Tag: work

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

Finding Grace #554

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 but also relaxing. I went to the chiropractor and got a massage on Monday, but also worked hard helping a friend/coworker. It was a good mix of self-care and service!

Work has been good and busy. Between patients, projects, classes, deadlines, and meetings, I have had little downtime. But, my patients have been really sweet and eager to learn for the most part, so that has made it all worth it! 

On Thursday, my family celebrated my mom’s 70th birthday, her second in Heaven. I took a half-day off work and walked through some local parks. It was peaceful watching the colorful leaves fall like confetti! Then, I ran some errands before heading home. Lydia was off from school, so we hung out for awhile before I went to Alpha in the evening!

Yesterday after work, I offered to watch another coworker’s kids (ages 5, 3, and 1) while she ran to Kohls to find a dress for an event. It is difficult to try on clothes with three little ones! Lydia and I had fun playing soccer and wiffle ball with the boys and holding the little girl. They even picked out some books from my little free library! I am so glad we could help!

Today was focused on a few chores, mowing, and errands, among our usual Saturday things. Tonight she is hanging out with school friends and I am relaxing! I will pick her up in a bit and can’t wait to hear all about it!

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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, Kindness, Miscellaneous

Hunger Action Day

Hunger Action Month takes place every September to raise awareness and inspire action to end hunger in America. The Feeding America network of food banks launched it in 2007, and Hunger Action Day was yesterday. At work, my dietitian coworker and I, along with a social worker, put together a display on an entryway table for this event.

We took common foods received at local food banks and paired those with healthier items to improve the overall health and quality of the meal. We used foods from our home kitchens and the VA kitchen, as well as fake food models and some items from our demonstration kitchen, where my coworker holds monthly cooking classes. If we didn’t have the whole can or package, we just cut off the label and used that (ex. frozen veggies).

We focused on adding unsalted items to super salty ones and had a mix of name brand foods and generic foods. We had frozen veggies (the food label) and some canned ones. We tried to have all food groups represented on the table, and each meal combination had at least three food groups present, if not all five. We did not cook the foods, just laid out the packages as part of the display.

For instance, we took a package of ramen noodles and matched them with canned chicken, a steamable bag of frozen broccoli, a fruit cup, and a glass of milk! The ramen seasoning is very high in sodium, so someone could leave it out, or use half, or at least make it go further by adding the other lower sodium items. We also put a can of chili with a can of no salt added diced tomatoes, unsalted tomato soup, which could be added on top of a baked potato. We added a can of baked beans, microwave rice, and veggies, which could make a one pot meal, too! We printed recipes to go with these ideas.

We had at least thirty-five Veterans come visit our booth. I think they were drawn to food items they recognized, such as the canned or processed foods, and wondered what we were up to! If we had just had canned vegetables or fruits alone, it might not have caught their attention. Or, perhaps they would have thought it was not possible for them to achieve.

We talked about ways to stretch the Veteran’s food dollars and to make the most of whatever they have at home. Some of them receive monthly benefits of one sort or another, and some of those benefits include SNAP or going to food banks. Some of them have trouble paying for necessities, and some might just like a good deal.

I often tell my patients to get the best quality food they can afford. I also tell them not to throw away food or dump what is in their pantry. I encourage leftovers when possible, as well! Food is too valuable to waste or feel guilty about. Indeed, each type of food can bring something good to the table in its own way.

Anyway, it was a fun afternoon and change of pace. I met several Veterans and recognized others. I am grateful to provide compassionate care and education to all our Veterans. The Fargo VA is a good place to be and work!

Yesterday, in the downtime, I was able to reflect on the Lord’s provision in my life. My pantry and heart are full of blessings. In Jesus, I have all that I need (and more!). Often, we just go through our day without acknowledging all the ways He loves us and cares for us. May this be your reminder today!

