Tag: Lydia

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #196

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 really great week! It has been chilly, but we haven’t received any more snow since Sunday. I’m grateful the roads weren’t super slick.

All week I trained full time in the hospital portion of where I work! I really enjoyed working ‘inpatient’ again, as it has been a long time since I have done that. On Friday, the lady training me was off, so I covered for her and had a good day!

On Thursday, my small group friends canceled, so Lydia and I enjoyed watching ‘The Polar Express’! It was different than we expected but we both had a good time together.

That night, I also fixed a curtain rod in Lydia’s room! Years ago, she broke it when she used the curtains as a swing. I half-fixed it back then but needed to do a better job this time. A friend coached me over the phone but it feels good to finish the job on my own!

Today, Lydia and I attended an out-of-town baby shower for a friend. It was a fun way to celebrate her and we met some of her other friends! We played games and had yummy food! Thankfully, the weather was also good and the roads were clear.

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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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #195

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 full week, yet we were also able to relax. Work went well and was fairly busy, but then it was time to play! Balance, right?!

On Thursday, we invited a friend over for Thanksgiving. She is from Ghana, so her family is also far away. We made and ate yummy food, then caught up and shared about our blessings. We played with Lydia’s new coding robot and played other games, too.

Later in the evening, we all watched ‘Home Alone’ and put up our Christmas tree! This movie is a classic and always reminds me of my family. We saw the movie when it first came to the theater (in 1990) with my grandparents. Regarding my extended family, the more of us there are, the louder we get. When we all get together, it gets rather chaotic. But, we all love each other and support each other despite our differences. We always have fun playing ‘reindeer games’ and catching up!

Lydia and I both have enjoyed this long weekend. It has been so good to sleep in and go at a slower pace. Lydia and I have played board games and watched more movies, like ‘Elf’ and ‘Little Women.’ This weekend was just what I needed! Thank You, Jesus!

Today, we stayed in to relax and wait out a winter storm. The snow is quite pretty, and I am grateful to have help with snow removal. It was a good decision to hire someone for the season. I’ll still need to clear some snow (where they can’t get super close to the house), but it will require less of my time and physical effort. I’m grateful!

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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 Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom

LEGO Sets and Coding Robots

For her birthday last week, Lydia received several wonderful presents. For instance, she received a couple of LEGO sets, and we had fun putting them together last weekend.

I let Lydia do most of the work, but we both enjoyed the process. I mainly supervised but was happy she considered me to be part of the team.

Of course, we have put together multiple LEGO sets, but the details always amaze me. The directions contain virtually no words to describe what is expected, so it is mainly through looking at pictures one can be successful. Somehow it always works out!

Last week, there were times when we had to pull something apart and rebuild it. But even when we had to go back a few steps, it only made the final product stronger.

Besides gifts, Lydia also received an Amazon gift card and some cash. I usually have her save her money, but this time, I let her buy something special.

After comparing several ideas and looking through options, she decided on Botley, the Coding Robot. Two-day shipping meant her package came right away! 😉

Lydia first learned about coding last year, and I encourage any opportunity to build on her STEAM skills in a fun way. (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)

So far, using Botley seems straightforward. He says hello, chatters periodically, and is really cute! I’ve even played with him after Lydia has gone to bed. 🙂

Botley is very hands-on, while still promoting critical thinking. I appreciate he brings ‘screen-free’ playtime. Thankfully, Lydia had enough birthday money to upgrade her set, so it should keep us engaged for awhile!

‘Coding’ is essentially computer programming. It is cool to see the basics of how this works behind the scenes. In our modern tech-driven society, coding is one key to making the world go ’round. So, for kids today, this is more or less a necessary skill.

Technology is not a stand-in for interpersonal skills, kindness, generosity, etc., but I want Lydia to stretch herself, learn new things, and grow. If she can have fun, too, bring it on!

Botley was simple to set up, and we were playing with him in a matter of minutes. At first, Lydia thought Botley was more of a remote control car, moving forward, backward, left, or right on a whim.

But soon, she realized she needed to plan ahead and tell her little robot what to do to help him reach the final destination or goal. It was a challenge for her to think through each step!

Interestingly, I see several parallels between LEGO sets, coding robots, and God’s sovereign plan for us. From DNA and fingerprints to unique personalities, talents, and interests… He has designed us for greatness!

It brings God great joy when we follow His direction and leading with a cheerful heart. As we move through each challenge, He cheers us on!

If we forget a step, we may have to fix something before we move forward. But if we lose sight of our goal, God is right there to remind us, encourage us, and empower us.

On the other hand, while God is the Master Coder, we are not His robots. Instead, He invites us into His family as dearly loved children!

We are also God’s partners. He takes charge but gives us personal responsibility too. Unlike Botley, who has no choice, if I refuse to listen, I have consequences.

At the very least, if I am disobedient, I risk not fulfilling His amazing plan for me.

I’m grateful God shares His plans with us. He never expects us to just ‘figure it out.’

