Tag: celebrate

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

Finding Grace #227

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 flew by! Lydia and I participated in our usual activities, such as work and daycare. Behind the scenes, though, we kept busy at home on various projects.

I have some upcoming deadlines for my online plant-based cooking class, so I had several recipes and lessons to finish. I ran to three different stores for various ingredients; the recipes were specific. Then, I spent many evenings watching movies or listening to podcasts while chopping up vegetables and washing dishes! I also had to document each recipe process with pictures and a writeup. It is worth it though!

On Friday morning, I took Lydia with me to get my driver’s license renewed and Real ID. I had made my appointment in advance, but I wasn’t sure how they would handle bringing a child (even though Lydia is well-behaved). Sure enough, they said only I could go in per pandemic requirements. But to my surprise, the lady had a creative solution! She let me fill out the paperwork outside while I stood with Lydia. When it was time to go inside to take my new picture and check my eyes, they let me use the station next to the window so I could see Lydia and one of the workers with her. God’s grace was apparent in the way the workers cheerfully helped everyone else, too, while they are trying to get everyone caught up from the last three months! Thank you!

Yesterday afternoon, Lydia was invited to swim with a friend and then sleep overnight at her house. I decided not to join them for swimming, choosing instead to focus on my cooking class assignments. I stayed up really late so I could finish a couple of the recipes and clean up. I was thankful for the space and peace to get my work done. It really helped, and I made significant progress!

With Lydia still at her friend’s this morning, I squeezed in a ten-plus mile bike ride along the river. It has been on my bucket list for awhile, but I decided to take advantage of the timing today. It was the first time I’d gone on an early morning ride since last summer when Lydia had a sleepover with the same family. And, it was my first real downtime since February (apart from Lydia with no parenting responsibilities). Self-care is so important, and I felt and extra dose of God’s grace. Thanks again to our friends for the break!

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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/Don't Fake Brave, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom

Beyond the Spectrum

Recently, I have come across the words ‘spectrum of light’ in two different settings. When repetition happens, I take note. One instance was the Netflix show, “Brainchild.” The episode was discussing electromagnetic energy, gravity, and other forces. Lydia and I like science shows, and it put some things into perspective for me.

Electromagnetic radiation comes in frequencies or wavelengths. Visible light, or ROYGBIV, is only one part of that spectrum. Light is then absorbed by various objects and we see whatever color bounces off. Other frequencies include various radio waves and microwaves. But they all have to do with energy on the same spectrum.

Humans can only see the rainbow colors, but there are ultraviolet and infrared light waves that are invisible to us. These are just beyond the violet/purple and red wavelengths. Ultraviolet light waves are faster because they are short and close together, while infrared light waves are slow and have less energy.

Ultraviolet rays can be harmful. They can cause sunburns, for example, or damage our eyes. But they can also bring health benefits like increasing Vitamin D production.

Infrared rays are often used in night vision for surveillance or tracking wildlife (think nature shows on PBS or Nat Geo). They are also used in weather satellites. Pretty cool!

As I was watching the show with Lydia, I thought about how God designed our eyes.

Interestingly, He gave many animals greater field of vision and the ability to see more colors. Cats and dogs only see certain muted colors, but some birds and spiders can see UV rays. A chameleon can see 360 degrees (yes, a full circle!) as its eyes are near the top of its head. Its eyes can also operate independently of each other!!

This made me wonder… Why did God ‘limit’ our eyesight compared to the animals? Perhaps it was so we could have less distractions… God knows we often need help keeping our eyes focused on Him.

Or maybe it was so we wouldn’t look funny. I’m glad we don’t have bug eyes! 😉

Either way, the rainbow first appears in the Bible as a symbol of God’s faithfulness. For me, I see it as both a reminder of God’s firm promise and a reminder to trust Him.

We can’t see the future or fathom all that is going on around us. We don’t know what tomorrow holds and can’t see how things work out. We can’t fully understand or control each of those circumstances, either!

Sometimes, our limited vision poses challenges for us. We don’t always have the correct perspective. But it can also be a major blessing in that we don’t bear so much responsibility. We don’t hold the weight of the world on our shoulders.

At the same time, there are invisible spiritual forces of good and evil at war. Like many Bible characters, we would probably freak out if we saw these supernatural beings in real life (think four-faced cherubim or the beast from Revelation!).

Someday, in Heaven, we will see the full spectrum of color. We will see everything as it should be. In the meantime, we can still have peace. We can trust Jesus and thank Him for His protection. He’s got this. 

He is light, and He reigns over the darkness, too.