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Father God, thanks for all the ways Your provide for me. Help me be generous with all that You have given me. May I be a blessing to others and bring You glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Question: Do you use recipes when cooking or just throw things in to a pan or pot and see what comes out?!

Task: Inventory your pantry and freezer and see how many food groups there are. See how many combinations you can come up with for a meal – and then make them! Anything goes!!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #551

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?!

It was a good week overall! Lydia stayed home sick on Monday and still is recovering, but overall doing better. I was able to come home early and that was also good for me.

Work was busy but somehow I stayed on top of my charting. God was so gracious to help me since I wasn’t feeling the best either. Still, I made the best of it and enjoyed my patients.

Thursday night was Alpha at church. We talked about why Jesus had to die (the topic for the week). It was a great conversation, and I am enjoying my group.

This weekend, my mother-in-law is visiting, so we are having a lot of fun. We went to a yoga class and then a movie. We also did a little thrift shopping and have had a lot of fun catching up. I’m enjoying the much needed R&R. I’m sure we will have more adventures tomorrow!

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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

Finding Grace #549

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 fairly normal with work, school, and activities.

We served at Oasis on Sunday and then had a 4 year old’s birthday party and family Zoom after that! It was a full day of fun! On Monday, Labor Day, we stayed home and mostly relaxed. It felt good to read and work on projects without rushing.

Work was good as usual. Besides the Monarch butterflies I have been visiting in the healing garden most days, one day I saw a pair of cardinals. I followed the male from a distance and then he followed me for a bit. I am fond of cardinals because where I grew up, we always had dozens of pairs. They are cheerful and familiar, but I haven’t seen one in quite awhile. So, it felt extra special.

Lydia is enjoying school so far. She had some tests and is working hard preparing for her Congress meet in a couple weeks. I am proud of her diligence!

Today, we just relaxed and did ‘Saturday things.’ I most enjoyed reading alongside Lydia. We both had our own books, and every so often, we would stop and share something we were reading. It wasn’t really planned, we just wanted to discuss our books with each other!

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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, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Wisdom

Finding Grace #548

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 pretty good week, a mix of slower days with some important decisions!

Work was busy but fun. I brought some no bake cookies for a coworker’s birthday treat. I even took a few walks with my coworkers in between patients. I made sure to take them through the healing garden to count the Monarch butterflies. I introduced four of my coworkers to them this week, and at one point, we counted fifteen!

Lydia had a good week of school and likes her classes. She is learning to balance the block scheduling with one easier day and one that is more difficult. So far, the homework has been manageable.

This week, Lydia and I had to work through a situation where she disobeyed me. What she did was not the end of the world. However, I wanted to make sure she realized that sin always comes to light in the end. If we hide it, it will fester and then likely become a bigger issue when the truth comes out. Typically, Lydia doesn’t need me to discipline her much since she has a sensitive conscience and usually autocorrects. In this situation, she had already ‘fixed’ the problem, but failed to mention it to me in a timely manner… So, I enforced some real world consequences, and I hope she learned a lesson she won’t soon forget. We ended on a good note, and I am grateful for God’s help in parenting!

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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, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #547

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?!

We had a good week easing into our next season!

Work was a little lighter this week. I was still fairly busy but had a few open spots, which let me catch up and work on some projects. It felt good!

The weather was perfect this week as we move closer to Autumn. I have enjoyed watching all the Monarch butterflies in the healing garden at work. Every day there seems to be a couple more, though I am sure they will soon start their great migration south.

Lydia had a great start to her Freshman year on Thursday. We went to the back-to-school night on Tuesday, which helped her feel more prepared. She likes her classes, and I think she will do well!

Today, Lydia worked on some homework, and I did my usual Saturday things. I’m trying to soak up the quiet, calmer pace before things really pick up in the next week or so!

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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, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Miscellaneous, Worship

Finding Grace #546

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 our last full week before the school year starts!

