How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk

Faith in real life

Grandpa Diary #24

October 8th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

Today is your Great-Grandma Hanson’s birthday. She will receive flowers from Nana and me today. Irises. Her absolute favorites! My mommy used to have irises bordering our yard, irises at our cottage on the lake, irises at their townhouse after I moved- Irises and more irises.

They are beautiful flowers and when I see one I instantly think of my mommy. That’s how it is with beautiful things. Beauty always points us to something beyond ourselves. Flowers are amazing, because in every culture that is capable of growing flowers, they have grown flowers. Who doesn’t like flowers?

People are just like bees and bunnies. They looove flowers!

And how wonderful that flowers come in so many gorgeous shapes and sizes, and especially, O, the colors!

This is just another reason I know how much God loves us. God could have just given us drab looking plants, and there you have it. Instead God is a thoughtful artist who uses all the paints on his palette.

Hey, Kaylee, guess what is my favorite flower? Iris.

And one of the funny things that some men like grandpa like to say? We call the women we love, flowers. When you put a bunch of flowers together, it’s called a bouquet, so let me tell you about my bouquet.

My most special bouquet is centered around your Nana, the most precious flower, worth more than the rarest orchid in the world. Then there is the Kristina flower, who is the the woman I love more than anyone except your Nana. She has a strong stem, with the gentlest of petals. Your Great-Grandma Lindgren is in the bouquet because she loves me lots, and she raised your amazing Nana. Then surrounding the whole bouquet is irises, because my mommy showed me how much God loves me by just being my mommy.

“But, what about your Kaylee flower?” I can hear you say.

Well, because you are new in my life, I have to admit, I think about you more than any of my other flowers. So, for now, you are my little boutonnière, closest to my heart. The rest of the bouquet won’t get jealous, though, because…they feel the same way!

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #23

October 8th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

It was your uncles’ birthday yesterday. Uncle Greg and Uncle David are 22 years old. This made me stop and think. This means that the last time Grandpa changed diapers was over 20 years ago!

It doesn’t take long to change you. We used cloth diapers for your uncles and that meant diaper, pins, and plastic pants. Now we use disposable diapers and its “Zoop, clean, zoop, ready to go!”

By the way, I call you “frog” when I am changing you because you kick your legs back and forth as I am getting down to business. We are getting pretty good at the routine. I am thinking about promoting synchronized diapering for the next Olympics. Grandpa and Kaylee can be in the “senior” division.

One thing you are learning about your uncles that you will grow to appreciate. They are both hilarious. They will be fooling around with you all the time, just like they do with your mommy and daddy. Uncle Greg said he wanted to teach you a bad word for your first word.

“Crap.”

So, your mommy said if he does that, y’all are going to call him “Uncle Crappy.” Sure, enough, your mommy sent a birthday picture yesterday to “Uncle David and Uncle Crappy.”

Don’t worry, Grandpa will make sure to put a stop to this particular shenanigans. We’ll teach you a different nickname for Uncle Greg that starts with the letter, “G.”

Uncle Goofy!

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #22

September 30th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

It was really good to see you this morning! Now that you are at our house during the week, the weekend seems like an awfully long time to be away. Nana was out with you at your house on Saturday, as she was helping your mommy decorate your new room, so at least she got to see you one more day (Jealous Grandpa!).

Kaylee, I wonder if this is going to ever get old? You know, where we take each other for granted and not being with each other isn’t a big deal? Where Grandpa doesn’t mind if he doesn’t see his little Kaylee Q ( I call you that sometimes now, and I don’t know why) for awhile. I don’t think that will ever happen as long as we stay connected.

You see, to say that you are my granddaughter is saying you are part of me. You are part of my identity. On my driver’s license there should be one more category that describes me. Here is what it would say:

Sex: Male
Hair: Not Much
Eyes: Blue (just like a little girl I know)
Height: 6’2″ ( shrunk, 6 1 1/2″- gravity)
Weight: 190 (target weight:))
Kaylee: Yes!!

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #21

September 24th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

When you went for your check-up at the doctor’s office last week, your mommy worried about one thing…

Shots!

Your mommy says, “I hate needles!”

Did you know that when your mommy or daddy are afraid of something, you will probably be, too? Yes, we can learn fears from our parents and we are really good at picking them up from a very early age. It didn’t do me much good to remind your mommy not to get too freaked out when you got your shots, because she was probably going to start tearing up after the first one anyway.

And you got five shots! Ouchy!

There are many things your mommy doesn’t like. Snakes and lizards are definitely up there, for example. That is why it is such a good idea that your mommy and daddy bought a house in a semi-arid desert area-

Perfect home for snakes and lizards!

Kaylee, this is an example of a useful tool of language (if you are gentle)-

Sarcasm.

Back to the needles. Your mommy doesn’t like needles and blood. Yet, she wanted to go to school to be a doctor. She got a scholarship to study to be a doctor, but right before she started, she told me and Nana she didn’t want to be a doctor. How could she when she didn’t like needles and blood?! We didn’t mind, though, because if you are going to have a job, you want to do things you enjoy and are really passionate about (We didn’t mind also, because she got to keep her scholarship, too!).