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God, thank you for the beautiful world you have created! Thanks for letting us enjoy all the colors of the rainbow. Thanks for protecting us and providing good things for us. Help us trust You with all we cannot see. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Have you ever used night vision? Is it easy or difficult for you to trust God when you can’t see how it all works out? (That’s called faith.) 🙂

Task: Read up about these six animals with incredible vision. God is soo cool!

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

Finding Grace #226

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?

Happy Fourth of July! Lydia and I usually keep this holiday simple, but we are grateful for our American freedom and the heavy price that was paid for it. (I see this often, working at the VA, too.) Typically, we watch our neighborhood fireworks and hang out with friends. Tonight, we are also watching Hamilton on Disney Plus!

On Sunday, Lydia and I went to the local zoo. It was free for healthcare workers, so that was a nice bonus. The weather was warm and windy, but it was fun to walk around. We enjoyed seeing the otters, the prairie dogs, the goats, and the dairy cow, among others. We loved feeding the baby ducks! We social distanced and wore masks, too!

Lydia had a particularly great week at daycare. On Monday, she participated in a ‘Reader’s Theater’ that was based on a bunch of popular video games. On Tuesday, there was a fun water day planned, followed by a birthday celebration on Wednesday! I am grateful she’s having an awesome summer!

Yesterday, Lydia and I joined some friends for strawberry picking in Park Rapids, MN! It was hot in the sun, though we went in the morning. Lydia and I picked a full flat (see picture) of berries. So far, we have made some quick jam, smoothies, and frozen some for later. Yum!

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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, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #224

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 relatively calm week. Lydia and I enjoyed our family Zoom video chat and loved ‘meeting’ my new nephew, Alexander David. He’s so cute! 

During this pandemic, I signed up to take some free online classes on various topics. This week, I finished a couple of them. I learned a lot about photography and a couple of phone apps. I still need to finish my (paid) online cooking class though!

Yesterday, I noticed some great messages left in my little free library. I also mowed the lawn. It wasn’t very long, but I knew I would be crunched for time (or weather) later. Plus, it was a beautiful day! Lydia went to play with our neighbors and jumped on their trampoline. That was a huge help to me!

Today, we have really enjoyed relaxing. Lydia and I slept in, made pancakes, exercised, and made a few calls. I worked on a couple projects and did some laundry. Then, we played some games and watched Netflix. 🙂 I’m grateful for a slower day without a full agenda!

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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/Don't Fake Brave, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding Grace #222

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 wonderful week filled with God’s grace! We went to church for the first time in several months. It was great to worship God with other believers. I even met a new friend. She was of a different ethnicity and we briefly introduced ourselves and found out we had many things in common. God is soo good!

I appreciate the feedback I received about this week’s blog post. As Christians, we must speak up for injustice. If not, nothing will change! It took me awhile to form my thoughts (and will continue to do so), but I hope to make it an ongoing conversation with those around me. For instance, Lydia went a friend’s house to play, and I had coffee with the little girl’s mom who is also a dear friend to me. We discussed injustice and other topics, as well.

Early in the week, a friend from work asked to switch on-call weekends with me. She had to attend a funeral unexpectedly today. I asked my mother-in-law to also switch her plans around, so she could come watch Lydia in case I get called in. I was grateful she was flexible, as today, I did need to go in to work!

Today after work, we went shopping for Lydia and bought her some shorts. Next, we went to eat frozen yogurt and then attended the annual Parade of Homes. It is always fun to walk around the fancy houses, but I am also thankful for the house God has given me. I even ran into the realtor who helped us go through the building process ten years ago! She was happy to meet Lydia, of course!

Tonight, we are watching the movie Doolittle (out in 2020). We might also eat some strawberry rhubarb crisp I made earlier in the week!

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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, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #221

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?

If this week could be described by all the food we ate, I would say it was very tasty! On Sunday, a dear friend came over to visit and we ate African food and played games together. She briefly hopped on my family Zoom call to say hello to everyone.

Once again, work was busy and was productive. I ate yummy leftovers of a bean soup with Middle Eastern spices all week for lunch. I also shared some dark chocolate espresso beans with a coworker.

Early in the week, I worked on some assignments for my online cooking class. I blanched, parboiled, and gently cooked some broccoli. I also made garlic mushrooms and leeks. I did not have all the right ingredients, but used other versions (ex. dried garlic instead of fresh) based on what I had at home. Thankfully, I still earned 100%. The chef/teacher couldn’t believe I had gotten such good results, but I’m glad they recognized my effort. 😉 Next up… roasted carrots!

