The Hop Toad

Grandpa Frandsen has always been good at telling a story. He can take the most trivial thing and make it sound like your with Sherlock Holmes at 221B Bakers St. in London or fencing along side The Three Musketeers. Take yesterday morning for example (and mind you, my grandpa is in a wheel chair):
 "You can't believe what happened. I looked out side, and the storm was storming... The wind was winding... The rain was raining... The thunder was thundering... The lighting was lightning-ing... and that patio umbrella was twiiiirling! So I went out and closed it up so it wouldn't be carried away. And while I was coming back in, a little hop toad, hop! hop! came right in the door! It hopped, plop! Under the couch. And I chased it under the little table. And over by the bathroom door. Hop hop hop! It got away under the pile of movies. And then, wouldn't you know it, it hopped right back out the door. He didn't even use the door properly, he crawled right out the crack."
I've been reading the book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller, (If you haven't read it I highly recommend) and in it he talks about the elements of story. Basically a story is "a character who wants something and is willing to overcome trials to get it." Miller is explaining that the essence of life is the same. That our life is a story. We shouldn't settle. We need to overcome trials. Preserver through hardship. Its not a crime to plan and to have goals and ambitions, because those things that make a good story are the things that make a good life.
Grandpa's story was simple but he had the element of a good story. He had an ambition and a trial to overcome. And it ended as a happily ever after, which we all love. Mostly, I guess, is I am reminded that we all like a good story, so why not make your life one that you can tell?

P.S. If you want to read the book. I would also recommend reading his book, "Blue like Jazz," first. Because "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years," is kinda piloted by "Blue like Jazz."

Diamond in the Rough

I am certain that the past few days there have been moments spent with my Grandparents that I will treasure in my heart till beyond the day I die.
It all started (at least were I can pin point it) with a friend asking if I had read the Pilgrims Progress. I had not, so another friend let me borrow one of her copies. While I was sitting with my grandparents I pulled the book out and showed my grandpa what I was reading and he encouraged me to read it aloud. I am certain my life will never be the same. The beginning of a journey that I wouldn't triad for all the riches of this world because I know that what i am learning is far more valuable.

Proverbs 20:15

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

The version of Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan is supposedly an abridged children's addition copy righted in 1895, complete with illustrations. Absolutely incredible pieces of art, beautifully detailed, and greatly enhancing the story. The written language of Bunyan's time being the old english and King James Bible style made reading the story a tad bit confusing. With great long words loaded with meaning and incredible analogies of a Christians walk with Christ. I find it very ironic that it was written for grade school children and now days you probably wouldn't see something like that till you got to a four year college.

So, I began to read, with my very own, personal, commentator, Leroy Frandsen. Through every deep analogy and dead word that stumbled my pebble brain, I had grandpa right there to explain to me what it meant. When something fascinated or amazed me, grandpa was right there to discuss it and ponder with about it; and we praised our heavenly father together over what we were reminded of. The farther along in the story we got, the more I asked questions even if i already understand. Thinking, perhaps he can show me more. There was suddenly a desperate scramble to glean what wisdom he would drop. A precious moment that I wished could have continued forever. Proverbs 4:13

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.

If you are befuddled to know why in thunder pants I would make such a fuss about this I want to encourage you to fuddle about it more. Consider what the reality of our world is today: I told the dietitian at the rehab center what a good time we were having reading and she told me her parents didn't talk to her, so her kids would never experience anything close to it.

That, is the world we live in.

The book by itself is amazing and I would greatly suggest reading it, but sharing it with such a man is... to great for words... it's like God gave me a glimpse of heaven in that moment. Grandpa is truly a rarity among men. Those that meat him can't help but see his worth.

I am looking forward to finishing the story with him this weekend!

How did I loose my own Grandma????

