A Christmas Eve Eucatastrophe

[A sermon delivered on Christmas Eve, 2022.]

Brothers and sisters in the Christ Child, grace and peace, hope and joy to you, Amen.

This time of year is bound up in such high hopes.  Like almost no other moment on our calendar, Christmas is a time when we yearn for everything to be just right.  We get all the decorations and the lights in place.  We set plans for family gatherings and parties hoping to see all of our favorite and beloved people.  We even offer up prayers that the weather will cooperate just nicely and give us a white Christmas.  

Yet as it goes with life, rarely does everything go according to plan.  When party plans change we almost expect it.  When the weather doesn’t cooperate, even that we kind of expect, it is Michigan after all.  What really throws us is when tragedy and hardship and suffering find us in this most holy time of year.  So many of us have endured losses at this time of year and they weigh on us, year after year.  They take so long to heal.  Losing loved ones so close to Christmas always seems to affect us more as it interrupts that idea. It interrupts those perfect hopes we so yearned for.  

Thankful Remembering

[Originally published in the Monroe News on December 2, 2022]

I’d like to direct your attention to thankfulness one more time.  I know our calendars have moved past Thanksgiving and Black Friday and into that month of Christmas, but this is more of a year-round topic so I’m going to go with it.  I was able to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my Dad’s side of the family in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  We were celebrating my grandmother’s 95th birthday as an entire family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) in addition to the big Thanksgiving celebration.  

Gathering together as family was reason alone to be thankful.  It is a rare feat to get all of my cousins and I together at the same time as life and vocation have moved us across the country.  As we shared several meals and a heated game of “Ticket to Ride” I was reminded of how wonderful it was to have that time together and how thankful I was to be there.  During the weekend we all wrote memories in a book to share with my grandmother that the joy of the weekend might always be remembered.  My grandmother also invited us grandkids to her house for her to have a chance to impart several heirlooms upon our generation.  These were items that would help us remember our grandmother and wonderful times from her life when the day comes that our Lord calls her home.

When I began to digest the entire weekend I couldn’t tell if it was more about remembering or about thankfulness.  Perhaps both.  It seems that a genuine thankfulness might just be built upon remembering.  When I remember the love my grandmother and my family has shared over the years that naturally makes me all the more thankful.  When I remember my childhood I can be all the more thankful for my parents.  When I remember tough days past I can be more thankful for good days present.  Thankfulness and remembering really do pair nicely together.

Freedom in Love

Sermon Preached on November 13, 2022, Proper 28C. Sermon Text Galatians 5:13-15 Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you, Amen. Journey with me back to the Old Testament era. I want you to picture in your minds the early parts of the story of Joseph. Joseph was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Joseph, the young boy who was despised by all of his older brothers. Joseph, who was given the beautiful coat of many colors by his father. Joseph, who was beaten and then sold by his brothers to slave traders. Joseph, who came to live in the house of Potiphar in Egypt. That is where our attention begins this morning. Joseph in Potiphar’s house. When you picture Joseph in this situation, would you describe him as a free man? Does Joseph have freedom in his predicament in Egypt? Practically speaking, he was for all intents and purposes a slave. He had a master who demanded his complete obedience and service. This master had literally purchased Joseph from the traders. It certainly doesn’t look like much freedom.

Who is Faithful?

Sermon for Reformation Sunday -- Oct 30, 2022 -- Romans 3:19-28

Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you, Amen.

Do you remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego?  They are well known for what happened to them during the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon.  They squared off with King Nebuchadnezzar in an unforgettable event.  These three men, faithful to God, had risen in the ranks of the wise leaders of the king of Babylon.  Things were going well for them until this one day.  King Nebuchadnezzar had constructed a 90-foot golden image on the plains of Babylon.  This golden image was to be worshipped by everyone.  When the special instruments would play, all were to bow down to it.  And pretty much all did, that is, except for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  The three refused.  The king was furious.  He gives them an ultimatum.  When you hear the special music, bow down, or else you will be thrown into the fiery furnace.  The king boldly asks them “who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Parents

[Originally published in the Monroe News on October 28, 2022]

My life continues to enter new and fascinating stages of parenting.  Though they feel unique to me I’m sure others out there have found themselves in similar positions.  My wife and I have our 3 older boys all in high school now.  On the plus side it is handy all having them in the same school again.  On the down side, the tuition bill is really a kick in the pants.  Our oldest is a senior and so that brings all sorts of extra emotional experiences like watching them go through senior nights, witnessing them playing their last soccer game of the season and a last cross-country meet.  There’s also the senior pictures and all the other fun of getting ready for graduation.  Maybe the biggest task of them all is the college hunt.  It was quite overwhelming back in April when we began to make some college visits.  I’m not sure what was more daunting, picturing our oldest getting ready to go off to school, or looking at what a year of school was going to cost.