We have several gifts and resources to help us. We have our God-given conscience and the Bible (God’s Word). We also have His peace and presence through the Holy Spirit.

God usually doesn’t share ALL the details at once, but thankfully, He always tells us what we need to know. Draw near to Him, ask for His input, and then do it!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for Your wonderful, sovereign plan! Thanks for always having Your best in mind for me. Help me walk it out in faithful obedience. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: Do you feel like you are in a loving partnership with God or a remote-controlled robotic relationship?

Tasks: Pray for wisdom and direction, if you need it. Make sure to follow-through!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #194

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 great week!!

Lydia had a birthday, and we celebrated all week long! Each day we did something special including opening presents, eating yummy food and treats, and chatting with family. Lydia received lots of thoughtful gifts, and we enjoyed spending time together while we put together her new LEGO sets. God gave me an awesome girl!

Today, we went to see Frozen 2. It was a wonderful movie! We liked it even better than the first one, and would highly recommend it! I really enjoyed the message.

On Friday, I had another day completely to myself! It was so relaxing, and I went through several piles of paperwork at a leisurely pace. I’m grateful for the ability to work part-time! It’s not without its own challenges, but I appreciate how God takes care of us!

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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

Forever Grateful

Lydia came home yesterday from school and told me about her day. She said one of the best parts of her day was in gym class. She told me about an obstacle course the students completed in the spirit of celebrating Veterans Day.

There was no school on Monday due to the holiday, so her class celebrated later. Each student pretended to be a soldier and had to climb, jump, crawl, swing, etc. through a series of challenges. At home, Lydia happily showed me examples in our basement work out area. She told me I had to use my imagination, of course!

We briefly discussed how difficult it must be to be a real-life soldier… and how we can honor them and be grateful for them. It was interesting to hear Lydia’s perspective.

Now that I work with Veterans (and only Veterans), I am more in tune with the struggles they face. I will never fully understand those issues, but I appreciate their many sacrifices on my behalf. Without Veterans and an active military, who knows how our lives could be?

It is quite humbling when you think about it.

The best way to show our gratitude is to live in such a way as to honor these brave men and women. As we celebrate our many freedoms, that may look different for each of us.

In short, we can each spend our time, money, and other resources in unique ways.

That’s part of the beauty of being free! We have the ability to choose.

All gave some. Some gave all.

Of course, Jesus Christ also gave His all for us. It cost him everything. He gave us the ultimate freedom from sin and the gift of eternal life with Him.

I’m forever grateful. Our lives are (and can be) changed because Jesus gave His. 

Because of Jesus, we are free from fear. What a relief! We don’t have to be afraid!

Also, we are free to be kind and generous toward others, even if they cannot repay us. We can have daily peace and joy regardless of our circumstances. We can do what is right without worrying about what other people think.

The list goes on and on.

Again, how we use our various freedoms will surely look different depending on many factors. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Just walk in grace and freedom… and be grateful.

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Jesus, thanks for dying for us and buying us freedom! Help us walk freely in Your grace and love. Help us take nothing You’ve given us for granted. Help us be wise! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What American freedoms are you most thankful for? How do you show your gratitude to all those who have fought for our freedom?

Tasks: Write a thank you note to a Veteran or active soldier and listen to his or her experiences (if they are willing to share). Visit a National Cemetery to honor sacrifices made on your behalf. In Fargo, check out the newly dedicated Fargo National Cemetery!

 

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

Finding Grace #191

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 flew by in a blur!

On Sunday, we video chatted with a relative we haven’t seen since Lydia was little. This person lives far away and the relationship just hasn’t been the same since Dave died in 2013. It was really special for Lydia to say hello since she does not remember anything from so long ago. I hope we can continue connecting or possibly even going for a visit in the future. Life is too short to not reach out to loved ones.

On Tuesday, a good friend came over for dinner. She brought tacos and we were able to catch up. We also watched a Hallmark show together. 😉 I was thankful!

Thursday was Halloween! We had a costume party and holiday food at work! It was a fun experience! Later that night, we went to another family’s house for dinner and trick-or-treating. Lydia dressed up as a pirate! Oddly, this was my first Halloween not passing out candy. I accidentally left on my lights when we left and probably disappointed several people who knocked on my door. It was a big neighbor-fail, haha! Thankfully, I texted my neighbors to let them know and they were gracious to understand. 🙂

Today has been another beautiful day. Lydia played outside with friends, and I caught up with dishes, laundry, and other household chores! It does feel good to have a clean house! 

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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 #190

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 was a really fun week full of God’s grace!

On Sunday, a friend came to do her laundry at my house. We had a great time. We even got to say hello to our moms…I chatted with her mom in Africa, and she chatted with my mom in Florida. She stayed for lunch and dinner and a wild game of Crazy Eights!

On Tuesday, Lydia and I went out to eat with some of my new coworkers. We went to a popular restaurant and stayed to play BINGO! Lydia was really into it, helping me monitor my card and dab the numbers. We stayed for a couple of hours and had so much fun! If I would have insisted on Lydia’s normal bedtime, we would have missed out.

