[.Grandpas Writings.]

This post is going to be the start of many writings that I receive from my Grandpa. He writes them for all of his children, prints them out on cardstock paper and hand delivers them.
These are the first ones I have yet received, I know he's written at least 300.


The Dirt Road


Everyone needs a dirt road. A road free of pavement, mortar , and
bricks. A stretch of earth where we unplug the world. Someplace where
we become unattached from computers, videos, phones, electronic
devices, and technological airwaves(where they become, well, just
plain air!). A location where materialism is plentiful; the materials
of ample dirt beneath our feet, vegetation, and uncluttered expanse. A
road that does not schedule deadlines and appointments. A detour from
work and putting bread on the table. Solid earth under our feet so
that we can take a steady look heavenward and assess our relationship
with God. A dirt road where we can ease stress and tensions as we exit
out of our “natural man” addictions .Dirt roads are wonderfully free
of billboards but there are signs everywhere as to what matters most
in life.


There is sublimity in the quietude of a dirt road. Not much
ostentation or pretense in a caterpillar that will soon attach itself
to a milkweed— to be hung in the “humble hut” kitchen with care and
the ensuing magic of a monarch. There is no noise or rudeness in the
calmness of a baby barn owl staying one fence post ahead of Mom and I.
In this sublime atmosphere, motionless is the buy-word; the human
commotion of greed, agitation, and power are miles away. Yes, in this
dirt road quietude , children, Sunny, sleighs,and a car make sounds,
but it is not noise— it is the activity of the purest sort— children
and parents having fun— together.
As we calmly stroll down the dirt road, we do not teeter back and
forth; a reminder that balance is so necessary in our lives—
equilibrium with priorities that decry against excess and extremes.

Down the road we go and on occasions dust kicks up, but it eventually
settles and it becomes a little easier to understand that when life’s
dust swirls around us, that with our patience and faith it will
eventually settle.


Walking on a dirt road is more than a needed escape. In the serenity
of no human activity and commerce, it is the reconstruction and
construction of our body and spirit!!


Everyone needs a dirt road.




There is more to three than when one’s child is not two. Consider:
Some almost worship a three-pointer. I did not worship, but doted with
fondness on three-wheelers. To appease the fashion gods, we drape
ourselves with a three-piece suit. The three -R’s is fundamental to
the basics of education—used to be anyway. The carpenter knows the
worth of a three-penny nail. Nations have territorial jurisdiction for
three miles off their shores. Three score and ten makes you my age. A
threesome is almost every teenage date—them and a chaperone! We enjoy
the luxury of three different levels of light from our three-way
bulbs; a tax lies at the base of your lamp in the future. All
children, on their own, eat three squares a day—with the emphasis on
fruits and vegetables. Who of us is not grateful for a perfect
three-point landing when the two main wheels and nose wheel touch down
simultaneously ? The basement of the “humble hut” was lined with
sturdy, durable, three-ply something. There is excitement in a
three-ring circus. When parents grapple with the enigma of their
teenagers lives, it is because they fail to recognize the three stages
of most teenagers lives—I, Me, Myself. Some exult in the revelry of a
three-layered cake. My personal expertise is my mastery of the
three-phases of sleep. Down deep, many feel that things happen in
threes.


Well, yes, good things happen in threes. In point of fact, the best
things happen because of threes, but only in the threes that are three
dimensional; they have depth. These are the threes that really matter;
they stretch our awareness of who we are and who we can become. Threes
of depth enhances our vision of the future as they fortify us in the
present. Much of our short-sightedness and anxiety comes as we do not
fully embrace the three dimensional depth of these threes.


I might clarify that some of the threes that I have just mentioned do
not need the third dimension of depth to be useful—or important. A
three-layered cake does not need depth—it needs frosting! But only in
the threes that follow are there answers; there is also a call of
responsibility to probe and digest everything we possibly can from
them. As we do, we will earn the right of comfort and stability. The
Lord has blessed us with multiple threes of depth.


It remains with us to discover the depth of their depth!
These are the Lord’s Threes:


Three Degrees of Glory.
The Triple Combination.
The First Presidency through the ward auxiliaries are presided over by threes.
The birth, death, and resurrection of the Savior.
The Three Witnesses.
Pre-earth life, mortality, and after-life.
Husband, wife, and children.
Planting, nourishing, and the harvest.
The greatest three of all—The Godhead.


When I spent 19 months at Fort Benning, I knew of these threes, but
had little or no comprehension of their depth. Looking back, I believe
I may have begun to discover a millimeter of their depth because I saw
the human behavior at its worst from some of the soldiers. The 19
months were loud with competing , obnoxious radios through the
night—my sleepless nights ended at 5a.m. for roll call. There was
drinking and plenty of drunkenness. Stupidity; soldiers putting their
entire months pay into a single roll of the dice and losing. Lack of
fidelity to spouse; when I asked one soldier how he could do that he
simply replied, “It’s O.K.,my wife is in New York.” The language was
drudged up from beneath the gutter. Many soldiers consistently gave no
thought to the consequences of their actions. With this as a backdrop,
an unexpected “Balm Of Gilead” came into my life—the Tabernacle Choir
broadcast each Sunday night. Yes, Mo-Tab! Funny thing though, I didn’t
even like the choir. It was really stuffy stuff to me, but I rarely
missed it. But in some way—I believe Heaven sent way—It prodded me to
ponder the Lord’s Threes. It was 30 minutes of refuge. It was not
doctrinal about the Threes, but it directed me toward Them. Amid my
cluttered environment of selfishness, it helped me see that those
Threes had something beyond the shallowness in my barracks.


