Tag: relax

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

Finding Grace #393

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 Sparrow Bird photo and picture

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

This week was full of several good activities!

On Monday evening, I went to the chiropractor for a routine adjustment. It’s incredible to see how well my body is holding each adjustment. My back sometimes gets sore, which is normal, but I have felt SO much better over the last year. Thank You, Jesus!

This week, I worked with an inspiring WWII Veteran. He is nearing 100 and was a POW before turning twenty years old. He was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and then went to a German prison camp. He earned several medals during his time of service. He is a true living legend, and I couldn’t help but think of the History he represents. Thankfully, he is still going strong, and I am honored to have met him!

On Wednesday, I helped out with a new program at church called Alpha. Lydia was at youth group, so the timing was perfect. I met several people and look forward to getting to know them more!

Lydia brought home her viola yesterday. She is learning a lot already and had fun showing me each part of then instrument. She even played a little song for me!

Lydia and I did some yardwork yesterday evening. She mowed and I pulled weeds, as we enjoyed the cool, calm weather. As the darkness settled in, I turned on the garage lights so we could work a little longer. Unfortunately, a little sparrow flew in and would not leave! We tried really hard to get it out, but I think it was scared or confused. It stayed overnight, left the next morning after we left the garage open for a bit. Whew!

This morning, Lydia and I attended a church conference. We enjoyed good food, fellowship, an encouraging message, and games. We made some new friends and caught up with others. It was encouraging! Then, at lunch, I even got to hold an 11-week-old baby. It was such a joy to soak up all the snuggles.

This afternoon, Lydia went with a friend’s family to the Bison game. NDSU won, and Lydia had fun walking around and cheering them on. Then, they went to the mall. (I enjoyed the quiet time at home and was able to get a few things done.) It was a good day!

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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, Parenting, Wisdom

Finding Grace #392

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 Coneflowers Flowers photo and picture

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

This week was full but fun! We started off with a total relaxation weekend for Labor Day. I took a nap, did some reading, and made some treats for a birthday at work. Just what I needed!

 We had a four-day workweek, which included the birthday celebration, some meetings, and a training class. So, it went pretty fast! I didn’t have as much pressure toward deadlines, which was nice, too.

On Thursday, I took Lydia to the grocery store. The twist is that she made all the choices and paid! She’s learning about value and costs, and it was a good exercise to see how to plan and stick to a budget. Knowing that the money is limited makes us consider our choices. She had to compare brands and expiration dates, weigh produce, and more. It went so well that we will be doing it regularly!

The grocery trip helped us be creative with the pantry foods we sometimes forget about. We talked about our values and goals related to money (on Lydia’s level). One bonus is that she saw parallels with her clothes – what’s worth the money and when it’s better to choose the basic brands vs. name brands. 🙂

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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, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Collision Course

Yesterday, I had a few minutes before work, so I went to get the mail that I missed the day before. On my way back inside, I looked up at the sky and noticed two airplanes. From my perspective, they were only an inch or so apart. 🙂

In fact, based on their trails, they looked like they could collide. Though I knew they wouldn’t. The air traffic controllers would have them on separate paths at different elevations. Safety first!

I tried to take a picture, but they were gone by the time I came back outside. I could only see part of the trail from one airplane. It’s crazy how fast they moved apart!

Free Plane Aircraft photo and picture

But, then that got me thinking… we are all on our own course, but God makes sure we get where we are going. Your destination might be work or school today, or maybe the grocery store. But, for those of us who know Jesus, our final stop is Heaven.

I also thought about how there are people on the journey with us, such as family, friends, and coworkers. At times, our paths collide and we go together, and occasionally our paths diverge. But, in both cases, we can trust God to lead us.

Finally, I was thankful for all the ways God keeps us safe, even when we can’t see the danger around us. We face many possible “collisions” (or challenges) in a day, but God watches out for us. We typically have all potential problems on our radar, but He does.

Occasionally, we see life from a different angle and get a glimpse of who God is or what He is doing. It’s like we are on a collision course with God’s grace! He won’t let us get too far from His love!

In those moments, let’s praise Him for carrying us, protecting us, and providing for us. Let’s encourage those who are on the same path (or plane) as us, too!

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God, thanks for taking good care of us and navigating our path. Help us trust You along the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: When you see airplanes, do you ever imagine where they are going or think about the lives on board?

Task: Next time you see an airplane, briefly watch its trail… from where it has come and consider the trajectory. Remember, each person and plane is important to God!