It is good your mommy is a teacher. Especially a math teacher. This will come in real handy as you get older. Just take my word for it.

Kaylee, let me tell you one more thing about shots. Grandpa didn’t like to get shots either. I remember when I was a little boy I had to go to the doctor’s office and get a shot. I was afraid and I didn’t want one. So, when the nurse pulled down my pants to give me the shot, I got away and started running out of the doctor’s office!

The office was on the second floor above a bank. I ran screaming, out of the waiting room and got to the stairs and made it down into the bank lobby before anyone caught me.

I was pretty fast even with my pants pulled partway down!

I still got the shot, though. It’s really good for us to let doctor and nurses help take care of us. Maybe, another reason I was so afraid of going to the doctor was his name. Kaylee, I am not making this up. You can ask Great Grandpa Hanson. His name was…

Dr. Shott!

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #20

September 18th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

You went to the doctor on Monday. Guess what? You are a growing girl after two months! You gained about five pounds and you grew about three inches! Since you were a little over seven pounds when you were born, that means your weight went up over 70%! If Grandpa did that in the last two months, I would have gained over 150 pounds! I don’t care how much I like pizza, cherry pie, and donuts, I don’t think I could ever be an eating dynamo like you!

I would have to start wearing a muumuu like a favorite cartoon character for your mommy and me-

Homer Simpson.

The good news is, you are supposed to gain as much weight as you want now, because all you are eating is your mommy’s milk. It’s good for you! And one invention I really love is the bottle. This way your daddy can feed you with your mommy’s milk, too. He get’s to see you tucked close and staring right in his eyes while you eat.

Grandpa gets to feed you, too. I find it fascinating that you know just when you have had enough. You wiggle your tongue around and move your head back and forth because you don’t want to suck the bottle anymore. If you do happen to eat more than you need, you take care off that, too. You spit up on my black shirt because I forget to put a cloth over my shoulder when I am holding you!

OK, I guess I have to make sure I have a cloth at all times after you eat. There is no way I am going to miss my post-meal “hugging, burping, squeezing” love time.

Or…

Maybe I am going to have to start wearing more white shirts.

Come on, Kaylee, I’m partial to black! I find it quite slimming. Are you going to be the source of a clothing shift for me? My granddaughter is already working on my ensemble?

O well, I guess I should have seen this coming. You see your mommy has always been my fashionista over the years. My “What to wear or not wear/ What to buy or not buy,” personal valet.

Your Nana always says, “Kristina, you go with dad,” whenever I go clothes shopping so your mommy can be Nana’s eyes while we are picking out clothes.

“Not thaaat shirt, dad!”

or-

“I think those shoes are really cool, dad, but mom’s not going to like them.”

O, that’s another thing, Kaylee, I’ll let you in on a little secret.

Your mommy has learned a lot from me because I am her daddy. How much Jesus loves us. How daddy’s love their daughters lots and lots and lots. How daddy’s love mommys lots and lots and lots. But, one thing I taught her that isn’t always a daddy thing?

Shoes and bags. I “love” shoes and bags.

So, guess what? Two of the favorite things your mommy likes to shop for?

Shoes and bags!

Hmmm, who knows, Kaylee? I can see a little shopping trio being formed sometime in our future…

Can hardly wait!

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #18

September 12th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

Well, your Nana’s mommy is visiting. Your mommy calls her, “Nana,” and that’s how your Nana got that name. Your mommy’s Nana loves you so much. Just like the rest of us. Uncle Greg is home for a couple of weeks before he starts school again. He wants to hold you and poke you and imitate you with your, “Eh, Eh,” sounds.

You will need to get use to Uncle Greg and Uncle David. They like to make a lot of sounds around the house. They like to caw like crows. They are very foolish sometimes and your Nana says it drives her crazy. I don’t know where your uncles learned to make such sounds…

So, Kaylee, now I have two more people in the house. That should make me happy, and it does, but it also means I am having to share my holding and hugging with everyone else. That’s all right, though, I suppose. There is enough loving to go around.

Here is what is fun. I get to see four generations of strong and beautiful women together.

Nana (sr. )
Nana (jr. )
Mommy
Kaylee

I love all of these women in my life. They are a part of who I am. I’m glad you are catching up, Kaylee. You are changing my life, too. Even physically. You are expanding my heart and you are making my face hurt-

So many smiles…

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #17

September 9th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

Guess what? I get to see you a lot now! Your mommy is back at work and Nanna is taking care of you during the day. That means I get to see you, too! We spend about an hour together before I leave for work. Also, one day a week, I am going to take care of you, too. I get to watch you grow, grow, grow. At least after finishing three bottles on Friday- it looks like it!