On the flip side of all the high school parenting we are doing, my wife and I also have a 3-year old and a 9-month old. After years of being out of diapers and bottles here we are, having started all over again.  We’re learning quickly how parenting, especially with babies and toddlers, is a young person’s game.  Getting up with kids in the middle of the night is one thing in your 20s when you’re used to staying up late; but it is another thing entirely in your 40s when a 10pm bedtime is your friend.  One of the things we do enjoy about having both older and younger kids is the interaction between the two age groups.  The younger ones of course just adore the older ones and watch everything they do.  The older ones have been pretty caring and helpful in loving their little siblings.  The funniest part of it all, and we’ve heard this happens in other families, is when our oldest is handling the baby and strangers ask him if it is his own child.  He handles it with a blush.

Jordan Valley Pathway Loop

Full loop of the Jordan Valley Pathway including a portion of the North Country Trail
Trailhead Elevation: 1,286 ft.
High Elevation: 1,318 ft.
Low Elevation: 721 ft.
Distance: 18.81 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 2228 ft.
Start Time: 8:12am
End Time: 12:05pm


Trip Report:
I finally made the big loop at Jordan Valley. I first discovered this loop in 2016 and that year I did an out and back of 12 miles on the NCT portion of the trail. I was somewhat time limited and I didn't make it all the way to Pinney Bridge as hoped. In the years since I've explored short sections venturing out from Deadman's Hill but never did things work out to go for the whole loop.

Square Top Mountain

Southeast Ridge from Guanella Pass
Trailhead Elevation: 11,652 ft.

Summit Elevation: 13,794 ft.
Distance: 7.00 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 2,578 ft.
Start Time: 8:00am
End Time: 11:26am


Trip Report:
When you're looking for an easy summit on your way out to Denver International Airport Square Top Mountain comes up as a great choice. My brother and I were heading from Buena Vista into Denver and our flights weren't until after 5pm. We didn't want to waste the day sitting around and so we decided we should find a morning summit. We wanted something fairly accessible, fairly easy, and predictable timewise. I had first brought up Bierstadt as we had already summited it a few times and knew we could get up and down in a predictable time. My brother wanted something new so we looked on the other side of Guanella Pass for our answer.

Drift Peak

My brother David atop Drift Peak

Northwest Ridge from Mayflower Gulch
Trailhead Elevation: 11,512 ft.
Distance: 4.30 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 2430 ft.
Start Time: 10:27am
End Time: 2:22pm


Trip Report:
Drift Peak is a little spoken of 13er at the southern end of the Tenmile Range. We looked at it when we were pursing a goal of summiting all the 13ers in the Tenmile Range. We had been close to it several years prior when we were on Fletcher Mountain and recall thinking how close it looked. Little did we know the connecting ridge between the two is quite difficult. Several days prior to our attempt in 2022 on Drift we were again nearby on Wheeler Mountain. It also has a nasty connecting Ridge with Drift. One would think Drift almost unreachable if not for its northwest ridge. This route turns out to be a modest class 2 route that most hikers will find within their reach.

Unchecked Desires

[Originally published in the Monroe News on September 23, 2022]

Have you been watching the new series on Amazon Prime Video called “The Rings of Power”?  If you’re not a fan of The Lord of the Rings or author J.R.R. Tolkien, or you’re not an Amazon Prime subscriber, it is possible it has skipped your notice or simply doesn’t draw your attention. For fans of the Tolkien works this has been a series roughly 4 years and possibly a billion dollars in the making.  It has been met with high anticipation and equal anxiety as to whether it will be a series faithful to its origins.

