What in the world do pets, pain, and Picasso have in common?
Chronic Pain, Pets, and Picasso.
I first met Frankie Picasso because of Dynamic Women. I understand how Frankie got invited, but don’t ask me how a small town girl like me got on a program like Dynamic Women. It’s gotta be proof God has a sense of humor.
The show brings together celebrity-status women from around the globe for, ahem, vigorous conversations. In each episode, strong women prove that folks can still have civilized conversations without actually arguing.
Two Great Conversations with Frankie
Care Giving: Art as Therapy in Community with Frankie Picasso
Care Giving: The Collision of Life and Art in Chronic Pain with Frankie Picasso
The Unstoppable Frankie
Founder of The Good Radio Network, Frankie hosts of a couple of shows herself. Frankie’s listeners would never guess that she is in chronic pain. She seldom mentions it on air. FrankieSence and More is the show “where the socially conscious congregate.” Mission Unstoppable is where we meet “folks from all walks of life who have had to overcome some of life’s greatest hurdles, battle great tragedy and loss, danger, conflicts, disasters, obstacles and maybe the most difficult of all – they had to fight themselves!” You can find podcasts of her shows and more of Frankie Picasso by clicking here.
Focused on Others
In fact, Frankie focuses her attention on every one else. Authors come on her show to tell why they wrote their last best seller. Musicians open up about how their personal lives inspire the songs we all love. She finds amazing nonprofits and gets people to tell their stories. Because of Frankie, I’ve gotten to chat with Rachel Dekkar, author of the The Seer Book Series, Ben Sciacca, author of Meals from Mars: A Parable of Prejudice and Providence, and Ralph Williams, the singer, songwriter who gave us songs like the 2016 hit “He Cares.”
Just pinch me, I must be dreaming.
But, you know me. I like the personal, behind-the-scenes stories, too. So, when we decided to say yes to Fireside Talk Radio, I called Frankie. With a prayer and my fingers crossed, I invited her to be on our show.
Frankie’s personal story includes a motorcycle accident, six months in the hospital, and living with chronic pain. It involves a complete change of life, a divorce, new training from her hospital bed, and a whole new career. There’s a reason we call Frankie unstoppable.
Unstoppable Frankie Picasso
She shared many tips with us on air about how to live with chronic pain. One of my favorites, of course, involved art. Is it any wonder I’ve grown to love this friend so much? On our show, Frankie explains how getting our mind engaged creatively frees us from pain, at least momentarily. Shifting our focus also creates positive energy for helping others, especially in Frankie’s case, as it turns out.
In the midst of her pain, this determined soul had a brainstorm. Why not create paintings to fund animal rescue? “Proceeds from the sale of her artwork and custom orders go directly to pay for Cleft Palate Surgery for children through Mercy Ships Canada, Saving Animals in Sanctuaries, Shelters , Climate Change Project and to other Humanitarian efforts in need at the time,” according to The Good Radio Network website.
Original Pawcasso
Yep, that’s Frankie. The same intellectual gal who asks me tough questions on air in front of God and all humanity, also has a very soft side that passionately cares about the plight of abandoned pets. Her pet paintings capture the personality of her furry models in joyful exuberance. I hope you will look them up on line at originalpawcassopetpainting.com. A Pawcasso is the perfect gift to yourself and simultaneously helps some abandoned pet out there who would love to be under your Christmas tree this year.
If you are in Chronic Pain, I hope you will listen in on our show, by clicking here. There’s plenty to encourage you from a woman who gets it.
May I pray for you?
Dear Father, life has a way of knocking down. Getting back up in the saddle seems too hard when we hurt. What if life will never be the same? We want to be unstoppable, but sometimes, we wonder why we bother to try. In the midst of rejection, Your Son took on our grief and pain. Your comfort comes to us in unexpected, creative ways. You specialize in life and resurrection and redemption and hope. Please give us the strength for this day. This is not a small prayer, but You are a big God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
You can sign up for my Newsletter by clicking here.
Cathy Krafve, Texas Author, Columnist, Speaker, and Radio Host, focusing on fellowship in Christian Marriage and Family, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks