! Thanks for taking such good care of us and guiding our steps. Help us to rest in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: How do you see God at work in your life this week?

Task: Despite your busyness, stay close to God. He’s our Shepherd and Guide! He will make sure you get the most important things done in due time.

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #366

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 Sunlight Tree photo and picture

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

This was a fun week all around!

Monday and Tuesday were slower at work, so I was able to stay on top of my charting. Then, on Wednesday, we celebrated RDN day with soup, salad, and breadsticks from Olive Garden. We also had fruit pizzas for dessert and played a fun game. We tried to guess which facts matched each coworker. We were laughing so much and learned quite a bit about each other. It was so refreshing and made me love my job even more.

On Thursday, we had a TPN training, which reminded me of when Dave needed this source of feeding through the veins. I wasn’t sad, just reflective. We also had a teambuilding game with Oreos and sampled various flavors. Just for fun. Afterall, you don’t want to end up with a bag you don’t like! I think I will stick with either plain or just Mint Oreos, on occasion. 😉

That evening, one of my neighbors came over to help with a GFCI outlet in the kitchen. It was affecting four other outlets. We first noticed two Sundays ago, but it had taken me awhile to decide what to do. I can fix small things around the house, but this one made me nervous. Turns out there were five wires to connect! I hadn’t met this neighbor, but I do see his wife and kids at the bus stop several days a week. It’s funny because he is very friendly and I had no clue he was an electrician until lately! And, he is going to come back again soon and help me update/replace two bathroom lights that are getting rusty. God provided someone right when I needed it!

On Friday, I had a busy morning at work and needed to stay a couple of extra hours to get things done. But, that meant I got to stay for a birthday celebration (cake and ice cream). This was definitely an unusual week – we don’t have treats that often, let alone three days in a row! We were joking that it was a really good week to be at work!

Yesterday after work, I ran some errands knowing today was going to be another blizzardy day. I picked up a lot of fresh veggies (gotta balance out the treats!). Lydia asked if she could help me cut them up. We had fun chopping, cooking, and listening to Oldies music. By my estimate, she saved me a couple hours in the kitchen which was much appreciated! I’m grateful for my helpful girl!

Today, we stayed home and mostly relaxed since Lydia saved me so much time last night. I did a little housework but mostly we just enjoyed the snowy day!

Don’t forget to turn back your clocks for Daylight Savings Time tonight!

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

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