Grandpa's Tools

A few months ago we lost Rodney's Grandfather. We know he is so happy to be with Grandma in heaven. He has wanted to be there since she died. Grandpa had not let anything in their house be touched or moved since he lost Grandma. So now that they are both gone the house has been an adventure. Memories galore have abounded as Rodney, Rodney's dad and his aunts and uncle and all the cousins have cleaned up the place getting it ready to sell.

As this process has gone on everyone has gotten to choose a few of Grandma and Grandpa's things to get to keep for themselves. It is a wonderful way to get to bring the memories of Grandma and Grandpa into our own homes.



I am a strange female. I tend to like tools. The more tools the better. I like them more than Rodney does. So I was very excited to get Grandpa's saw and drill. We got the saw just in time to build our garden bed boxes. It was great to feel close to him as we worked. I think he would be proud of what we put together with his tools.

Ancestors give us the tools that make us who we are. They are the foundation of our religious beliefs, they are the foundation of our facial and body features, they are the foundation of our actions, thoughts and deeds. I see so much of Grandpa in Rodney's dad and in turn I see so much of Dad in Rodney.

One of the tools passed on was how Grandpa kept his finances in order even in tough times. The same can be said for Dad. Rodney's Dad became so enamored with numbers that he became an accountant. Rodney and I have had a few tough financial stretches but my man always brings us out on top.  

Grandpa was so generous. If he knew of someone who needed help he would give even if he had to go without. Rodney's Dad is one of the most giving men I know. His whole family has seen that in action, more than once. My husband, Rodney, is generous as well. You never know what wonderful thing Rodney is going to do for you. He thinks of others more than himself, always!!

One of the the tools that is close to my heart about these men is their love and respect of their wives. I know that we wives are not perfect. I am sure even Grandma wasn't all perfect. But the Frieden boys always act like their wives are. We wives are treated like the most important people on the earth. I think more marriages would benefit from this special tool. 

Colossians 3:19

Living Bible (TLB)

19 And you husbands must be loving and kind to your wives and not bitter against them nor harsh

The last but the most important tool passed on was the way Grandpa loved our God in a deep and personal way. He always carried himself around others as God would have wanted him to, and in turn Dad and Rodney are Godly men as well. Rodney has gone so far as to become a minister. His grandparents were so happy about that. 

There was no doubt about Grandpa. He was as genuine and true as he seemed. He was a man that followed this verse...

Luke 10:27

The Message (MSG)

27 He said, “That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.”

I thank God for Rodney's Grandfather and hope upon hope that you have a grandpa who is as true and special and who passes his tools of wisdom down the family line too!

Blessings!

Don't Forget

Today was our last work day on our Mission Trip. Tomorrow we get to have fun by going to the zoo and having a community picnic.

The house got finished being painted today and the can goods were all put in the correct places for the food pantry. That left us with a little free time so we decided to go to the local nursing home and have a visit with the residents there.

Again our kids stepped up to the plate and made us proud. They got right in there and sang and talked and read to the elderly folks, who had just finished lunch and were ready to have a little entertainment.

I was with a few girls that helped me wander into some of the rooms where these folks couldn't or wouldn't leave their rooms. We had some small talk with some but actually got to sing for one sweet lady. 

As we were starting to wind down with the visit, I wandered off by myself for a little bit and met a forlorn little lady that wanted to be pushed back to her room. So I did. On the way back she confided in me that maybe she had had an accident. So I found a nurse and ask her, when she got a chance, could she please come help my new friend. While we were waiting for the nurse we got to talking about a bunch of stuff.

One thing that came out was that she couldn't understand why God was keeping her alive. She said " I don't have anything to give to anyone any more except being a burden". Made me sad for her. I told her that one thing she did for me was to make my day complete by my just getting to learn from her history. She smiled at that. I hope I helped her to feel a little more appreciated.

Our kids seemed to understand what this time did for these wise and maybe a little forgetful people, who have gone before us and paved our way to a better world. I think they realized how sad and forgotten most of them have become. Maybe it will help them as we move back into our daily routines to maybe want to stop at the nursing homes in our area and spread a little happiness there too,

It shouldn't have to be just our youth, though, who are responsible to be there for these neglected citizens. All of us should remember that our elderly need our love and definitely our respect, for all the living they have done. To be sure, they have a lot to teach us if we listen.

Scriptures have something to say about this....

The elderly are easily forgotten, especially those without caring families. The church is called to honor those who have been faithful servants by maintaining relationships with them and helping them when they are in need.

1 Timothy 5:8B

The Voice (VOICE)

I hope my sweet little lady went to bed tonight a little happier for our time spent together today. I know I will.

Blessings!

Love on the right side!

As I was sitting in the living room with my man last night it struck me how right things are for us. Rodney and I have a wonderful friendship where love, respect and an genuine caring about each other is a God given gift we share.

Now ladies  you might not agree with me, but I love being in the kind of relationship called for here in Ephesians....

Ephesians 5:21-28

The Message (MSG)

Relationships

²¹ Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another.

^22-24 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

^25-28 Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage

I'm lucky because Rodney does love me like this. It makes living like this passage calls for, easy. Ladies it is freeing to be in this kind of relationship. Now I do have opinions and I do my own thing in the day to day of life. But I never pull away from Rodney and the things we have decided together.

Ladies our men can be very wise at times. God has given them a mind that sees things a little differently then we do. They can prioritize and separate feelings from decisions that need to be made, where as we mix things together and sometimes let our hearts rule, when it needs to be our heads.

 This is not always bad because sometimes our men need to be reminded of the soft side of life. God has given us the gift of discernment and our men need us to use that gift to help them when they are being too hard or even gullible.

See how this plan of God's comes together? He created us equal and He knew exactly how to make this husband and wife thing work. It is tough though when either one of us in our relationship forgets their role and wants to rule instead of love like Christ. And does not let God be in control of the marriage.

 I have to tell you that letting God be the leader in our relationship has gotten us through some pretty tough times. Such as a parting of ways with a business partner, which led to a tough financial situation. It would have been so easy at this time to blame one another and pull apart but instead we ended up stronger.

Another time was when Riley, our youngest was born premature and with Down syndrome.  We saw families in the NICU who had children in similar situations who's relationship couldn't take the pressure. Some babies were practically abandoned. My sweet husband was a rock and loved so deeply through the weeks of waiting. He got us through when others couldn't.

I'm not saying we never disagree but I am saying that with this kind of love we can make it through anything.

My hope for you ladies, is that you can be in this kind of relationship too. If not, find a way to help each other become all you two can be together. Prayer works! And if you can live for your man the way Ephesians 5: 22-24 says,  your example can show him how good life can be and will make him a better husband too!

Blessings!