I’ll reserve judgment on how the series is going so far as I’ve only seen the first three episodes.  I also won’t spoil anything for those of you still waiting and watching.  As I have spent time contemplating the early episodes of this series and what might lie in store in the upcoming episodes it has had me thinking about the wondrous theological nature of the world that J.R.R. Tolkien created.  When you read his original works like The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings you can’t help but get a sense that his world and the values found therein reflect a lot of our own world.  You can feel the battle between good and evil.  You get a sense of Tolkien’s morality and his love of life and all things green and growing.  

Tolkien seems to have a good strong grasp on the finer intricacies of our human nature.  He understands our weaknesses and foibles and we see this in the struggles that his characters encounter.  This is especially true when it comes to how his characters deal with unchecked desire.  What happens when we indulge all the desires of our heart?  What happens if we bend to every whim that flows forth from within.  If we were to simply do whatever we feel like all the time, how would that turn out for us?

Ellingwood Ridge - La Plata Peak

Ellingwood Ridge route to East La Plata and then La Plata's summit and then descent on the northwest ridge (standard) route.

Trailhead Elevation: 10,161 ft.
Ellingwood Ridge Summit: 13,220 ft.
East La Plata Summit: 14,186 ft.
La Plata Summit: 14,344 ft.
Distance: 12.30 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 6111 ft.
Start Time: 7:18am
End Time: 8:13pm


Trip Report:
Both the blessing and the curse of this ridge is that you have to make it. There's no turning back. It is quite possibly the most committing route in all the state of Colorado. There is no escape.

Tenmile Sea-to-Sea Quintuple

Spruce Creek TH to Mt. Helen to Father Dyer Peak to Crystal Peak to Pacific Peak to Atlantic Peak with descent through Mohawk Lakes Basin back to Spruce Creek TH.

Trailhead Elevation: 10,373 ft.

Mt. Helen: 13,164 ft.

Father Dyer Pk: 13,615 ft.

Crystal Pk: 13,852 ft.

Pacific Pk: 13,950 ft.

Atlantic Pk:  13,841 ft.

Distance: 12.92 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 7392 ft.
Start Time: 6:16am
End Time: 5:12pm


Trip Report:
In 2018 my brother and I did the classic Tenmile Traverse. This was starting in Frisco with Mt. Royal and hitting all 10 of the peaks above Breckenridge stopping at Peak 10. We've fallen in love with the area of the tenmile range and the beauty of the peaks and the surrounding valleys. Since 2012, we had also climbed North Star and Fletcher giving us a nice head start on climbing all the high peaks in the range.

Wheeler Mountain

Wheeler Mountain

South Ridge from Montgomery Reservoir
Trailhead Elevation: 10,961 ft.

Wheeler Elevation: 13,690 ft.
Distance: 10.34 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 3442 ft.
Start Time: 11:41am
End Time: 6:34pm


Trip Report:
Weather led us to Wheeler. My brother and I had a series of hikes planned out for our trip and a very rainy Thursday September 22 foiled our immediate plans. So we weighed our options. The forecasts did suggest a possible improvement, even clearing, of things by mid afternoon so we explored options with a late start. What we were looking for was a peak where we could stay somewhat low and uncommitted until close to the ending. In part this meant no ridge hikes. We eventually settled on Wheeler as it fit the description of what we were looking for. We've also been eyeing the possibility of finishing all the peaks in the Tenmile Range. In fact our plan for the next days was the quintuple of peaks from Helen to Atlantic. It also appeared the weather forecast up in the Tenmile was somewhat better than down in the Sawatch where our main base was located.

Montgomery Reservoir

So we drove on up to the easy to find Montgomery Reservoir trailhead and parked. We had heard a few things about the 4WD road there including one person's trip report who said parts of it made the Lake Como Road in the Sangres look easy. That certainly raised an eyebrow. Right at the trailhead we witnessed a jeep already making its way up the road and moving on to the step of deflating tires to help make the passage.