Work felt quite busy all week. But I had great patients and felt like I made a difference. One day, I literally felt like God was giving me words to teach and encourage them. I connected with Jesus and felt His holy fire!

The weather was great this week. It was cooler and darker in the mornings, then warm and sunny in the afternoon. It was perfect! Yesterday after work, it was pouring while I walked to my car, yet when I got home, the ground was completely dry. I was soaked but decided to mow and then take a shower, lol!

Today, I was on-call and had to go in for two patients at work. I saw a bald eagle flying over my car as I drove on the highway! Because of work, I had less time for errands, but ended up having a two-hour conversation with someone instead! I always love when Jesus redirects my schedule.

Tonight, I made a delicious lentil soup with a lot of fall-inspired spices. Even though it is still August, I am calling it “early fall.” At this latitude, the season feels so short, so I am starting it sooner this year. Lydia loved the soup and has already started putting out fall decorations around the 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 Being Gracious, Fear/Don't Fake Brave, Food and Nutrition, Miscellaneous, Parenting, Perseverance

On Parenting Yourself

This week, I met with a patient for some of her chronic conditions. We have worked together for a few years, and she has slowly lowered her barriers to changing her eating habits. She is a Christian, and I see God working in her life to make her more like Jesus! Still, that doesn’t mean her challenges or post-traumatic stress are any easier.

She told me she has learned she sometimes has to ‘parent herself.’ She can have emotions like those of a little child, but as an adult, she realized she still has a certain level of responsibility. She said, “I can want to eat a pan of brownies when I am upset, but I have the responsibility to eat a balanced diet instead.”

She told me the formula she uses, in essence: “It is okay to feel something (insert an emotion), but I am still responsible for (fill in the action). I was so proud of her coming to this conclusion! She is more capable than she realizes, and I hope she keeps growing in that direction.

Soon, I started to think about how I could apply these “reparenting” principles in my own life. I don’t need to make huge changes, as I feel pretty confident in who I am and what I do. (I had great parents who kept us accountable!!)

Now I have always been very responsible when it comes to other people’s expectations. In fact, my first grade teacher wrote on my year-end report card that I was “very diligent,” and I still think about that today. Nonetheless, there are certainly days when I fail to meet my own goals. I know I am not the only one! 😉

Here are some examples I came up with! Feel free to adapt these for your own needs!

Financially, I can envision this working well. “I may want a new _________, but I have the responsibility to pay my bills on time and buy Lydia school supplies. So, I can be patient and save up for it.” Even just repeating the logic out loud could be a life changer for some people!

Physically, I thought of two situations related to rest and action. (Sleep)”I feel like watching another episode of this show, but I have the responsibility of getting up early for work tomorrow. So, I will push pause and go to bed now.” (Exercise) “I don’t feel like exercising today; I’m tired and don’t want to go jogging. But I have the responsibility to care for my body as a temple, so I will go for five or ten minutes.” Just keep it simple and listen to your body when it needs rest or movement!

Mentally,  we are called to renew our minds and to take every thought captive. So, if you are stewing on something, thinking about perceived injustices or revenge, STOP. Catch those thoughts, present them to Jesus, check them for Truth or lies, and change them. Think on these things instead!

Spiritually, sometimes we don’t feel like worshipping the Lord, praying, or reading our Bibles. Instead of skipping time with Jesus, we can just tell Him how we feel. He really wants our hearts, after all. “Lord, I don’t feel like sitting here with You, but You are so much better than anything else I can imagine. I want to know You more, so help me find delight in You, Lord.” Amen

Remember, God’s Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus. We can’t do anything to save ourselves or earn His favor. We already have it because of Jesus! Still, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, we must put away childish things and grow into Christ. It’s worth challenging our emotions from time to time and pushing ourselves a little bit!

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Heavenly Father, thanks for working in us and calling us higher! Continue to refine us so we can show others Your love and character. May we come to you expectantly and unhindered. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: What is one area in your life that you can apply the basic formula above? How can the Lord help you through that challenge?