Your mommy is glad to be back teaching her students, but she is sad because she isn’t with you all the time. It’s alright, though, because Nanna knows all about mommy stuff. After all, she is your mommy’s mommy. She is a math teacher like your mommy, too, so I guess you could say they are similar in many ways.

Your mommy teaches mainly 8th and 9th graders how to do math. These kids don’t usually like math because it is hard for them. Your mommy is a really good teacher and she gets along with the students, even if she is a little tough on them. They even asked her to give the graduation speech last year! They think she is fun to talk with, and they like to talk to her about things other than math. I know they are especially excited to talk about you! You visited your mommy at school on her first day back. So, now they know that Kaylee is a real, live baby!

Some day you will start going to school, too. In the meantime, you are in the school of life and you are learning what it means to be our little Kaylee. That’s my favorite subject!

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #16

September 4th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

I just got back from a weekend spending time with young men who are in prison. This was a wonderful time to share God’s love. I made sure everyone had a chance to see a picture of how precious you are! I told them how much your mommy and your daddy and the rest of us love you. I used you as an example of what a gift it is for God to give me such a beautiful granddaughter!

A lot happened over the weekend. What a joy it was to see these men transformed right before our very eyes into people of hope! They couldn’t resist God’s love that kept pouring out from us, and his love was pouring out from them towards us and towards each other.

It was a sad weekend, too. It would be hard for you to understand how mommies and daddies might hurt their children. But, it happens. It would be impossible for you to understand how mommies and daddies might not want their children in their lives. But, it happens.

If you can imagine the worst things for a child to experience, that’s what what most of these young men experienced growing up. For some, no daddies in their life. For some, daddies who hit mommies and hit their children. For some, no mommies or daddies to take care of them. For some, they had to take care of themselves when they were 10 or 11…

No birthday parties.
Never hearing, “I love you.”
What must that be like??

You won’t know what that will be like, Kaylee. This will be something you will never experience. You are our own precious Kaylee, and we will protect, provide for, and love you with all of our hearts.

And that’s what is so amazing about God’s love! Growing up in that kind of love, makes it possible for you to share this love and watch it pour out to others.

Who knows, maybe some day you will join me, reaching out to young men or young women in prison, letting them know that God is their Heavenly “Daddy”- who will never let them go. Maybe someday, you will be God’s messenger who declares,

“There is freedom in Jesus!”

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #15

August 27th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

We spent much time together this weekend. I saw you Friday, Saturday, and Monday. One interesting thing that happened is your eyes changed in only a few days! It seems all of a sudden, they are much bluer. I could look into those eyes all day.

I wonder what goes on behind those eyes? You are taking in so much of the world and processing it for the first time. Every time you see something for the first time, it creates a new world for you. Same with sound, same with touch, same with smell; you are a living, learning human being.

For example, your backyard is being changed at your house. New landscaping, electrical wiring being put in, lights being put up, even a whole cement slab was torn out. When all this is going on, there is a lot of noise. It doesn’t seem to bother you, but I wonder what happens when the work is done? Will the quiet be different for you? I guess we could could hook you up to some instruments and measure your stress level, but I don’t think that is necessary.

Babies go with the flow. What you are learning quickly is you can’t control what is happening around you, but you can work on how you respond. You seem to be doing well. You sleep when you are tired and you eat when you are hungry. Mommys and daddys, grandmas and grandpas, we don’t always do so well on those two simple things. We don’t always sleep well, even though we are tired, and we don’t eat so well; we skip meals, grab easy, but not-good-for-you meals, we might even not have an appetite, or we eat way too much!

A lot of this has to do with worry. It does us well to stop and think about babies like you, Kaylee. You don’t worry about things like sleep or what you eat. You just do it because you know the people who love you will take care of what you need.

You expect it.

The one who takes care of all of us is God. What if we live our lives like you, expecting that the one who loves us will give us what we need?

Sleeping and eating? No, problem…

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #14

August 19th, 2013

Dear Kaylee,

I saw you twice this weekend! We’re getting more and more acquainted to this granddaughter/grandpa routine. I’m loving it. How about you?

Also, something else special is happening. It is always a treat to get to see your mommy, too, of course, but what is fun for me is I get to see your daddy a lot, too!

You see, Kaylee, I know your mommy as well as anyone, except your Nana (that’s what you’ll call your Grandma Hanson), and your daddy. You are going to be one who knows your mommy as much as anyone, too! Yet, when it comes to your daddy, I don’t know him as well. So, the more I see him, the more I get to know him.

Your daddy is a hard worker. He is getting lots of things done with the new house. He also is figuring out what this daddy stuff is all about. He loves being around you, but just like me and the rest of the daddys who have their first child, he is trying to measure what it means to be a daddy, too.

Your daddy does well at measuring. I have watched him with the tape measure several times, hooking up a washer, dryer, and stove, but that’s measuring in inches. When it comes to being a daddy, the unit of measurement is love.

Kaylee, guess what? They don’t have a tape measure long enough for your daddy to measure how much he loves you! He is figuring that one out quickly…

Love,
Grandpa