What God Did for Katanna

          Who is Katanna? She’s the sweet daughter of our youngest son’s fourth grade teacher. At that time, Katanna was a little girl, but now she’s all grown up!

          Two years ago, Katanna wanted to publicly profess her faith in Jesus Christ by being baptized. Reason for rejoicing in and of itself, but God did something amazing for her, although it would be two more years until that evidenced.

          I’ll turn this telling over to Katanna’s mom who shared this not too long ago:

          “My daughter never met my dad. He passed a few months before she was born.

          Katanna was baptized in the church where my parents and many of my family members on my dad’s side were baptized. She also wanted to be baptized with something that represented her papaw 
Stewart.

          I put a picture my dad in a sandwich bag, and she wore it in her pocket.

          She changed clothes after the ceremony in a back room and forgot to pick up the bag with the photo in it from the shelf where she laid it.

          I meant to go back and get the picture but kept forgetting.

          Then eastern Kentucky experienced extreme flooding, which almost destroyed the church."

(This video clip shows flooding in Neon, August 2022. The building with the reddish roof is the church mentioned above.)

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=UalRPS&v=744724960137964&rdid=4meVqGcFMiDmcUzj

          "Everything inside the church had to be replaced. Many people helped rebuild the inside...

          It really hurt to see the pews my grandmother and her sisters sat in completely destroyed. I actually stood outside of the church and helped make grilled hot dogs and hamburgers to give to those who lost their homes after the devastation.

          I thought of the picture a few times and felt just awful that we hadn’t remembered to get it.

          A few weeks ago, however, a gentleman from the church, Frank Fleming, approached my mom after a Sunday service and handed her the picture still inside of the same sandwich bag—totally unharmed. He said it was found in the back. 

          I don’t know how it survived! I do know that faith, love, and hope can’t be destroyed when you hold onto it. It is with faith, love, and hope that—although Dad never got to meet Katanna—he is always with her and is so proud of her. Thank you, Frank, for this tremendous and timely blessing!

          I bought Katanna a music box when she graduated from college this year, and she has it in her first ever classroom. But instead of jewelry, her papaw Stewart’s picture in the sandwich bag has a new home inside of it!” 

                                                            –Sonya Breeding

 

          As it turns out, the school where Katanna begins her teaching career also flooded in the summer of 2022. The students she’ll teach well remember that school year’s opening being delayed by the massive clean-out required for them to return to their classrooms.

          And now, who will “join” them in their class under Katanna’s instruction? Papaw Stewart! For his image is in that jewelry box which has its very special place in her classroom—and in her heart.

 

Dear Lord God,

          Thank you for what you did for Katanna. Nothing is too hard for You!

          First of all, You saved her soul. And, because of that, she wanted to follow Your example by being baptized.

          Despite the devastation caused by the flood waters, You preserved a diamond for her to place in her musical jewelry box. What could have been more precious to her and her family than that gift!

          Thank You, dear Lord, for this very special gem of a young lady who will now be an influence to the young lives you bring to her through her teaching career.

          Lord, help her to know, when the waters of hard times seem like they may drown her, You are there to bring her out of them in the same way you preserved the priceless picture of her papaw.

          Thank You for what you will continue to do for Katanna.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

So precious is Jesus, my Savior, my King, His praise all the day long with rapture I sing;

To Him in my weakness for strength I can cling, for he is so precious to me.

 

(Chorus) For He is so precious to me, for He is so precious to me;

’Tis heaven below, my Redeemer to know, for He is so precious to me.

 

He stood at my heart’s door in sunshine and rain and patiently waited an entrance to gain;

What shame that so long He entreated in vain, for He is so precious to me. (Chorus)

 

I stand on the mountain of blessing at last, no cloud in the heavens a shadow to cast;

His smile is upon me, the valley is past, for He is so precious to me. (Chorus)

 

I praise Him because He appointed a place where, someday, through faith in His wonderful grace,

I know I shall see Him, shall look on His face, for He is so precious to me. (Chorus)

 

(from the hymn He Is So Precious to Me by Charles H. Gabriel, 1902, public domain)

#baptism #church #2022Kentuckyflood #devastation #papawsphoto #Godpreserved #teacher

 

Photo credits: Sonya Breeding, Cayden Fugate, Josh Howard (video)

Kids!

          During my growing up years, we attended an annual family reunion. We made our way around all the tables full of family, specially making sure we greeted the elderly.

          When we reached Great Uncle Dan? Same exchange year after year. He looked at my sister, smiled, and exclaimed as if heaven were shining on him, “Angel child!” Then he eyed me, shook his head, and said with a voice of doom, “Tsk-tsk! Born in the briar patch!”*

          (Our mom agreed with Great Uncle Dan. Our dad remained silent on the subject. Probably because he was also “born in the briar patch.”)

          Siblings (even identical twins) can be so different from one another—like night from day, as the saying goes.

          Our own children differed greatly too, as do their children.

          Let me share with you a little about two of our grandkids. Brothers.

          Not long ago, 5-year-old TJ and 3-year-old JC sent us some of their artwork. The subject matter actually reflected their personalities pretty well (smile). With these paintings, a note from their dad:

“We wanted to send you flowers…

TJ made a flower garden picture.

JC painted what looks like a compost pile!”

          The next time I talked with my sister via Facetime (video phone), I had to show her our grandboys’ artwork along with their dad’s comments. We had a good laugh as her mind went to the same place mine had.

          She piped up with, “Sounds just like Great Uncle Dan! I was the Angel Child!”

          “Yeah, I know,” I said. “And how can I ever forget where I was born!”

          No matter how different our kids are, we love them all dearly. Some require more time invested. You know, those “born in the briar patch.” Those who “create compost.” And sometimes these who challenge us more also wear us to the point of wanting to quit, not to mention exhaustion and tears.

          That’s why our kids, grandkids, great-grands need our commitment to aim them toward God, no matter how easy or difficult they are. Some seek God, some question, some walk away. Oh, how they need to know the love of the One Who created us all—unique every one!

          Parents of those “spirited” kids, though, surely must love them to “survive!”

          Let’s go a step further! How does the Heavenly Father view His children? He certainly knows our differences, gave us a road map to navigate life—His Word, the Bible, and loves us to the nth degree. Because of This Great Love, He never quits on the toughest cases and offers second chances, third, and more. What a Pure Example for us parents to follow when raising our families!

          I admit, I love the angel child’s garden very much, but I as much love the briar patch menace’s compost pile. After all, don’t kids need to bloom where they’re planted? And doesn’t a healthy garden require fertilizer? (Smile.)

I am so glad that our Father in heaven tells of His love in the Book He has given;

Wonderful things in the Bible I see, this is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

 

(Refrain) I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me;

I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.

 

Though I forget Him and wander away, kindly He follows wherever I stray;

Back to His dear loving arms would I flee, when I remember that Jesus loves me. (Refrain)

 

O, if there’s only one song I can sing, when in His beauty I see the great King,

This shall my song in eternity be: O, what a wonder that Jesus loves me! (Refrain)

 

(from the hymn Jesus Loves Even Me by Emily S. Oakey—attributed—author, P.P. Bliss, 1871, public domain)

 

#kids #lovingourchildren #raisingkids #uniquepersonalities #strongwilledchildren #Godslove #Jesuslovesme

 

 

*reference to an Uncle Remus story, popularized by journalist, Joel Chandler Harris

 

Photo credit: M. Tripp for the initial image