Posted on in Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #389

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 Flowers Zinnia photo and picture

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

This was a good week! It started off around Midnight on Sunday watching the Perseid metro shower for my birthday (Saturday). We saw about ten meteors, and a couple were very close and spectactular!

Work went well, and I had a nutrition student shadowing me each day. She’s trying to decide if she wants to be a dietitian. I had a variety of patients, and it was fun to show her what I do. I’m sure she will choose whatever path is best for her!

Lydia had two sleepovers this week. I was happy for her to soak up the last few days of her summer. Each girl is a good friend, and I also enjoyed a couple of evenings to myself.

Today, while Lydia was gone, I made the most of the time and did some deep cleaning while catching up on a podcast. I would have done it if she was home, but I probably got more done on my own! Tonight, I am doing a little organizing while watching a movie!

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

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

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

Rush Hour

Rush hour in Fargo is, well, nothing compared to say Chicago or Minneapolis! In the big cities, you could be in traffic for over an hour and barely move. I don’t think I could handle that on a regular basis!

In contrast, you may drive for fifteen to twenty minutes in Fargom yet typically keep moving along. But you still need patience, especially when people try to rush ahead or cut in traffic on the highway.

Yesterday, I spent some time running errands after work. I decided to skip the busier route and went through town. I still hit some traffic, though not as many vehicles switching from one lane to the other. Funny how the other lane always seems to move faster!

I am just as guilty as others trying to get home after a long day or move on to the next activity. But yesterday, I just took it easy and enjoyed the ride. Even so, I was home within eleven minutes after finishing my errands.

Free Traffic Cars photo and picture

I thought about how a spiritual “rush hour” might go. Now, often, God’s timing is much slower than ours. He is never early, never late, and always right on time!

Second Peter 3:8 says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” God’s timing is unique, but so are His purposes for us.

So as I sat in traffic and watched other people, I wondered how often I rush to move closer to God or hurry up my routine to spend time with Him. I don’t usually have a lot of wiggle room, so I have to set aside time diligently and even invite Jesus to come with me.

Do I speed up and ‘switch lanes’ to get to Him?

Do I readjust my schedule and rush to Him, or do I rush through my time with Him to move on to the rest of my day?

Every day is a little different, with a morning and evening rush (traffic, and often at home). But ideally, we should be excited to spend as much time with the Lord as possible. I am challenged to rethink my daily routine, and I hope you are, too!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for these little insights into the spiritual world. Help us throw off everything that entangles us so we can run toward You.  Help us keep You as our main priority. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How can you focus on God in your travel time? Do you like to sing and worship God; pray for your day or others; or listen to a podcast or audiobook about spiritual matters?

Tasks: Listen to God’s word through the YouVersion Bible app. Or, tune your car radio to KLOVE or your local Christian radio station (in Fargo, that’s Life 97.9 FM). If you have SiriusXM, check out The Message. Several of these have phone apps, as well!

 

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Life is Short, Little Free Library, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #388

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 fun week, partly because it was all leading up to my birthday TODAY!!

Work went well, and I enjoyed a lighter patient load. There were a few little surprises, but one good thing is that my patient with a complicated case has been improving quite a bit. He called me with good news, and I was so happy his condition is stable, and he is eating more.

Lydia and I went to check out some more sunflower fields. They are so pretty en masse! We got some fun pictures and enjoyed seeing more of the North Dakota countryside!

On Friday, I met a friend for lunch after work. We had a good two-hour conversation about all God has been doing in our lives. This friend has been through a lot but continues to challenge herself and grow in faith. It’s encouraging to me, and I always enjoy hanging out with her!

After that, Lydia and I got a head start on celebrating my birthday! We went to see those sunflowers, then followed it up with dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. The food was so delicious and such a treat. We shared several dishes and had baklava for dessert. Then, we took a walk around our neighborhood and the middle school!

Today, I woke up early and enjoyed some espresso and quiet time. I made a full breakfast with eggs, toast, fruit, and veggies. Then, when Lydia woke up, we went on a bike ride. The weather was perfect with bright blue skies and just a slight breeze!

After that, I did a little weeding – because I wanted to!! I also updated some hardware on my little free libraries. I did NOT feel like mowing on my birthday, though! So, that will have to wait. 😉

Later, I caught up with several birthday shout-outs online and a number of texts and phone calls. I really appreciate everyone cheering me on and reaching out. Also, thanks to all of you who faithfully read my blog each week!

