3 February 1947

3 February 1947
Monday morning

Dear Dad,
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? My help cometh from Jehovah, who made heaven and earth…….Jehovah will keep thy going out and thy coming in From this time forth and forever more.” Psalms 121: 1,2,8
You know Dad, I don’t have any mountains to look up to, just flat old sand dunes but I do have the mountains of clouds to look up into and feel my soul climb up to the majesty of God and find great peace. From the realistic surrounding of mountains at home where you can look upon the Lord’s handiwork all the day long is really something, but I take pride in the fact that God gave me an imagination to feature Him and the wonderful things He has in store for me. I used to worry what I was going to do for a career in the old world. I had great big ambitions but no gumption. I’d get the idea all cooked up and then begin to doubt it when the going would get a bit rough. Now, I’m busy all the time and some day I hope I can say I have spent one whole day for the glorification of my Lord but fellows will ask me during the day if I’m going to be a minister and all I can say is that I’m set aside for the Lord’s work but that’s a pretty wide field and I can’t say….the Lord will tell me in a definite way as long as I stay close to Him in my living. If I draw away then, all thanks to Him, He’ll burden me until I do give in all the way.

I run into fellows every day that use language that isn’t fit for animals and the way they act reminds me of some natural scene that you’d only expect out in the instincts and surroundings that nature gave to animals. Even after lights are out the fellows have to lay in their bunks and tell of their great sensations. I’m not the only one in the world though that has to see all this go on and even so if it stops me I like to remind myself how it must hurt the Father who loved us so much so long ago that He sent His only son down on the earth to die and teach men of His love. After all man couldn’t replace man upon this earth. Earth is made in a perfect balance, so that someone who was perfect Himself in every way did the construction work.

That’s why when I look around me, and surely others are conscious of it too, and see nature in its best, God Himself living and speaking in every hill, animal, lighting, and darkening, how can we refuse Him acknowledgement. I can’t say why! I did refuse Him the right to call me His own for so long and even now when my eyes are open I give myself and the means visible to man’s greatness the credit, for instance, who made the atom perfect in every respect and so efficient? Man couldn’t but he gives himself the credit! Who put it there for man to find and use? God, and man takes it and forgets the maker. That’s why in the Bible the Lord says He takes the simple to expose the wise and their universal understandings. Thank God I’m simple!

I’m kind of one jump behind today and yester-day. I’m still buried in a pile of back mail but the Lord willing I’ll get the time to catch up. I’ve got the duty tonight and have to teach night school so I should be able to catch up on my writing! Speaking of writing, I heard from Al Watenpaugh. From what I get from his letter he got a nice easy desk job but I wouldn’t make a definite statement. He is in Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington.

About once a week I get word that I’m going to be shipped out to school. Each time I go over to the office I get a silly smile from the officer in charge and he tells me not to worry. They have to ship 140 Seamen out of NATTC by the first of March. I haven’t heard anything of the NACP deal and the results I don’t expect to be too good. If I do get in as I’ve said before it will be strictly the Lord’s will and it is up to me and you and Mom just to beleive that the Lord is able!

Today was kind of a replenishing on the material side of the Navy life----payday. That’s the reason I have this moment now. It isn’t bad at all having a little bit of extra time time. I should make a lot of teaching aids but there’s not much use if I won’t be here to use them. I think one of these days I’ll do a paint job on my rooom, especially because the Admiral’s supposed to make a visit in a few weeks. We had a workday last Saturday which is very unusual and in this case very disappointing to many poor sailors who had big liberty plans. It rained all morning Saturday so they didn’t feel so very bad in the end.

Winter hasn’t begun down here yet. It is sure a contrast from last year because then a fellow couldn’t even walk outside without a overcoat on or he’d freeze to death. It has started to rain a little bit though. Saturday it looked like about ten new rivers had sprung up out of nowhere and they really carry the sand right down the street!
The Lord surely has given me a challenge to read more word. So far I now begin to realize I have making the Bible a sideline where it should be a sideline along the whole day. You might call it then Main Course of the meal….a fellow just has to eat. I don’t believe I have gone to it yet (The Bible) when the Lord wouldn’t lead me to an answer right on the nose!! I don’t mean to tell you what to do Dad, and I definitely don’t believe in forcing, but I know you would never regret what spare moments each day you could put in on the Bible. It is really wonderful to read of all the promises and guidances the Lord has provided for us while we are here on this earth.

I have to give a test this next period and I wish I had time to say something that was worth your time reading (not that the Lord and His Son aren’t but it’s the way I put things that kills it ); I surely would appreciate a short note from your pen hand—some snowy afternoon perhaps?

May the Grace and Peace of God be with you always,

Your Son,
Stephen