Threes of Depth!


Over the years, my millimeter of understanding Their depth has soared
to a centimeter. But this much I know: There is no limit to Their
depths; They have no boundaries as They are eternal. Properly
understood, They are trinities of triumph. Each of them is a
three-in-one which seeks for unity. Each pleads to us to have
unwavering faith in Them. Each Three desires our happiness.


In one of the rare times that I attended my priest quorum, every
priest bore his testimony, except me. The bishop then turned to me and
said, “You are the oldest, we would like to hear from you.” With great
elaboration, I stood and said that the reason I did not bare it was
because I did not have it and then sat down. Well, time passes. So now
with great elaboration I will make amends to my priest quorum. The
gospel is true. I know it is because of the depth of the Threes; that
depth is whispered to me by the depth of the Spirit; and by the grace
of God, it is whispered in Threes—morning, noon, and night.

Great Teachers I Have Known

My great teachers never gave me a grade. There are many fine teachers that excel with creativity and a mastery of their subject. They have skillful articulation that make words, language, and concepts easy to understand. I have been fortunate to have some of those teachers, but the great teachers that have moved, prodded, and inspired me were not in the classroom. No, my great teachers taught me by their example—most often, I am sure, they did not know of their teaching. These are the great teachers that by their example you shall see them and “ by their fruits you shall know them.” They are great and noble and the only way that I can repay them is to try and be a better person.

It is a given that our greatest teacher and example is our Savior—the ultimate in love, charity, and how to live. We strive, bit by bit,to be like Him. My object in this writing is to show my gratitude to the many mortals who have demonstrated the many immortal qualities needed to live a happy and meaningful life of which the Savior was the perfect example. The three mortals of which I write— whose effect on my life is greater than they can possibly know— are the embodiment of all my greatest teachers— all my examples. Blessed thanks to them all.

Mortal number one is number one in my life and my number one exempla. The quantity ( I will mention only a few ) and quality ofher examples to me have to rate number ten on the scale. No need for one through nine. Her example scale begins and ends with a ten! She is a very unusual example in so many areas of her life. She is not a trendsetter but an example of life’s basics— basics that sooner or later all of us must have and use. It is I who has this great mortal teacher as an example.

There was once an entrepreneurial Larry, Daryl, and Daryl, who ran a thriving business called “ Anything for a buck.” She has always thrived on running a house by every thing for a buck. An example of thrift, ingenuity, and discipline. What an example to follow— living inside of one’s means to avoid being held captive out side of them! If followed, there would be far fewer people parading into the bishop’s office with a millstone of economic extravagance draped around their necks.

Among the mortal pain that mortal number one has endured are tiny rolling stones— rolling stones with sharp edges! Kidney stones on the move are like getting run over by a giant tire with blades sticking out of it. She has endured a few of those with courage— and my admiration and wonder of how she did it..Her doctor once told her that giving birth to a kidney stone was more painful than natural childbirth. She knows the pains of birth without a needle. One of her stones provided to me just what this mortal is made of. Four months into her pregnancy with Griff, a stone begins to march. The doctor offers pain medication. She refuses; she does not want to harm the fetus. In all probability, a mild dose would have done no harm, bu tshe would have none of it. An example of selflessness to protect her unborn. I have seen her excruciating pain with rolling stones. I do not believe that many— under her circumstances— would have turned down the pain killer— they would have begged for it.

Hard work. Yes, mortal number one is the perfect example of hard work—none will deny. My greatest admiration and respect come as I observe her hard work and dedication in serving her family with a smile, evenas she wears the cloak of debilitating fibromyalgia. Further, her grit will not allow this disease to prevent her from being a hands on grandma for her grandchildren. The price is terrible, but the teaching is remarkable and extraordinary. Oh, did I mention the number of times she has been cut open? Few can understand her determination through her pain— I do. The example of my wife continues to teach me things of  eternal value.

I have stood at the “ Tomb of the unknown soldier.” An honor to pay tribute to him. However, the soldier which I honor the most was in my Ft. Benning barracks. Mortal number two. His name, marital status, and background were unknown to me. His example I have known for 50 years and counting. He was black and most likely not a member of the church. He was not aware of the unknown soldier in the middle of the barracks who listened and observed him. He knew nothing of the effect of his example on this soldier. The effect was monumental. As my understanding of the “ great and spacious building” and its crowded array of scorners has grown, so has his example and my esteem for him.