Tonight, we are enjoying some homemade cherry dump cake, watching a movie, and playing Qwirkle. If we can stay up late enough, we hope to go see the Perseid meteor shower. It comes every year around my birthday, but I always seem to miss it. Occasionally, it’s due to the weather, but most of the time, I have to work or be somewhere the next day. So, hopefully, it works out tonight since it’s supposed to clear. It would be the best ending to a wonderful birthday!

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Food and Nutrition, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #387

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!

My lawn mower wasn’t working on Sunday. Through a little reading and tinkering, I realized it likely was the carburetor. My neighbor offered to take it in for a tune-up, which was so kind. I called and set it up, and he transported it back and forth. In the meantime, he let me borrow his mower, which was a big help!

We celebrated someone’s birthday at work, which gave us a chance to laugh and connect. I also had a lot of interesting patients, including the one from last week. He seems stable but had some issues with his tube feeding regimen. I worked behind the scenes with the pharmacy since we don’t carry the formula he needed. Thankfully, it all worked out!

On Wednesday, I dropped Lydia off at our church youth group and then went to pick some veggies from a friend’s garden. She was out of town and didn’t want them to go to waste. I picked a zucchini, a few tomatoes, and some peppers. On the way back to get Lydia, I saw two fields of sunflowers, which called my name. I pulled off to get a few pictures, and as I was sitting there, a couple of men drove by. A minute later, one returned to check on me. I appreciated him and did not feel threatened since he never got out of his vehicle. Thanks, Lord!

For Wednesday’s post, I wrote about how friendships are sometimes complicated as we age. They just take more effort because there are more factors involved. Many of my good friends have moved away, so it can be hard to keep putting myself out there when people might leave. Thankfully, Jesus always draws me closer. Furthermore, I aim to be a light wherever God leads me, so I won’t hide away even though that would be easier! 🙂

Today, we stayed home and mostly relaxed. I woke up early, lifted weights, and walked through the neighborhood. It was overcast and I saw some pretty cattails (pic above). Later, I made some fried green tomatoes with my friends’ garden produce! I just added a tiny bit of oil and some Maldon sea salt flakes. So good!

Now, we are enjoying a good thunderstorm. My lawn really needs the water, so I am thrilled. The downpouring rain on my windows means it’s a perfect night for a movie and some popcorn with Lydia!

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Wisdom

Closer

I overheard some really joyful news this week about a not-so-close-friend. I really like her, but, I am not sure I will reach out. We haven’t seen each other in a couple of years, and I don’t know how she would respond. I assume if she wanted me to know, it would be clear. I’m sure she will make an official announcement when she’s ready.

We have never been ‘super’ close; we just had a few good times together. For now, I will pray for her and cheer her on behind the scenes. And, if I get the chance, I will tell her how happy I am for her.

Do you have friends like that? Or maybe the term really should be acquaintances. 🙂

Indeed, many people are in my not-too-close category. It’s not that we don’t connect; people consistently tell me I am friendly and approachable. I am compassionate and good at listening. When asked for help, I always provide a basic plan to follow. But, then the problem is solved, and they tend to move on.

Free Flowers Siberian Bugloss photo and picture

So, I don’t know if it is me or them, or both! It certainly could just be a bunch of random circumstances not worth mulling over. Yet, here we are. 😉

When it comes to relationships, we’ve all heard something to the effect that if they talk about other people with you, they will talk about you with other people. But, I avoid gossip because so many people trust me to keep their confidence and I take that seriously.

I’m also fairly low-key. No drama here… but that also makes me one of the last to know!

Similarly, I use caution (wisdom!) when opening up to people. I’m fairly good at reading people and know not to misplace my trust. (#boundaries) I am okay with having a few solid friends who ‘get me’ rather than many loose acquaintances. It is important to know who’s in your corner.

Free Forget-Me-Nots Flowers photo and picture

Randomly, I think, “Hmm, maybe I’m just not that memorable, or maybe I just don’t have anything exciting to offer.” Case in point: I am great at remembering names and personal details, but I often have to reintroduce myself to people… multiple times, which gets old. Thankfully, Jesus never forgets me – He knows me better than I do!

I suppose most of these thoughts reflect my introverted personality. I am quiet and appreciate solitude, but I’m not really shy. I shine in asking good questions, but people don’t often reciprocate. I’ve been told I’m ‘blendable’ and can relate to a wide variety of people and interests. While that may mean I get lost in a crowd, maybe I’m the gel that helps keep everything cohesive. I appreciate that about myself!