Task: You can read a little more about the concept of reparenting here. Regardless of your thoughts on it, it is still important to set good boundaries and regulate our emotions.

Posted on in Apologetics, Books and Movies I Like, Fear, Faith, and Moving Forward book, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, MARPE/Orthodontics, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #544

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, and I felt God’s grace all around me.

On Sunday, after church, we stayed to serve at OASIS. I’m glad we did, because some of the ‘regulars’ who serve were not able to attend. Later, we enjoyed family Zoom.

Monday was quite a full day! Work was busy, and then I left early for an orthodontic appointment. I am on track with my treatment plan, though I still have a long way to go to get my teeth in correct alignment. Hopefully, at my September appointment, I will find out more about when I will get the MARPE device removed!

Monday evening was fun because I went to my small group/book club at church. We shared our thoughts on Nabeel Qureshi’s Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus and other facets of salvation and our walk with the Lord. It tells the story of his conversion from Islam to Christianity before his death in 2017. I learned so much about the differences between various Muslim sects and how they think vastly differently than we do in the West. One important thing to remember is that the Bible stands on its own when compared to any other book or religion. We need to know what’s in it and how to live it out, but God is the one who changes hearts. It is on us to develop friendships with people and share His Truth mixed with grace and love.

Work was once again very busy, but good. I had a full schedule with patients and meetings, but also had almost no cancellations or no-shows. This is really good for my patients, though, and I enjoyed seeing them. Many of them were quite friendly and had fairly easy issues to work through. So, while I had a lot of charting, at least it all went fairly smoothly! We also celebrated one coworker’s birthday, and I had a good conversation with another about my story. They ended up buying my book, so that was really cool!

The weather was amazing this week! The mornings were much cooler (in the 50-60s on some days!), and it was great walking into work. The afternoons were warm but not hot, which is just about perfect. That said, it is an early indication of the changing of seasons! Fall will be here soon!

Today, I met a newly widowed single-mom friend for coffee. It was nice to finally get together in-person. I listened to her tell her story and encouraged her in her faith. We talked for nearly three hours, and we both were grateful for the time 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 Being Gracious, Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Fruit, Gratitude, Journey of Grace, Kindness, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance, Personality, Prayer

Finding Grace #543

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 of God’s grace! 

On Sunday, after church, we met some dear friends for coffee. We had fun catching up! Then, Lydia and I had a relaxing afternoon before family Zoom.

Work was very busy, finishing off a full month of patients, meetings, and so on. But I know I was right where I needed to be. I helped several patients who were really special. I enjoyed a potluck with my coworkers and helped solve some minor problems. I also finally got my full-time status officially approved. I have been working FT since March, but there were a few glitches, so I wasn’t getting paid properly. It’s all good now, and I will get some backpay. I am grateful my manager and supervisors are such great advocates for me!!

This week, I connected with a newly widowed, single mom. We texted and chatted on the phone, hoping to meet in person soon. She has a ten-year-old girl, and we have a lot of similarities in our stories. It made me think of my other friend, Amy, who was a godsend when Dave first died. I hope to be a good resource for her, with Jesus’ help and grace!

Lydia and I had several good mom-daughter moments. I am so proud of the decisions she is making, mostly on her own. She is learning to listen for the Lord and follow His voice. We had a lot of good laughs and some deep conversations. I am so grateful for her!

This week, we had a lot of prayers going up for various friends and family. I could sense God moving in and around me. There’s no better place to be! As a side note, I prayerfully postponed some upcoming plans, and immediately, God showed me He has better plans for me during that time. He is so good!

Today, we went to a small flower farm outside Moorhead. Then, we did some thrift shopping and dropped off a huge bag of puzzles for some friends at church. They were so surprised! Then, Lydia went to help a friend with a fundraiser, and I did some cooking at home. It was a great start to August, my birthday month!

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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)!