Tag: work

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

Finding Grace #382

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 interesting week! It seemed longer since I had a regular work week of five days instead of only working a couple days each of the last two weeks! 😉 I felt productive and was happy to help my coworkers. We shared some fun laughs and learned a lot while performing one of our annual competencies!

Lydia and I did some more weeding and caught up with our neighbors. One night, we helped some young kids find books at our little free library (on the edge of our property). It was fun to meet them and watch them interact with the books!

Yesterday, I went to a funeral service at the Fargo National Cemetary after work. I wanted to support my widowed friend and also saw some other people from church. I have been to several funerals with military honors, but never one at a national cemetery. It was so cool to see how this Veteran was honored. I am thankful for his service, and it fills me with gratitude ahead of the 4th of July next week.

This week, Lydia joined me during my exercise routine. I let her use some lighter weights and she followed along with my personalized program. It was fun to see her write down her accomplishments. Today, she told me she already feels stronger!

Today, I made a few food items, did laundry and some other chores, worked out, and then mostly relaxed! We did some reading and then watched a couple of shows together. It felt good to have a slower pace after a busy week!

**********

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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #380

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 Wave Sea photo and picture

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

This was a fun week! Work was busy but good. I had a lot to do and finish, but I got it all done. We said goodbye to one dear coworker as she is moving to another VA in Florida. We will miss her, but did learn one of our coworkers will soon move into her position. Then, we will have to backfill the other position, but it’s all good!

This week was full of yardwork, such as weeding, watering, and mowing. Lydia mowed some of the yard for me, which really helped! My neighbor boys periodically came over to say hi and ask questions. 🙂 One even pulled a small handful of weeds!

Then, Lydia and I went on a little adventure to the beach and saw family! I will be sure to have a recap for you next week! For now, we are enjoying the ocean, sunshine, and catching up. 🙂

**********

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, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Wisdom

Dandelions and Thistles

I have really enjoyed taking care of my yard this summer. It’s nice to be outside and physically active! I’d love to get some flowers and do more landscaping, but I don’t have that much time and energy! I could hire someone, but that gets expensive, especially when I don’t really have a plan in mind.

Besides, I have an ongoing problem.

Lots of hot sun + not a lot of water = dead patches.

I have a little green grass, a fair amount of dry thatch, and a variety of weeds. It’s all a little defeating sometimes because the thatch and weeds are so prevalent.

I actually don’t mind some weeds; right now, they are the greenest, prettiest portion of my yard! I do try to pull the thistle weeds because they hurt, but the occasional dandelion or creeping whatever-it-is-called doesn’t bother me.

Technically, dandelions are good and, perhaps, cheerful, though they may be unwanted. They are even edible, though I don’t think I’ve ever tried them. In other news, I am seriously thinking about planting micro clover! It is bee-friendly, hearty, and low maintenance. It might conserve the soil, too.

Free Dandelion Flower Dandelion Egret photo and picture

As I was pulling weeds recently, I was able to pray and contemplate. During these precious moments, I was reminded of weeds in the Bible.

In Matthew 13, Jesus taught several parables to explain spiritual issues. He used a lot of agrarian principles, such as sowing, reaping, and weeding.

In the first parable, Jesus talked about a sower who threw seeds onto the ground. They landed on 1) the path and were eaten by birds; 2) rocky ground without much soil, which caused the roots to scorch in the heat; 3) a patch with many weeds, where the seeds were choked out; and 4) good soil, which produced an abundant harvest many times over.

It seems the environment and soil has a lot to do with how well the seeds did. There are lots of other insights if I had more time to get into this. But, I’ll keep it simple today and point you to verses 18-23 linked above. Basically, we need to guard the seed, which is God’s Word, dig deeper, and remove distractions.

Later, in another example, Jesus said to leave the proverbial weeds because removing them would ruin the rest of the crop. He promised to take care of them once the Harvest is at hand.  Soon… come Lord Jesus, come!

Free Wildflower Meadow Flower photo and picture

What are the spiritual weeds in our lives? These could represent the concepts of good and evil, which still coexist in the world. But, personally, I’m considering distraction, social media, laziness, disobedience, fear, and more. They choke, entangle, and sap our strength. They hinder growth and may prevent maturity. They keep us from living a full life!

I suppose a lot of my problems would be solved if I would consistently water the grass that’s left. Perhaps it would even sprout in some new areas with some grass seed. Though, I am a little conflicted. Water is a precious resource and the vanity of the short growing season.

So, for now, I will just get the weeds I can and do my best. Unfortunately, they just spread continually. Perhaps more importantly, I’ll diligently remove spiritual weeds, as they also spread quickly. And perhaps I can keep researching that micro clover!

**********

God, thanks for being such a good Father. Thanks for tending to us and providing for us. Help us remove spiritual weeds from our lives. Give us wisdom as we grow and see You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Questions: Do you enjoy yard work? Do you like vegetable or flower gardening? What spiritual weeds are you enabling in your life?

Task: Read Matthew 13 and meditate on it. Pray about any spiritual weeds in your life. You will need God’s strength and power to remove them for good!

Posted on in Finding Grace Weekly Recap, Gratitude, Miscellaneous

Finding Grace #379

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

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

Free Bird Barn Swallow photo and picture

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

This week went by quickly! I stayed home from work on Monday because Lydia was not feeling well. The heat over the weekend got to her, so we focused more on self-care and rehydrating. Thankfully, she felt better by the end of the day!

