20 January 1947

20 January 1947
Monday evening

Dear Dad,
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth waste and void; and the darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Genesis 1: 1-3

Even though the true meaning isn’t what I delight to have it mean,- not that it doesn’t satisfy one’s knowledge of the power of God, but, I look back and recall, that even though I was formed by God’s handiwork and born a regular human being, I too was void, corrupt, and without shape. In my confusion and lust I chose the more visible things before me and truly, I was as one who was blind.

“That (Christ) was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” John 1:9 When I actually experienced Him, saw my need for Him, and His wonderful love, my blindness was gone, just as scales dropping from before my eyes. Since that, there has been no sorrow, burden, or pain that I couldn’t take to Him and have it taken from me. With Him all my worry and strife disappear. I just praise the Lord tonight, I should more always; I praise Him for you and that gift of a dad He gave to me.

I’m sorry I’ve been such a tardy and poky writer. It’s surely been a hustling, bustling, past week. I had sincere intentions of writing to you on the usual Sunday afternoon and if I hadn’t suddenly gotten lazy I would have. As it went, though, I decided to map for forty-five minutes. The alarm went off too suddenly and I set I up about twenty minutes, and, so on through the afternoon! At last, still too soon, it was “meeting” time and I had to get up! I felt guilty cause I knew I wasn’t especially right and Satan had had another victory and when I got down stairs and we were discussing verses and their various properties, believe me, I really was convicted! We brought up the subject of “longsuffering” and Norm (our supervisor) was telling of his “testing” when he was trying grapple with sleep! “First” he said, ‘Carolyn, the baby would cry out, then the telephone would ring, and then, some guy in boy’s room (me) kept having an alarm clock going off about every ten minutes and he surely got a chance to go over his “longsuffering!” After this, I resolved as I came crawling out of the narrow crack in the deck I’d dropped into, when I set an alarm and it goes off, I’m going to get up! At any rate, to make a long story longer and more inexcusable I just didn’t write and that’s why I say, “I’m sorry.” I was glad to learn a lesson even though some others had to pay for it, before I did.

I heard from Mother tonight and her letter surely went home to my heart. I’m certainly proud my Mom, don’t forget to help her with her housework whenever you can. I wish I could come home every nite myself! I do realize you get pretty tired too, Dad, so you just do what your heart tells you to and don’t listen me.

I finally have the “great test” behind me, and it’s strictly in the Lord’s hands. In fact, when I looked at the first page I knew that it had been since the first book I’d opened to study indirectly for it. In man’s sight my chances are exceedingly slim because it was such a “cooker” and beyond my present mind, and then too, both civilian and Naval competition run so high….? I do believe the Lord can do it if He wills it all. My urge is for it but that’s me. When I’m notified in March I’ll know for sure fist where the Lord wants me in this deal. All I see is the great opportunity and the first two years just like a civilian student in college, where the Lord sends me. If he would say “no,” I can be glad too. It’s just His way of answering prayer.

Did you get the card I sent you after I got back here to Jax? I was suspicious of my inability to write you before now so I sent it.

My motorcycle and motor scooter or bike notions are still being refreshed in every way except financially sound! One thing is that they boosted city zone bus rates up to a dime now! It’s going to make a lot of people dig deeper. I’m still in doubt about a motorcycle. They are mighty hard to stay on the safe side of and even though I do feel sure I could use it in the Lord’s name and be protected, well, it’s hard to arrive at the conclusion without God’s “word!” My foremost reason for transportation is for economy. ‘Cycles burn gas and oil at regular car rates. Scooters are better, but on this motor bike I can get 125 miles to the gallon!- two ounzes of oil every hundred miles! We’ll see.

Dawson Trottman (He’s the originator of Navigation’s) is visiting us this weekend and leaves tonight. We’re going to have a meeting in “commemoration” and I’d best get rolling, and get some songs going. “Bird-singers” leading “maestro”- (laugh now)!

Write (your pencil still works) when you sit a spell. How’s the ranch and all?

May God’s will and blessing be yours,
Your son, Stephen

P.S. How’s the feeding weather? Done anything about Jason? Incidentally send me Mom’s and your Birthday dates will you? I lost my address book.