^{Philippians 4:4 "}Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

^{HAHA I say Amen to that... especially after searching through an entire FOUR stories of the Shasta Regional Hospital for my grandmother!}

^{We arrived at the Hospital at 11am to go sit and be with grandpa. Since it was pelting down snow, and there was not one nearby parking spaces available, I figured I better drop grandma off at the front and go park in the parking garage.}

^{So pulled to the entrance and tried to make it very clear to her that she was going to go in and wait. I would come in after parking the car, then we would go up to grandpa's room... together! So.. she got out and I drove to the parking garage. I go down... all reserved. I go up... figures.. every person and his cough is at the hospital today. After eight and a half minutes I find a convenient handicapped spot on the top of the garage near the elevator! YAy for broken legs :P! But, by this time I am getting a little ... I hate to say it... anxious... because i have now been away from grandma for 10 minutes.
11:10 am I crutch across the sleet covered ground; go in, and scan the foyer. . . .... 11:15am "Katie?.. what are you thinking??? Of course Grandma is not here. She is distraught and be-muddled with worry for grandpa! How in the world could you expect her to remember that she was supposed to sit and wait?"
So yeah... that is how I lost her.
Philippians4:5} "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
That verse is really easy to read, but have you ever tried it? The prayer part is easy enough, "Dear God!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please oh please oh please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let her be inside this building and not outside!"
But that prayer says all over it "ANXIOUS!!!!"

I Asked the receptionist if she had seen her... no! 11:20 I asked in wound care (where they visit every week for my grandpa) Nope! 11:30 I check in with grandpa... Nada :( ...Oh my!!!

Very much premeditating my search tactics I get in the elevator with another woman and descend. Not really all there I mention to the woman, "I just lost my grandma and I don't know what to do."
She responds "Aww... I know its hard. I just lost my grandmother last month and today my grandpa is having surgery."
- gag... can't believe I am so clumsy sometimes. Oops... I did just open that ladies fresh wound... great... way to go katie.
Me: "Oh... I am sorry... I meant she is missing... here in the hospital... wondering." ... :/

At 11:35 I head to the nearest telephone, pick up the receiver, push 0 and get a hold of the hospital ... I need reinforcements.
Operator: "How can I help you today?"
Me: "Ah, yes...I am looking for my grandma?"
Operator: "I will look up her room number, what is her name?"
Me: "Um, Barbra, but she doesn't have a room, she is wandering somewhere and I can't find her."
Operator: "OH!!... Umm... I will call security and have them searching for her. What is she wearing?
Me: "uuum an orange shirt... and a black sweater!

So now 11:40 :D I have the entire hospital staff ...searching for my grandmother! Though... I must have not been all that clear on description. One lady out of a small group saw me, and her eyes got really wide and she pointed at me and said to her comrades; "There she is! Hey! I found her!" and to me, "Hello! Are you lost?"
I smile, look down at my GREEN shirt and say, "No! I am looking for my grandma!"

11:50 Turn a few more corners in the hospital. 12pm Hear a gentleman nurse tell someone he found someones grandma! I complete a HUGE sigh of relief and ask, "Oh! Did you say you found her?"
Nice Nurse: "Yeah I found her huffing and puffing on the 2nd story, is she yours?"
Me: "Yes! Where is she?"
Nice Nurse: "I wheeled her in this chair to your grandpa's room! You look warn down can I give you a lift?"
Me: " That would be great! I am exhausted!"

12:10pm I arrive back in grandpa's room. Grandma is sitting in there clearly beaming with happiness being near his side! She sees me and says; " Oh! Here is our little princess! How did I get here before you?"
Haha... So there you have it!!! God Is good! I love Him dearly!!!
God Bless

Setting the Bar High

I don't know about guys but I know that girls (whether they like to admit it or not) have an unavoidable desire to be loved by someone.

If she is anything like me, she has come up with some standards that can look pretty unrealistic, but are they really?

Katie's List: He must be gentle, kind, honest, caring, a leader and a servant. I would like him to be thinking of me while spending his money, trying to make wise purchases and saving. If he was far away; I would like his finding a way to be near me, to be at the top of his list. I want to be so dear to his heart that he would fight and work his hardest to be by my side.

Are these unrealistic? Am I dreaming to hard? I don't think so.