Work went well, and I kept busy with charting and patient care. I had some friendly patients but also helped my coworkers and read up on various nutrition topics.

After work yesterday, I ran some errands. Then, I came home to find a pair of barn swallows building a nest on my front door. This happened a few years ago, but I hung up a little dangly, twirly thing which seemed to help. This time, the birds were swinging on in and giving me a piece of their mind! They are pretty but feisty! So, I sat outside for a few hours in front of the door to shoo away the birds. I read a book and watered the grass, as well!

Later, I asked for input online and got some good tips to discourage the birds. For now, I put up some pinwheels until I decide which of the tips to implement. So far, so good!

**********

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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Parenting

Finding Grace #377

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 exciting week! We watched our friend’s baby on Sunday and had fun “showing her off” on Zoom to our family (they know her mom). She was crying a bit but every time I stepped out on the deck, she grew calm. It was funny! And, my friend brought us ice cream and some patriotic flowers (above) as a thank you!

On Tuesday, I took part of the morning off to go to Lydia’s school. She earned an academic award and a certificate of achievement for her elementary years. I am proud of all her hard work. Also, it was fun to cheer on all the kids, some of whom are our neighbors!

On Wednesday, Lydia attended youth group at church for the first time. Now that she’s going into middle school, she is eligible to go. This is something Lydia’s been looking forward to for some time, but she was still a little nervous. Thankfully, she saw a few people she knew, and one person she met last week remembered her and called her over when she arrived. It was a blessing, and Lydia was really glad she went!

Thursday was Lydia’s last day of elementary school. She will miss seeing all her friends, but she will still go to the Y for a couple of days each week (at the school). So, it will be a smooth transition into middle school next fall. We ‘celebrated’ by mowing the lawn that night, lol!

Work was busy but manageable. I taught three classes on Wednesday, saw several back-to-back patients the rest of the week, covered a coworker while she was on vacation, and got ahead for next week. But, it went well and I enjoyed it!

The weather was hot and sunny this week! The wind made it really nice, and I took the scenic route due to some road construction.

Today, we helped out with a high school graduation party. We stayed for about six hours! Lydia played with her friends, and I met new friends and caught up with dear friends and served in the kitchen. We chopped up cooked chicken, refilled various entrees and sides, washed a ton of dishes, etc. Lydia said she heard us laughing as they walked through. It was good for my soul!

**********

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 #372

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

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

Free Bird Long-Tailed Tit photo and picture

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

This week was good. Seeing all the little songbirds on my deck brings me great joy!

I took a half day off from work on Monday and finally got my front door lock replaced! So, I am grateful that it went well.

 The weather was a little cooler (again) this week! 🙂 We got some flurries and a little accumulation later in the week. Much of the snow has melted, though. The river is high, but I don’t think it’s too bad right now, thankfully.

Work was a little calmer as well. I had plenty to keep me busy, but it all worked out just fine. I changed my tour on Friday to attend a school music program for Lydia. It was fun to see her friends and I was able to run a few errands before heading in to the office. It was a win-win!

Last night, Lydia got invited over for an impromptu sleepover. She had a blast and returned this afternoon, so I had some time to just relax. Actually, I did some cooking and cleaning, along with other “Saturday chores.” But, it was nice to not have anything pertinent to do!

Tonight, Lydia had to do some schoolwork and then tried on some skirts. She usually dresses more casually, but I wanted her to have some fancier items on hand. She helped herself to some of my high heels, and I could not believe how grown up she looked as she was twirling… such a beautiful young lady!

**********

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

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

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

Work Smarter, Not Harder

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

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

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

Free Door Toilet Door photo and picture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**********

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

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

Task: Read these Bible verses about doors! 🙂

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

Finding Grace #371

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

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

Free Robin Red-Breasted photo and picture

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

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

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

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

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

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

**********

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, Life is Short, Miscellaneous, Perseverance

Finding Grace #369

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 Trees Snow photo and picture

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

This was a good week and was easier than expected!

As usual, on Sunday we had fun on our family Zoom night. At almost three years old, my nephew is the perfect age to provide all the entertainment. My niece is a year younger, but she’s also adorable to watch!

Work was quite busy, but despite a heavy patient load, I did my best to manage my stress. My coworkers and I put together a three-panel board about our inpatient and outpatient services for a nursing fair next week. We had fun joking about our lack of cutting and art skills, but it actually turned out well!

The weather was pretty status quo this week. Below zero and snowy, which is par for the course lately. You’ll have to pardon my choice of picture tonight – I like to pick something that reflects the week or day. Despite it technically being spring, it will take at least a few more weeks to see any real snow-melting progress. I did notice the storm drain is visible just off my front curb; water is going into it, so that’s a good sign! I talked with my dad yesterday, and he asked if we had any tulips popping up yet. I just had to laugh!

Today was pretty relaxing. Lydia and I each did some cleaning and had a good workout. We also tried out our new Ninja Creami machine. We made some banana ‘nice cream.’ We have made it in the past with a blender, but we turned out a much better product tonight! We’re going to try it again tomorrow. 🙂

**********

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, Parenting, Perseverance

Finding Rest Among Busyness

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

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

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

Free Time Work photo and picture

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free Lists To Do illustration and picture

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

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

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

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

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

**********

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

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

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