Building community can be an art. Though, I only have so much extra time and energy, and we are all going in different directions with various obligations. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may preclude vulnerability.

Free Forget-Me-Nots Purple Flowers photo and picture

To clarify, having a lot of friends and acquaintances is a huge blessing. I have needed help from at least four friends this summer (Lydia, yardwork, questions, etc.). Yet, while my friends (and family) are sometimes unavailable, Jesus is always there for me.

Despite my occasional self-doubt, I understand it’s not ‘all about me.’ I am an Ambassador for Christ, so I am happy to share anything personal to help someone grow closer to Jesus for Eternity. It could be embarrassing, but as long as it is useful, I don’t mind! If that brings awkward conversations, so be it!

Ultimately, our contact list, Facebook likes, birthday shoutouts, or blog followers can only get us so far. They have a place, yes, but they don’t measure our true worth. Afterall, we don’t have to be popular, but we do need to live purposefully.

So, let’s draw closer to Jesus every day. He always welcomes us in and is eager to chat, no matter how much time may have passed!

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God, thanks for Your Friendship! You never let me go! Help me be a good friend, and help me keep drawing closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Did you know there are more than seventy varieties of forget-me-nots? How do you invest in your friendships?

Task: Make a list of your best qualities and how they apply to friendship. When it feels like people have abandoned you, pull out the list and pray about your next steps. (Don’t sell yourself short. Not all relationships are intended to last forever, and that’s okay!)

Posted on in Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Kindness, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #385

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 Sunflower Yellow photo and picture

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

This was a busy but good week! Each night, I stayed up fairly late but still didn’t accomplish everything I needed to. I was chasing my tail, but it all worked out alright.

Work went well and kept me on my toes. We had an employee appreciation event and that included lunch, plinko, other games, and axe throwing! It was a modified version (for safety and liability) but was so fun!

My evenings were quite busy, too! On Monday, I ran errands and did paperwork after work. I finished my blog on Tuesday night and also mowed, pulled weeds, and caught up with my neighbors. Wednesday was volleyball and youth group for Lydia and grocery shopping for me. On Thursday, I helped Lydia with a few little projects. On Friday, among other things, I completed Lydia’s school registration and paid some bills. Whew!

This morning, I was on-call for work and had to go in for four consults! It wasn’t so bad, but I did stay about three hours. I was glad to be able to serve these patients this morning.

Lydia went to a Minnesota lake with a friend’s family for the weekend. She sent me a couple of messages about all the fun she’s having. I told her I am watching movies and eating ice cream. So, a win-win, right?! 😉

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

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

Posted on in Being Gracious, Gratitude, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Wisdom

Shine Bright

Yesterday was an interesting day at work! It started off fairly busy without much downtime. My morning flew by with charting and three hour-long patients. Then, two people canceled in the afternoon, giving me time to eat lunch and catch up on more charting before my final afternoon patient.

That’s all pretty standard. But then the power went out in my office and the one next door, where two of my coworkers sit. It was a utility failure! We could not get anything done in the pitch black… so we decided to take a quick walk outside and enjoy the bright sun. We decided to make the best of it!

By the time we came back, everything was up and running again. I thought I lost two of my notes, which were in progress, but thankfully, the computer saved them. I was glad I didn’t have to redo all my work!

An hour or so later, one of the managers walked by, warning us to save our work just in case. There was another (planned) power outage. Sure enough, a few minutes later, my screens went black again. I went to warm up my coffee, and by the time I returned, everything was back to normal.

I’m glad this didn’t happen when my patient was there. We had full power when she walked in a few minutes later!

Later, as I drank my coffee and charted on notes, I thought about ways to handle the unexpected things that pop up, such as challenges, failures, or inconveniences. God doesn’t expect us just to sit alone in the dark with a negative attitude. He wants to shine through us!

There are many ways to destress, such as talking with friends, taking a walk, making a warm drink, taking a nap, or journaling. Instead of being upset about all that’s wrong, we can be thankful for what’s going right.

But most of all, I am grateful for God’s presence and understanding. It’s good to pause and reconnect with God because He always meets us where we are! He graciously provides for all our needs.  

Regardless of the day’s adventures, we always have the opportunity to shine bright for Jesus!

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God, thanks for all the ways You help us! Thanks for helping us make the best of daily stresses. May we shine bright and bring honor to You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: How has God shown up for you this week? Can you see His grace and provision?

Task: Reframe your next unexpected problem and see it through God’s lens.