I didn't make up an "impossible finds" list. I simply read Gods word. In Collossions it said that husbands should be gentle with their wives, so i should expect it before i am married too. Jesus gave up his comfort in heaven to be with who he loves and he continues to fight for her. He is even now preparing a place for her.

The sad thing is that our desire to be loved can become a stumbling block. We may settle for something less because someone says we are being ridiculous, or we are tired of waiting. We might become convinced that these men only exist in movies. But I am certain that a Christian man is capable of all of it and maybe even more. Of course I know that all fall short, so ladies, just remember God shows grace, so we should to. And another thing to remember is that guys make lists too.

Colossians 3:19

¹⁹ "Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them."

Ephesians 5:25

²⁵ "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her"

John 14:1-3¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

My First Love

My breath is caught inside my chest.

Words I would speak are lodged in my throat.

My mind is in awe and wonder.

This body longs to dance and embrace, but

these feet remain rooted

for fear of loosing you.

My heart leaps toward yours,

it begs to be with you

for you have touched it.

And now, I know,

it is impossible to return.

Our life is an Example

How often do we honor our parents through prayer or encouragement?

I think we, as young people, get so absorbed with our own lives, that we forget that God wants us to HONOR our parents. Not just through obedience, which we fail at half the time anyway, but through lifting them up in prayer and offering them WORDS of encouragement.

Exodus 20:12 "honor you father and your mother, so it will go well with you and you may have long life in the land (the earth) God has given you."

Do we even know what it means to honor? Thank God for a dictionary cause I knew I needed it when I made a funny face to that question.

To Honor is to: hold someone in high respect; to revere.

They should be completely at the TOP of our prayer list. We need to lift our parent up to God, especially those parents who are struggling with God, because only God can change and mold them. "Do NOT let anyone look down on you because you are young, BUT set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

Sometimes I think our parents tend to be our exception to the gossip rule. We go off and talk about everything and all their problems and what we don't like about them to our friends. But Is that Honoring to our parents? Is that honoring to GOD???? How would our attitudes toward our parents change if we were praying for them and their spiritual walk with God.. I wonder?!

Am I stressing enough? How important this is?

How much more honoring is it to be daily lifting them up in prayer? Not praying for selfish wants and desires, but asking God to give them the grace and wisdom in growing with you, Or pray that your parents would discipline and encourage you in a way that will bring you closer to God.

This is so important. I pray that my words will not roll off your shoulders into the dust, but that you would take them and change the world by setting an example with your life!

I'd like to pose these last questions... Do you pray for your parents? Do you offer encouragement to your dad when he is having a rough day? Do you leave a note for your mom on her bathroom mirror telling her she is loved and appreciated? I wish I did when I was near my parents, but It is more difficult being away. I wish I had done more, now that i see how important and how helpful I could have been. But i know God is a professional at making up for lost time and it is never to late to start.

God bless you and teach you in building strong God centered relationships with your parents. And remember, it is NEVER to late!

God is calling...

Slow down!

The world has changed so much since we were first given the instruction to,

"be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

So many things in our technological age fight for our attention,

but this timeless truth is crucial to the welfare of our souls.

Take some time to get to know Me!

Find rest in Me!

Sometimes we get frustrated.

When we go through:

situations that make us tired;

We often don't feel like we are getting the peace that we have read about in scripture;

Or seasons when life feels like we are running after it to catch up!

God tell us in His word:

"...My presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:14

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." Isaiah 40:31

He says that He will go with us,

but if we are not waiting on Him to receive His strength and His rest

then we are going to miss it entirely.

It Ok! You have time!

Don't worry!

The things we plan out and think are important in this life time,

do not even compare to what God has planned.

It is easy to latch onto our obligations and fall under the delusion that we have any control over our circumstances.

If we have a death grip on the list of commitments in our lives,

we will be crushed.

"Who of you by worrying can add a single day to his life?" Matthew 6:27

"Do not be anxious about anything but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God." Phillipians 4:6

Worry and anxiety are the opposite of trust.

I will carry everything for you.

Trust Me!