I ran some errands after work one evening, and then Lydia got deli sandwich from a nearby food truck for dinner.

Today, I mowed early in the day and noticed my pretty tulips. Then, I called my mother-in-law, and later, joined a baby shower over Zoom. It was fun to see old friends in at least three time zones! During the ‘party,’ Lydia and I split a cookie we bought a few days ago at the bookstore to celebrate the end of school. Yum!

Finally, this week has brought many conversations about injustice and racial inequality. I discuss these issues with Lydia, and it is an ongoing conversation. However, there is more to do in order to bring about change. This week, I bought some more resources to continue educating myself. Please pray for peace and speak up for justice.

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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 Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Wisdom, Worship

All the Glory

I am so thankful for how God chooses to bless us and help us. Whether our day goes as planned or not, He still reigns. As long as we seek His input and aim to glorify Him, we will be on the right path. It can look different everyday, however!

Yesterday morning, I woke up with a certain set of tasks and goals but needed to switch it up as the day progressed. For instance, I grabbed my rain jacket to deal with some light rain on my way to work. I got moderately wet on my walk inside, but I didn’t mind too much. I knew, later in the afternoon, it would be nearly eighty degrees!

During my work day, I altered my plans based on how the day presented. I got some of my work done and fielded some calls and questions, too. Even though I didn’t complete all my original tasks, I tied up some loose ends and felt good about my work.

Yesterday afternoon was quite warm indeed! It was beautiful and sunny after the rain left. On my way to pick up Lydia and run some errands after work, I saw yards with tons of dandelions and yards without. I saw beautiful crabapple trees and tulips, too! I also heard various songbirds, which is one of my favorite sounds. 

Along the way, I was overwhelmed with gratitude in this current season. I appreciated the weather, but also the freedom we have to do what we need to do and enjoy life (despite various pandemic protocols). Regardless of our circumstances, God is so good!

I kept thinking about how wonderful it is that God is with us and in us and still above it all. Soon, I rolled down the windows and quietly sang the first song that came to mind: Holy, Holy, Holy.

No matter what we are doing, every moment is a great moment to praise God!

After I picked up Lydia, she showed me TWO four-leaf clovers. I don’t think I have ever found any, and she has already found several (including the ones from yesterday)! She was calm yet happy, as she had been looking for a few days. Something so simple made her feel proud of herself. Her diligence paid off!

Even though our days were different, we each were able to honor God in our own ways. I was able to praise God in the moment and on-the-go. Lydia was able to apply patience and focus to find something God created. Everything we do can honor Him!

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God, thanks for helping us each day. Thanks for taking such good care of us. Help us live for You and give You glory in all we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How has your week been going? Have you been able to see God at work around you? How can you give Him glory and praise?

Tasks: Wherever you find yourself this week, take a few moments and reflect on God’s goodness. Praise Him for His faithfulness!

 

 

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Journey of Grace, Life is Short, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding #219

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 fantastic week! Mother’s Day was really fun. Lydia gave me some great gifts, with my mom’s help. She even threw me a beach party (with decorations) in the living room. Later, we Zoomed with my family again. I’m really enjoying our weekly chat!

Work was busy, but really good. All my patients listened to me and were making progress on their goals, which is always fun to see. It was gratifying to know I am helping them!

Friday was the seventh anniversary of Dave’s death. I prefer to celebrate his legacy and that he is in Heaven rather than give cancer and death any more press. It also helps remind me that, because of Jesus, death is not the final word. We have Victory over death!

The weather on Friday was absolutely gorgeous. Lydia and I went walking along the river, listened to birds sing, and found a little free library. We enjoyed Caribou drinks and some chocolate truffles from my sister and brother-in-law. I always give Lydia a gift in Dave’s honor, so yesterday she received some STEM toys (dealing with various topics like, gravity, electric circuits, and lasers). Then, my neighbor/friend came over to chat. We talked for hours and it was so great to catch up! I appreciated all the calls, texts, phone calls, and gifts from friends and family. Thanks so much!

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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/Don't Fake Brave, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

See A Victory

“The weapon may be formed, but it won’t prosper
When the darkness falls, it won’t prevail
‘Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph
My God will never fail
Oh, my God will never fail

I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord”

–From “See A Victory” by Elevation Worship

This coming Friday marks seven years since Dave died. It doesn’t seem like it should already be that long, but here we are. I am so grateful for God’s faithfulness.

Lydia continues to process what Dave’s absence means for her. It is an on going development as she learns and grows. We’ve had many in-depth conversations in the last six months, in particular. Thanks for your continued prayers.