Boulder Green Mountain Loop

Boulder Green Mountain Loop
Amphitheater Trail to Saddle Rock Trail to E.M. Greenman Trail to Summit. E.M. Greenman Trail to Ranger Trail to Gregory Canyon Trail to Finish.
Trailhead Elevation: 5,906 ft.
Summit Elevation: 8,245 ft.
Distance: 5.58 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 2,396 ft.
Start Time: 2:38pm
End Time: 5:34pm

Trip Report:
If you had 4 hours to do any hike in the Boulder area what would you choose? Or expand the question: if you had 4 hours to do any hike in the greater Denver area what do you do? This was my happy dilemna. I had quite a window of time to work with upon flying into Denver about 8 hours before my brother. I even entertained the possibility of driving out to Guanella Pass to do Bierstadt I realized Boulder was a very reasonable drive from DIA so that became top choice. In Boulder, I decided a summit of Green Mountain would really suit my tastes best. I originally decided on doing the west side trail up Green. It was certainly easier and much less steep and I didn't want to risk much with my legs on this first day.

Marquette Trail 50 (2022)

Finishing an ultra always comes with an immense sense of satisfaction.  Hitting a finish line after many miles and hours out in God’s good creation on beautiful trails is an emotional experience.  The sense of accomplishment is real and it just feels good.  That sense is even greater when you return to a race that beat you up and dealt you failure in your previous attempt.  My 2021 attempt at the Marquette Trail 50 was my first DNF and I’ve wrestled with it ever since.  It wasn’t that this was a crushing blow to my ego or a defeat that tasted so bitter.  I’m not really that kind of runner or person. I’m in this for the enjoyment, for the growth, for the learning and that DNF left me with so many questions.  And yes, it did leave me with a desire to go back and finish what I started. That’s what brought me back, unfinished business.

In the end, I’ve reached a sense of contentment in saying my 2021 DNF at Marquette was due to a combination of three factors: (1) the hot weather of the day, (2) my quads being in an unusual pain due to the training effects of a medicine I was on, and (3) factors 1 & 2 exacerbating my concern of completely wrecking my legs before a trip with my brother to Isle Royale in the days following the race.  I can live with my choices from that day and I accept what happened.

Uncomfortable in the Race of Life

[Originally published in the Monroe News on August 19, 2022]

One of the favorite shows my wife and I share when we’re looking for a few simple laughs is The Big Bang Theory.  My wife would likely say the geeky social-awkwardness displayed by all the main guys in the show is probably the man she’s known and loved since college.  The primary character on the show, Sheldon, is the most awkward of them all.  He may also be the brightest.  A simple dialogue between him and another character Rajesh came to my mind recently as I was finishing up thoughts for a sermon at my congregation at Grace.

Rajesh: Come on, Sheldon. The world is filled with people doing things outside; let’s go outside. Outside is good.

Sheldon: If outside is so good, why has mankind spent thousands of years trying to perfect inside?

It’s definitely a line good for a chuckle.  I happen to resonate most with Rajesh here.  I do believe outside is good.  I do love the beauty and wonder of nature and even the fact that outside does sometimes get uncomfortable and challenging.  While Sheldon makes an interesting point with all the comforts we’ve developed over time to guide our inside lives (I’m pretty sure no one complains about the invention of indoor plumbing) it isn’t a complete replacement for the need to get uncomfortable and get outside.

Clingmans Dome from Newfound Gap

Clingmans Dome from Newfound Gap
Appalachian Trail
Newfound Gap Elevation: 5,049 ft.
Distance: 8.96 mi. 
Elevation Gain: 2,796 ft.
Start Time: 2:38pm
End Time: 7:45pm


Trip Report:
All throughout our week at Pigeon Forge and Great Smoky Mountains National Park I had contemplated a fun way to do a family activity with Clingmans Dome. I also wanted to make sure we had the chance to hike it. The obvious solution kept pointing out a group hiking it from Newfound Gap with the remainder driving the road to the top. The main question was merely who would join the hike and when to go. The plans ended up getting pushed to our last day. Our group of 8 for the hike made it to Newfound Gap just after 2:30pm and we parked and made ready to go. We carried the basics of food and water but not much else. The weather was looking pretty good for our afternoon. Though temps were around 90 down in Gatlinburg, it was just over 70 up at 5,000 feet. We made our way on to the Appalachian Trail crossing the highway at the gap.