Work is still going well! It is busy and can be fast-paced at times. But, I am really grateful to be there and have meaningful conversations. It is truly a blessing and an honor to work with Veterans. Thank You, Jesus!

On Wednesday, I gave away the last of my apples to two different ladies. I hate to see good foods wasted, so I used what I could and blessed others with the rest.

On Thursday, most of the ladies in my small group canceled for various reasons. One friend still came and we made cookies and caught up on all sorts of topics. She is pregnant, so it was fun to talk about her new family adventures!

Yesterday, a friend came over for Chinese food and Hallmark movies! It’s always fun to hang out, and Hallmark kicked off their Chrismas season of movies! If you need me for the next two months, you’ll know where to find me! Just kidding… sort of.  😉

I signed up for snow removal services this week. I will likely still be out doing a little of the work, but I’m grateful not to have to do all of this upcoming season. Thanks so much for your prayers on my decision.

Today has been a beautiful autumn day. Lydia played most of the day with friends, which is great because the weather is supposed to be chilly going forward!

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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 #189

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 was full and felt long, but it was also somewhat unusual!

Last weekend, we received snow, which is not unheard of, but still unusual. I used my snowblower and shovel to clear the snow. I woke up the next morning feeling a little sick and sore from head-to-toe. I spent most of the day wondering why. Later, my neighbor pointed out I was probably sore from all that work! After still being sore three days later and feeling tired most of the week, I decided to (finally!) look into hiring a company to help me this season. I’d appreciate prayers for wisdom to choose the right company!

On Sunday, two dear friends brought over two different apple crisps! Then, we went with one of these friends to pick up several fresh boxes of apples from her coworker. I was able to take a good-sized box of fresh apples to work to share with at least eight people. It was fun to see how many people were blessed by one person’s generosity!

I still have a lot of apples of my own, so I made some applesauce in my Instant Pot. I may make some other goodies as well. I’m really enjoying this fall!

On Thursday and Friday, Lydia had two planned days off from school. Lydia was able to go to the Y program which was still open. Once again, she had a really fun time. I’m so glad she has adjusted so well! I’m grateful for how God is leading us, stretching us, and providing for us! He is so good!

Today has been a beautiful autumn day. Lydia played outside with friends. I worked inside a bit, but also took advantage of the slightly warmer weather and mowed my lawn one final time (in shorts!). It was the first time I have done it since late July!

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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, Parenting, Prayer

Finding Grace #185

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 was a full, but good, week!

The weather turned quite warm again, which was a nice change from last week. Still, I am ready for cool weather. That said, I am not quite ready for snow. I still need to finish outdoor chores, like getting my patio furniture inside!  I did notice my trees are starting to change color this week!

Work went well and was steadily busy. I felt helpful and productive! I also had orientation on Thursday and Friday, because, in August, I couldn’t make the timing work until Lydia was in school. It was long but worthwhile. I enjoyed learning more about the history and mission of the VA, and the many important services we provide.

Lydia had a good week and let it slip (twice!) that she is really enjoying the Y program, after all. I happily teased her about it because her original attitude was pretty negative. Thanks for your prayers! 

Tornado sirens went off last night after dinner. I was not concerned because I was tracking the thunderstorm and knew it wouldn’t last long. Lydia was a little scared, though, which gave us good reason to snuggle on the couch downstairs. We talked about big topics like “if I were to die, what would happen,” wills, guardianship, and life insurance. Along with grief and death, we are used to talking about the “what ifs” in our house. Lydia’s fear soon left as she realized God is in control and we are as prepared as we can be. It was really sweet to hear Lydia pour out her heart to Jesus and receive His peace.

Today, I caught up with another widowed, single mom friend over the phone. We connected years ago, and she encouraged me after Dave died. She had some questions for me today, and I was able to help her. It was fun to catch 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 Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Journey of Grace, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Prayer, Words

Finding Grace #183

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 was a really good week!

My parents were safe and dry as Hurricane Dorian passed by the Florida coast. It had major impact elsewhere, however. Thanks for your prayers and support!

Work went well, and I felt like I accomplished a lot. I still have a lot to learn, but it has already been very fulfilling. I can see why God placed me in my role. One morning, I walked in during the ‘honor guard’ for a veteran who just died. It was a touching moment as “Taps” was played in the hallway and everyone stood at attention.

Lydia seems to be adjusting to school and the daycare program! Thanks so much for your prayers. We are both being stretched this year, but I am excited for what God has in store. Lydia doesn’t quite understand how this is good for her just yet. I pray she grows and learns important lessons this year. It may be challenging, but I know it is for the best!

This week, I had lots of important conversations and received several well-timed compliments. At different times, I caught up with five different ladies, building them up and cheering them on. I also heard I was doing a good job at work, was doing well as a mother, and also heard quite a few good things about Lydia at school. We can’t live for praise, but the kind words were just what I needed. They were confirmations that we are on the right path. God has us right where He wants us, and I am so grateful!

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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)!