Wednesday, December 13, 2023
This morning Betty and I woke up and went for a run. It’s something we’ve done for quite a while now. Actually, we alternate between walking and jogging. When we started, it was a huge challenge for Betty, but now she’s much stronger. It’s one of the best things that we do for our mental, spiritual, and marital health. Some days we spend the 45 min to and hour chatting. Some days it’s quiet because we are peaceful. Some days it’s quiet because we are frustrated. But nearly every day except Sundays we are out there together.
After our run, the first order of business was to take the car up to the mechanic to get checked out. We had our fingers crossed that the problems would not be as serious as we had been told, and that we could get our Sequoia fixed up and back on the road.
It’s been a good change of pace for the kids to be at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I’m not sure what it is, but in our home, the kids have a hard time getting outside to play. Here, they seem more relaxed. Within just a couple of hours of waking up, Kimball and Ian were outside playing baseball. Alicia has enjoyed shooting hoops. River and Alicia spent some time playing dress-ups. I know that school is important, but it’s always good to see kids just be kids.
One fun thing is that River got to visit a dance class taught by my sister Annie at the studio owned by my sister Marybeth. She had so much fun just moving around with the other students. It was fun to see how happy she was dancing.
In the afternoon, we went to visit my Grandma Neubert -- my mother’s mother. She’s an amazing woman. 92 years old and still doing great. Her husband, my Grandpa Buddy, died when my mom was in high school. Grandma was left to raise 7 kids on her own. She and I have been great friends all my life. When I was in high school I would drive to her house, and just pop in. She would make me some toast or some eggs, and we would chat. Now that we are so far away from each other, I try to call her each week -- but it’s tough to get her on the phone.
She has had quite a bit of challenge with her physical health. She has been legally blind for many years, and she’s got terrible nerve pain in her legs. I know that she misses Grandpa, but when I asked her if she was going to make it to 100 she winked at me and said “Of course.”
Today she was in a mood to share things with us. Her mind is still super sharp, and she loves to memorize things. She quoted for us Isaiah 42:16:
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
After that it was the first stanzas of “A Diamond in the Rough” by Bradley Ray Wardle :
A diamond in the rough,
is a diamond sure enough:
And before it ever sparkles,
it is made of diamond stuff;
But someone has to find it,
or it never will be found:
And someone has to grind it,
or it never will be ground;
In the hands of the master,
it is cut and burnished bright:
Then that diamond's everlasting,
shinning out its purest light;
Finally it was “I met God” by Ralph Cushman
I met God in the morning,
when my day was at its best.
And His Presence came like glory,
a sunrise in my breast.
[...]
So I think I know the secret,
learned from many a troubled way…
You must seek God in the morning,
if you want Him in the day
After Grandma shared the poems with us, we decided to do a seminary lesson right there with her. We talked more about Revelation. This time we talked about the promises of the Lord to those who overcome. It was awesome to be there with Grandma and the kids. She has struggled through so much in her life, and her testimony of perseverance and trust in the Lord was just awesome. When I asked her if she was going to make it to 100, she just winked at me and said “Yes.”
After we left Grandma’s house, we raced home and hopped in the car with my dad and my brother-in-law Zack (Annie’s husband), and we headed down to Provo for the BYU basketball game. The kids were so excited. We follow the Cougars closely, and we’ve stayed up super late on many occasions watching the football and basketball team play. Whoever is in charge of producing those basketball games is doing an amazing job. It’s definitely an experience to go there. From the starting lineups to the Cougarettes to Cosmo it’s so fun -- and that’s not even counting the team, which is dynamite this year.
Kimball got a little overwhelmed by all of the sensory input, but he stuck it out, and in the end he really enjoyed it all. When I asked if he could imagine himself in the ROC (student section) some day he just shook his head “No.” But once we emerged from the Marriott Center, and he had time to decompress, he was so happy to have gone.
It was another great day. I’m looking forward to finding out tomorrow what is going on with the Sequoia.