A STATE OF AFFAIRS

Well, I have had a "fun" evening.  I received word that my Dad is struggling with his health.  I called my younger sister and we talked for several hours.  Hashing out family dynamics and much else.  It was good to connect.  We are both at peace with our father - but we are concerned with several of our siblings.

I found out that one, who was holding a 35 year old grudge over a student loan and a promise to repay, may not have the chance to patch things up while my father could still speak.  How can someone hold a grudge over money?  I can conceive of one where an adult led grandchildren or children astray - turning them into twice the soldiers of the adversary that they are; consequences that will have ripples that will reach into the eternities.  But over money?  Not millions - but in the many hundreds of dollars.  I just do not get it.

I advised my father a year or two ago, that (even though he was not in the wrong from his perspective), to dangle the olive branch and have a good financial planner figure out what that small amount would be had it been put in the bank and allowed to accrue interest at a normal rate over those 35 or so years.  I am not sure why he chose to do this - but I found out tonight that he did indeed extend the olive branch in the form of a shoe-box full of ONE DOLLAR BILLS...... while the child was at the last family gathering in August.  Not sure if it included interest - but it sure sent a message of the ridiculousness of the situation.  My dad is an awesome smart-aleck - and I can only guess where I get mine from.  The stunt worked - and the box o cash was rejected; but the point was driven home, I am sure.

So, we have another "Mike and the Mechanics" moment going on.  Man are people short-sighted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDA0Hecw1k

Money, quilts and so many other things are simply things that should not be fought over.  Folks, NONE of it goes with you.....  The only thing you take with you are your honor, your integrity, your good name and the approbation of your children who are living the commandments.

Often when we hold a grudge - it is an attempt to hold people hostage because we ourselves are lacking in the very thing we are guilty of accusing them of falling short on.

Please continue to pray for God's will for my father.

This is what I wrote in an e-mail earlier tonight on a different, but related topic:

It is all part of the university of life.  Why God chose to allow this to happen to the both of us and our family, I am not sure - but this I do know.  It has been the perfect test for all of us - and it should flatter all of us, quite frankly.  The harder the test, the more the approval and feeling of approbation we can have in ourselves - so long as the test/trial was not a direct result of personal sin.  Little to none of it was - so the logical answer then is that we all have great things before us by virtue of the greatness of the trials we are passing through - and we just therefore need to endure in patience and with grace and it will be "well with us". 

Whether my father stays or he goes, he will go in peace.  I am excited for him if it is his time to go.  My mother is waiting over there for him.  I know my boy, Dallin Jacob is over there with Mom - so it will be an awesome meeting.  In some ways - a quite enviable one.  Would love to slip him a note to take over to let my boy know we are doing quite well, notwithstanding.....  :)