Since Guy and I have been thinking about his retirement, (actually our retirement), we have been forced to take a look at the choices that we have made over our lifetime, and to access whether or not those choices have taken us where we have wanted to go. Its good to look at it and be pleased with the results. We have no regrets. We will never in this lifetime be Rich in the sense that the world views riches. That has never been one of our goals. Money to us has always just been a vehicle to help us go where we wanted. It has never been important to either of us that we ever had excess. Many of the choices throughout our lives have been made with not the worlds idea of the best financial moves, but on what was best for us as individuals and for our family. Financial moves, such as not keeping one of our old homes as we have moved into the next, was mostly based on the ideas that it would take time to maintain both...and it wasnt where we wanted to stress or spend our time. We had decided when we first married that our earthly focus would be on building an eternal family unit and not on building finances. Some people are able to split their focus and still obtain both. I remember once being asked if we wanted to participate in something that woud make us very wealthy. The people making the offer was very shocked to hear that no, we did not want riches and have time to participate. I also remember having Mike look at me in all seriousness one time, after someone had told him that I wanted to be a lawyer once, and he said "Mom, you have to be smart to be a lawyer." I was given the opportunity once to become a fulltime seminary teacher, Jennifer talked me out of that one. Reminding me of the times that I had come to her rescue during school hours and telling me that the other kids needed that love and time too. Staying at home was a choice not always easily made. Guy and I have always known that we would not able to stretch like that and still do what we needed to do. Life always narrowed down to money verses the best use of our earthly time. It was important that we had clear goals in mind especially in the midst of life. We hardly had enough time to breathe while we were raising our troops. Time passed incredibly fast and then they were gone. We have been blessed that we have always had enough to meet our needs. I am sure at times our children would have wanted their parents goals to be more worldly, however if they search their hearts they would know that they are wealthy beyond compare in memories. Memories of their dad and mom living day to day life with faith in them and in who they were becoming and in God. We always believed that they could do anything that they really wanted to. Not only because they were our children, but because they were literally Gods children. That was the goal that we set together when we first started our walk in life as one. That our children and grandchildren would know who they are and that they were loved and prized above anything on earth. That their Eternal Life was worth more than anything earthly we could have given them. Guy was promised that his earthly family would be one that God would delight to exalt if he lived a certain way. As his wife I will one day testify before God that he has lived that way. Money cannot buy that. Nothing can but simply following Gods path. The hardest part of life was to not get sidetracked. Our path has been to choose simply living and keeping the commandments and teaching them to our family. Nothing else mattered then nor now. We have been blessed financially in that our needs have always been met. For us, that has and is enough to feel rich beyond compare. My sweet spouse and I have been together for 34 years now...at first in our marriage we were married but still walked separate paths, each thinking our own was the right and best way. After having traveled the path for years , we began to see the others path and realized that our own ways were not always the best or the only right ones...we began to walk together a little more and a little closer, and by time the kids had all left home, we realized that our paths had merged and we both walked side by side with very few conflicting opinions. I am guessing that one day we will also wake up and realize that the path has always actually had 3 walking it and that we will find ourselves being carried together in His arms along that same path. I can almost see the beginning of that path opening before us. Its been a long walk and Guy and I are both looking forward to turning our lives totally over to Him. Thats been our walk through life. Our simple goal all of these years. Now Mike and Mandy are searching for their own pathway, What an exciting time for them as they figure out the road they want to travel. Isnt it a wonderful thing that we get to chose our own way and not have only one route to exaltation. What is right for one is not necessarily right for someone else, and the fact is, that we each have so very many choices that could work for us. Our path is just the vehicle to get to the end. All paths could, if viewed correctly lead us to exaltation. It doesnt matter if you are rich or very very poor. But in the end, the vehicle is not the thing that mattered. It ultimately is achieving the goal, or whatever your heart truly desired, if you fall short of that, you have failed, even with all the worldly riches you could desire. Life is too short to be diverted. I love that picture of them taken on the day Mandy took out her endowments. They are the last of the troop to start out. Each of their siblings have found incredible spouses of their own and have started their journeys. Each path will be different and unique to each of their own individual talents and desires. Each through prayer will find the right path for them. We are lucky to have family there close by to cheer us on or to mourn with us as life hurls us along. Its my prayer that as you all find your ways, that your paths will merge as your understanding and love for each other grows and that each of you and your children will find the joy, contentment, and yes, the riches that wait for you at the end of the path. That you will merge into one in heart and in soul. I would die without your father. He is the love of my life. Nothing is more wonderful to me after all of these years than to crawl into bed and put my icy cold feet against his warm legs. May you all know this kind of Rich and total contentment.
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