It is still bittersweet at times, but I am amazed when I think about how far God has brought us. We have certainly had our battles, but each time, God has come through for us.

Just think: God has never lost a battle. He always claims Victory!

I don’t know what life would be like if Dave were still here. He could still be sick or totally healed. But truthfully, it does me no good to think about all the ‘what ifs,’ and I don’t have time or mental space for that rabbit trail.

What I do know is this: I have seen major Victories in my life that I probably would not have noticed or achieved any other way. For instance, I started this blog and put myself ‘out there.’ I wrote a book (details soon!!!) and started a business. I have continued learning various skills and am teaching others. In the fall, I started an awesome job serving Veterans. I have grown through parenting Lydia. That’s the short list! 

If things had turned out differently, perhaps I would not have been compelled to cling to the Lord in the way I have. And, I would have continued second-guessing myself and my ability. Not anymore!

Becoming who I am now has taken time, effort, and a lot of intention. But, I am not the same person. I am stronger and more stable. I make quicker and more solid decisions, without fearing the outcomes like I used to. That doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes, just that I am more confident when I say YES and when I say NO.

Victory, for me, is choosing faith as my default, not fear.  This big Victory has lead to many smaller Victories along the way. They just keep coming!

As a result, I have much more peace internally. I don’t feel the need to prove myself or do things perfectly. I have stopped putting limits on what I can do! I am happy to be just me, knowing with Jesus, that is enough.

I have also made various lifestyle changes in recent years. I still am involved with several activities, but they are choices I make on purpose. I want to, not I ‘have’ to.

I have taken on more challenges and cool projects as my capacity has grown. We don’t think about grief every day, thankfully, so we are able to handle other things. Plus, Lydia has been able to care for many of her own needs. I still supervise and help, of course.

Lydia and I enjoy doing a lot of fun things these days. When she was little, it felt more like survival mode. She need a lot of care and I was grieving. But now, we are thriving.

For Mother’s Day, on Sunday, Lydia gave me a little book that she filled out all on her own. (Thanks to my mom for buying it and sending it to her!) A common theme was that I have taught Lydia to be brave and not give up. Amen!

Ironically, I could never show Lydia bravery or perseverance if I hadn’t had to face my worst fears. And, I couldn’t do that without Jesus. He taught me what it means to be brave, and now I have the honor of passing those lessons on.

These days, we play games, go on adventures, make food and art together, and laugh a whole lot. On Friday, we will do something fun to celebrate Dave’s life and memory. We may eat his favorite foods, play a game, or go on a walk.

I will also give Lydia a special gift in Dave’s honor. He would be so very proud of her.

Loving Jesus, and living a fun, adventurous faith-filled life… a wholehearted Victory!

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Heavenly Father, all praise and honor to YOU!! Thanks for all the Victories in my life (including many more I haven’t mentioned here!). Help me continue to trust You for greater things! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What Victories have you seen in your life this year? What would you do if you had unlimited resources and there was no way you could fail?

Tasks: Listen to “See A Victory” by Elevation Worship. Trust God and make bold moves today. We cannot lose with Jesus on our side! He has never lost a battle! Victory is His!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #217

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 an awesome week! We kicked off the week with a fun family video chat on Sunday evening. We always have a great time and laugh a lot! It took a little coordination since my brother and his wife recently moved to Phoenix, AZ, so now we are in at least three time zones! We hope to do it again soon!

Lydia and I tried to get outside each day this week! We visited with neighbors, did some yardwork, and played some games. I noticed baby leaves on my trees, and Lydia took a picture of some tree swallows. We even went to check out the river one afternoon!

I am really grateful for God’s leading and guiding in my life! The last few weeks, I have been considering various options and decisions. I have prayed, researched, and asked questions. This week, I took some steps forward. I’m excited for what God has for me next!

Yesterday, I called a dear family friend and talked with her for 2+ hours. We hadn’t had the chance to connect for quite some time, so it was wonderful to catch up and learn all about what her family is doing. I loved hearing about God’s faithfulness!

Today, I practiced my kitchen knife skills for our online cooking class. I already feel like that was worth the cost of the class. Somewhere along the way, I realized that working on dicing, chopping, etc., will only make me more efficient and create more sustainable habits. I am a good cook, and this will take me to the next level!

This afternoon, a friend came over to visit. We hadn’t seen them for awhile, so it was great to catch up. We chatted for awhile and ended up playing some games. It was also fun to see Lydia’s competitive side come out!

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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)!