Little Greenbriar Trail Run (Great Smoky Mountains NP)

Little Greenbriar Trail Run
Little Greenbriar Trail to Little Brier Gap
Trailhead Elevation: 1,843 ft.
Distance: 3.70 mi.
Elevation Gain: 609 ft.
Start Time: 7:18am
End Time: 8:04am


Trip Report:
The Little Greenbriar trailhead is a small parking area off Line Springs Rd which is just south of Wear Valley. This trail essentially marks part of the northern boundary of Smoky Mountains National Park. The parking has room for only 4-5 cars. I arrived about 7:15am on a Friday and I met one other hiker when I started. At finish a third car had shown up.

The trail starts off with a climb and then rolls for awhile mostly climbing but occasional flat stretches mixed in. At 1.3mi I topped out and then dropped about a 100 feet before reaching Little Brier Gap. This trail junction was my turnaround for the day. From here you can go due south on the Little Brier Gap trail or you can go east towards either Cove Mountain or Laurel Falls. Either of those trails can actually connect a hiker to close to the Visitor Center for GSMNP.

Mount LeConte via Alum Cave Trail

Mount LeConte
Alum Cave Trail
Trailhead Elevation: 3,872 ft.
Distance: 11.32 mi.
Elevation Gain: 2,935 ft.
Start Time: 7:25am
End Time: 1:36pm


Trip Report:

This is certainly not a well kept secret, but the Alum Cave Trail leading up to Mt. LeConte is one of the classic hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Given its combination of interesting geological sites, a mountain climb, a great distance challenge, and hopefully big views, it checked all the boxes for our kind of fun.  I had even seen trip reports suggesting ledgy portions of the trail and even sections with cable handrails which drew my attention.  It is worth clearing up however, that there is nothing technical about this entire hike in the climbing sense.  Neither is there any breathtaking exposure at any portion.  I make both of those climbs from the perspective of a hiker who has ascended all of Colorado's 54 14ers and have seen all sorts of varying levels of exposure and climbing technicality.  This trail does have portions where it narrows to a few feet wide for a moment with steep tree-filled slopes.  It had one or two spots with some wash-outs on the trail that created brief sections where you certainly would not want to fall.  But let's just say, I wouldn't have hesitated for a moment to take my 3-year old all the way up this trail if she could handle the distance.

Cataract Falls (Great Smoky Mountains NP)

Cataract Falls
Fighting Creek Nature Trail to Cove Mountain Trail in Great Smoky Mountains NP
Trailhead Elevation: 1,473 ft.
Distance: 1.30 mi.
Elevation Gain: 138 ft.
Start Time: 1:58pm
End Time: 2:43pm


Trip Report:
Looking for a good family-friendly hike near the Sugarlands Visitor Center, we talked to a nice ranger for good advice. He made two very close suggestions: Laurel Falls and Cataract Falls. Laurel Falls would be a drive down the road and something like a 1.3mi hike. Cataract Falls could be hit from the VC with perhaps just over a half mile hike. We settled on the latter.

One Thing Is Needed

[Originally published in the Monroe News on July 8, 2022]

Travel back with me to the 1990s and reminisce about arguably one of the funniest and most enjoyable movies of the decade.  For me it was an instant classic.  The movie I have in mind is City Slickers starring Billy Crystal.  Its a lovely story of 3 New York men going through mid-life crises who decide to join a guided cattle drive on a ranch out west.  Oh what fun they had!

Along their journey, Billy Crystal’s character Mitch talks to an old cowboy named Curly (played by Jack Palance) and the conversation goes like this:

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is?

Mitch: No, what?

Curly (holding up one finger): This.

Mitch: Your finger?

Curly: One thing.  Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t

mean s***t.

Mitch: That’s great but, what’s the one thing?

Curly: That’s what you gotta figure out.

The rest of the story largely revolves around Mitch’s journey to discover that one thing in his life and by the end he seems to find it in his wife and kids.  

Consistency and the Unfailing Word

[Originally published in the Monroe News on June 10, 2022]

My family has been in the thick of running season for many months now.  My oldest son Luke has been running high school track and he runs various hurdle events and relays.  My third-son Seth has been running training on his own for the fun and the exercise of it.  I myself have been training for an ultra race in the beautiful town of Marquette in the U.P.  We’ve all been keeping busy tallying up the miles.

