Rusty hinges

June 3, 2012

Houses and human bodies have one significant thing in common. Namely, our hinges get rusty and it becomes very difficult to change positions. We try to open a door to the basement that hasn’t been touched, much less opened, for months and we get a screeching, gnashing noise that would frighten the dead. A little oil, a few more attempts and we finally get the door so it will open relatively easy. I love old houses like the one we moved into in 1988 on the corner of 800 E and 600 N. for that specific reason. That house allowed me to use all my creative juices, hammer out my frustrations, develop plans in my head and implement them. In short it gave me a purpose to work out the rust in my human hinges –mentally and physically.

Jean and I have been working excitedly on quilts, church jobs, genealogical indexing, feasting on the scriptures, and enjoying friends and family with the express idea in mind that if we work those hinges in our mind, in our bodies (yes, we have actually been tread milling) we oil those parts that have been out of use and help us “endure to the end.” Over the years Jean and I have experienced rough patches in every conceivable part of our human experience that have forced us to make decisions to give up, or oil those hinges and get on with life. We can absolutely testify that we have come out stronger, more knowledgeable, more loving, more in love and in like than one could possibly imagine. Almost half a century ago we married as little children and really had no idea what life had would share with us behind those creaky doors. It has been exciting, panic riddled, and every other adjective one could ascribe. And, it has all been worth the journey.

One thing that has concerned me greatly lately is the lack of enthusiasm, commitment, and passion some I love have expressed or implied through their actions. The following ideas are intended to give anyone interested, an opportunity to crack open those creaky, rusty hinges, and see if they can be renewed, making life not only more interesting, but building those relationships that we believe will go on throughout the eternities.

GOD GAVE US THE GIFT OF LOVE

Each and everything I want to share with anyone interested is clearly laid out for us in the scriptures. Sometimes we get lost in the space and time warp called life so I am going to re-share the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Luke, Acts, Moroni,etc

• God has told us to forgive – not seven times, but seven times seventy.

·         God has commanded us to be Christ-like in all our human dealings. Yes with our frailties, faults, and all.

·         God has told us to marry, multiply, and grow in love and appreciation

·         God has told us to love him, love our neighbors (that’s everybody) and love ourselves

Many of you are playing a deadly game of chicken. With most of us it is all about who did something stupid first.  (The “it all happened when he hit me first syndrome). The answer is it doesn’t matter. A personal example of this stupidity is when I used to get so mad at Jean that I would storm out of the house and head for work. When I started through American Fork I would begin feeling really regretful. When I got to Lehi, I felt awful and wanted to do something about it. By the time I hit the point of the mountain, I was calling her and asking her forgiveness and all was better. One time I was so angry I ran out, jumped in the car and as I was backing up, I smashed into our other car right in the driveway. Now how stupid is that.

Most of us just keep smashing into each other and don’t stop to realize what you are losing. In case you have forgotten, when we play this game, we lose the very life we came here to get. Here is how each of us can get out of that creaky door.

·         You commit to say nice things, like I love you; you look nice today;  thank you for being the mother of our children; thank you for the nice home and food you prepare.

·         Your partner commits to saying nice things, like I love you; thank you for working until you are old and beat up to bring home the bacon; what can I do to help you with your wounds and feelings. Thank you for a life-time of memories which will bless our lives forever.

·         Then both of you start doing these little things. Don’t mock each other. That will poison the well and all will be lost.

·         Do something together. I suggest genealogical indexing. I am getting great joy out of it and it is something that you can do a few minutes a day, sharing in decoding the names and dates of those who have preceded us through the veil.

·         Repent and have God-like sorrow for the mortal sins you commit. Yes, all of us commit sins over and over again.

·         Ask for forgiveness from any and all we have trespassed against.

·         Ask God to forgive us; then, as Christ has told us, “go, and sin no more”

·         Begin each day with personal prayer,

o   Plead with Father in Heaven to bless your family and to protect you from personal nightmares.

o   Especially ask for help to avoid even the appearance of evil. I have come to the point where I try to avoid evil television and printed materials like the plague.

o    Even with that said, I still see things on the tube that disturb me and cause me to falter on my promise to repent and sin no more. I saw a commercial on TV last night that made my hormones boil

·         Frequently say something nice to each other and mean it.

·         Frequently eat a meal, read a scripture, say a prayer, or some other meaningful thing together

·         Call or visit frequently during the day just to say hello

·         In other words court your fine young female /male friend again

We all have our agency and can opt out of any and everything in this life. Just as in the war in heaven, we chose the opportunity to come to earth and make our own decisions. We  continue to make those decisions each moment of each day.

It truly burdens my heart to see so many pushing your loved ones away and sparing like two cats with your tails tied together and hung over a clothes line. For the sake of our personal salvation, for an example to our children, and because it is the right thing to do, we all need to put our lives back in God’s hands and go forward with love eternal.

Duane Jacobs, grandpa, brother, father, uncle, cousin, and friend