Simply put, his core of buddies were mercilessly cruel to him because he would not participate with them in their extracurricular activities— weekend activities and often weeknight activities that trashed virtue. He was derided and scorned by the core— to his core! He was usually awakened by the core when they returned at 4 a.m. and informed him of every thing that he had missed and how un-loyal and un-manly he was for not joining the night time core. This went on for the 19 months that I was in the barracks. Never have I seen anyone take so much ridicule as often as he did— vile ridicule. It was incredible when each time the core left— left with scorching scorn—one of my greatest teachers would calmly say with a grin, “ No thanks,see y’all.” I have listened to countless, inspiring sermons on virtue and how to ignore the spacious building and I am so grateful for them,but the young, black soldier’s example was the greatest sermon of them all!!

We wanted to come. We knew of the tests, perils, and pain and suffering that earth life would require of us. We knew of the necessity of coming. We ask for the tests and trials. Yet, how many of us ask “ why” when they come? We know we must have them but it is not fair, we reason, to have them happen to us. We can theologically understand how and why we must deal with severe challenges, but so often the weaknesses of the flesh ransom our faith and hope. I am tremendously grateful for my theological understanding of earth lifeand the testimony which is developing because of it. In the final analysis, our faith and testimony will be our peace and comfort, but to reach that end, I will forever be in debted for the examples of those who have reached that end despite incredible pain and suffering.They know their days are few but their countenance and spirit have an ever lasting influence on me. They radiate the “ peace which surpasseth all understanding.” They do not whine or pity themselves. They bear testimony of their untold blessings and show a level of gratitude that I am still very far from. They never give up. Their faith grows. Their example is far reaching. I constantly thank the Lord for the nobility of such people. I often feel unworthy of their examples. I have seen and known many such examples— my great teachers—, but for those who know how seriously sick they are, mortal number three occupies first chair. He is Kenny Horne, a neighbor who lives down the road. As his life grows dim, his light grows brighter!!

My three great teachers. They are not great because of the pulpit,blackboard, or leadership in politics and the workplace. They are great teachers because “ Their message is their life.” Who and what they are is “ thundering in my ears.” They and those like them are the real difference makers in the world.

There are an un-limited number of people who make a difference, but what kind of difference? There are clever people, blowhards, people who tell us all the things they are going to do and be, people who look very good on the outside but their inward vessels are clogged with sticky me goo. There are celebrity people who make a difference—they increase the size of the “golden calf.” Difference makers. They are those who humbly show us the way by their examples. They are my greatest teachers.

“Be Thou Humble”
 
 I do not know much about humility. If I think I have it, I do not. If
I have it, I do not think I do. I am really not sure what it is, but I
know what it is not.
 I may err, but what humility is not is described(and condemned) in
the scriptures more than any of our human weaknesses. Modern day
sermons from our leaders reference it repeatedly. As one person said,
“Pride is at the bottom of all the great mistakes.” Another observed
that pride “is the complete anti-God state of mind.”
 I may not exactly know how to describe humility, but I know that
pride is the complete antithesis of it. Humility and pride. If we have
one, we do not have the other. It is not complicated. One should be
shunned and the other will fall as the gentle dew on our shoulders—a
little at a time, over time.
 
 The scriptural assessment of pride is a no-holds barred assault on
this disabling, dismantling wrecker of about everything; It gets to
the point directly. A sampling follows:
 
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
 
“The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.”
 
“.....the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogancy...”
 
“Only by pride, cometh contention.”
 
“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes.”
 
“....the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and
it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great.”
 
“.... all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble....”
 
Those “puffed up in the pride of their hearts....shall be thrust down to hell.”
 
“Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if you are not, ye
are not prepared to meet God.”
 
“...he who exalts himself shall be abased...”
 
 These descriptions and warnings are as plain as no makeup. There is
no equivocation.  We only need to step back and see the devastation
wrought by humilities opposite; the fall of civilizations, broken
homes, and shattered lives are a testimony to us of what pride lays to
waste. We are over powered by the know-it-all who knows a lot, but not
much about what really matters—for one thing, his humility. The
conceited and arrogant put on a wispy veneer of happiness; their
superiority claims responsibility for their depth of achievements. Who
among us needs chapter and verse to feel the derision from the
spacious building of scorners (the pride of the world) as we do our
best to live by revealed truth; that building gathers its disciples
from the workplace, media, the elites, entertainers, and associates. A
person with no hands can count on his fingers the number of times that
pride did not instigate and then fuel contention between two people.
 
 I listened with neighborly concern and empathy as the father of five
boys emotionally stated that Satan desired the souls of his boys. Yes,
there is a war for our souls and pride is one of Satan’s most
insidious means of attack and capture. When He can persuade us that
life’s three-part equation of God, others, and ourselves only needs
one part—us—then we are prideful; we are in His territory and we must
get out. Until we put the three parts back in our lives and in correct
priority, the Lord—through our humility—will never make our weaknesses
our strengths.
 
How do we gain humility?
 
 In my humble opinion, we gain it when we learn that we do not know
much, but seek with all of our heart and soul to know the One who
knows everything.