At the heart of our running training is the word consistency.  Ask a coach one of the most important factors of improving in your training and you’ll hear the word consistency.  It is hard to improve your craft, be it running or other physical activity, if you have a start-stop method to your training.  Running a couple days one week and then taking a few weeks off won’t amount to anything.  I’ve learned this the hard way when I miss a month or two due to a surgery and then upon return find out just how out of shape I am.

Greater Love

[Originally published in the Monroe News on April 22, 2022]

A few weeks back on March 21 our family was returning home from visiting family in Virginia.  On our drive through the gorgeous landscape of Pennsylvania we made the decision to stop at the Flight 93 National Memorial.  What an amazing place.  It is a museum, a memorial, and a beautiful park dedicated to the remembrance of the 9/11 tragedy and those passengers on Flight 93 who caused the plane to crash in Shanksville, PA.  

When 9/11 happened I was in college and I still have vivid memories of getting ready for work that morning and watching events transpire on television.  I remember following all the stories as events unfurled in New York, Washington and eventually Pennsylvania. The stories of first responders having entered the twin towers and being lost when they crumbled.  The stories of human beings helping one another, even endangering themselves to save other lives.  This is what hit me as our family slowly made our way through the museum at the Flight 93 Memorial.  

Flight 93 Memorial Hike

At the lower memorial wall looking up
to the upper visitor center

Flight 93 Memorial Hike
Trailhead Elevation: 2,468 ft.
Distance: 0.96 mi.
Elevation Gain: 41 ft.

Elevation Descent: 175 ft.
Start Time: 2:00pm
End Time: 2:25pm


Trip Report:
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)"

Jesus spoke those words the night before He would hang on the cross and die for the sins of all mankind. He was describing His own work to come, without a doubt. He was describing the great form and example of love humanity has ever witnessed. But in His words we also get this hint that we are all able to walk, in some humble way, in his footsteps. We can't die innocently nor can we die to save all mankind. But we can show such a love that we are willing to sacrifice our lives for the sake of others. A greater love.

Refuge of the Weary

[Originally published in the Monroe News on March 11, 2022]

When you travel through the wilderness of the mountains in Europe, particularly in the French and Italian Alps, they have various refuges located in amazing places. These are essentially mountain huts that provide places of help and rescue for hikers. For someone in distress a refuge can be lifesaving. It is a place of safety. It is a place of protection from the elements or the wild. Under the shelter of a refuge one is in good hands and can find rest.

In February 2014 my father, my good friend Matt and myself stayed in a refuge for two nights. This refuge wasn’t in the alps of Europe. It was actually here stateside on the slopes of one of the most well known mountains in our nation. On the eastern slopes of Pikes Peak in Colorado is a refuge known as Barr Camp. It is only accessible to the public via a long hike. We stayed there in the dead of winter. It wasn’t an emergency stop or anything like that. Rather it was a warm bed, a hot meal, and a refuge for our weary legs during our adventures on the mountain. We summited the mountain after a grueling 13 mile climb in deep snow and steep mountain slopes. Weariness was before us and the refuge of the camp was just what the doctor ordered when night drew near.

True Fixer Upper Love

[Originally published in the Monroe News on May 26, 2023]

My nearly 3-year old daughter is already in that Frozen movie phase where she has fallen in love with Elsa and Anna.  When we get in the car its “Daddy, turn on Elsa songs”.  When we turn on the TV its “Daddy, Elsa shows”.  I’m fairly certain we’ve watched every bit of content Disney+ has to offer regarding Elsa and Anna.  She loves it.   Me?  Well let’s just say there’s only so many times you can hear a particular kid’s song or watch a show before you get a little tired of it.  Or worse, the song is forever etched in your consciousness playing on replay throughout your work day.

There is one song though, whose words actually strike a really interesting chord with me, perhaps you might like it too.  At a critical moment in the first Frozen movie, Anna and Kristoff seek the help of Kristoff’s troll friends who can help save Anna.  Their bid for help moves into a musical number called “Fixer Upper”.  The song delves into the topic of true love.  Its actually pretty good.  The first half of the song the trolls sing of the faults and foibles of Kristoff.  Here’s an example:

So he’s a bit of a fixer upper

But this we’re certain of

You can fix this fixer upper up

With a little bit of love!