The Right Path Is Always Uphill

"The Lord is anxious to lead us to the safety of higher ground, away from the path of physical and spiritual danger. His upward path will require us to climb. My mother used to say to me when I complained that things were hard, “If you are on the right path, it will always be uphill.” And as the world becomes darker and more dangerous, we must keep climbing. It will be our choice whether or not to move up or to stay where we are. But the Lord will invite and guide us upward by the direction of the Holy Ghost, which He sends to His leaders and to His people who will receive it. 

"The mists of spiritual darkness will become more dense as we climb. ...A clear light piercing the darkness will show the way to those who have taken the Holy Ghost as a trusted and constant traveling companion." 

-- Elder Henry B. Eyring, "Raise the Bar", Brigham Young University-Idaho Devotional, January 25, 2005

I love this quote by Dad's favorite apostle.  If you wonder why life always seems to be an uphill climb, it's because it's supposed to be.  If we are following the Lord, He leads us to higher ground which requires us to climb. If you're effortlessly coasting along, then you should probably re-examine your life because you're most likely on the wrong path.

That's my two cents.

July 23rd

Today is the 23rd.  Exactly one month ago today, on July 23, my dad completed his earthly mission.  Also, exactly 4 weeks ago today was his funeral.  It still seems surreal to me that he is gone.  It's hard.

July 23 is a significant day in my life.  July 23, 1993 is the day I completed my full-time mission and returned home to my family in Utah.  In fact, I believe I have commemorated that day every year on my blog since I started it.  Except for this year.

About a week before Dad died, I told him to hang on until the 23rd because that was the day I completed my mission.  I wanted to have that in common with him -- that we both completed missions (his earthly and my full-time proselyting) on the same day.

He told me he would try.  Dad was always a man of his word.  And this was no exception.  He did it!

I fully believe he would have gone a couple days earlier if not for me and my (silly) request.  He fought hard to stay here those last couple of days.  Regrets, I've had a few. 

It is certainly something I will always remember and treasure.  Dad and I completed missions on July 23, exactly 26 years apart. On July 23, 1993 I completed my full-time mission in the great Florida Tampa Mission, and returned home to my family in Orem, Utah. On July 23, 2019 Dad completed his mortal mission and returned home to his Heavenly family.

Here are a few more pictures I found of me with my pops.

December 26, 1996
Orem, Utah

November 1995
Logan Utah

I'm digging my Farrahesque hair in the above photograph.  :-)

My 26th birthday celebration

I love you and miss you, Dad!  Thanks for toughing it out and fighting until July 23 to fulfill my request. July 23 will always be the day we share in completing our different missions.

Wookatah wookatah!

That's my two cents.

Worth It

"I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, “Was that all that was required?” I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?" -- Linda S. Reeves, Worthy of Our Promised Blessings, October 2015 General Conference

Life seems unbearable at times.  Mortality is a mess, I always say.  But I love this quote by Sister Reeves.  It reminds us that despite how difficult life is, the reward is worth it.   If we keep an eternal perspective and endure it well to the end, the reward of Eternal Life in the Celestial Kingdom will be worth all the trials and hardships we go through here in mortality.

That's my two cents.

God's Timing

“The Father is aware of us, knows our needs, and will help us perfectly. Sometimes that help is given in the very moment or at least soon after we ask for divine help. Sometimes our most earnest and worthy desires are not answered in the way we hope, but we find that God has greater blessings in store. And sometimes our righteous desires are not granted in this life.” (“Answers to Prayer,” Elder Brook P. Hales, April 2019)

It's a hard pill to swallow, sometimes, to know that the righteous desires we so earnestly pray for are not always granted in our time frame.   It can be hard to accept God's will and His timing, especially living in the time centered instant gratification world we live in now.  But like Elder Hales said, "The Father is aware of us, knows our needs, and will help us perfectly."  As hard as it can be-- and is, we need to trust in Him and remember that He is all-knowing and is always looking out for our best interest.

That's my two cents.

I Miss Dad

I miss my dad.  He was one of my primary caregivers.  I miss him brushing my teeth, ranging my arms, and giving me dinner.  But most of all I miss hanging out with him all day.  We would always go do stuff outside together.  I miss watching him mow the field, clear the brush, weed whack the grass and berry bushes. fix everything, maintain the property, water the lawn and bushes and trees, disk the garden, etc.  I miss watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! with him every night.  I miss watching our TV series DVDs at eight o'clock every night.  Leave It to Beaver, Little House on the Prairie, Touched by an Angel, Walker Texas Ranger, Knight Rider, Highway to Heaven, $6 Million Man, Bionic Woman, Dukes of Hazzard, Incredible Hulk, Wagon Train... to name a few. College football season will be difficult this year.  I will miss watching college football games with him.

I just came across this picture of me and Dad from 2015:

This morning I came across this comment from Dad on my blog.  It made me cry.

Dad said...

Tammy you are such an amazing person, and one of, if not the toughest person that I have ever met. What else should I expect from someone that started walking on their own at 7 Months. We are so proud of you, and love you so much. Each day you seem to be getting better, so all of those prayers are working. Love you sweetie! Love, Dad

June 28, 2015 at 1:59 PM

This was written shortly after my intramedullary nail surgery on my femur.

Just before Dad went into the hospital for the second and last time, he and I were home alone.  He told me how tough we both were.  He certainly was.  He was out clearing tall grass and berry bushes with our big weed whacker with the metal blade while on his deathbed.  Just days before he was hospitalized. Perhaps a little bit of his tenacity was passed down to me.

I was always told that I look like my dad.  I think you can see the resemblance in that picture.

I will always remember the last outing I had with Dad. It was just me and him that day because Mom had another appointment. It was in May.  Dad took me to my doctor's appointment.  Then afterwards I had to go get an x-ray a couple of blocks away.  That was a bit of a fiasco being confined to a wheelchair. But Dad helped me get my wheelchair positioned right for them to x-ray my femur.  Despite being two months from death himself.  Then we went over to the Kubota tractor store to look at lawnmowers.  Me in a wheelchair and Dad with a cane.  Out wandering the yard looking at tractors and lawnmowers. We ended up purchasing an amazing zero turn Kubota lawnmower.  Little did we know that Dad would only be able to use it a couple times before he died.  I wish we would have purchased it years ago so he could have enjoyed it.

I'm thankful for that last outing with Dad.  And I'm thankful for the years I had with Dad and all of the things we were able to do together over the past 17 years.  I miss my dad.

Wookatah wookatah.

That's my two cents.

Some pictures of me with my daddy through the years:

  

My last picture with Dad

75th Anniversary

Today would have been my maternal grandparents' 75th wedding anniversary.  They were married in the Logan Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 10, 1944.

  

Happy 75th Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa Sabin!

RIP Doctor Scherer

I got an e-mail a few days ago from my medical school alma mater. The subject line read Paul R. Scherer, DPM Biomechanics Seminar.  So I immediately thought that Doctor Scherer was hosting the seminar.  I knew Doctor Scherer quite well during my training years at CCPM.  He not only lectured on biomechanics as a professor but also was a top clinician in biomechanics.  I really liked Doctor Scherer.

So imagine my surprise when the word Memorial popped up.  Paul R.Scherer Memorial Biomechanics Seminar. What?!  He's dead?  I was shocked.  I guess I shouldn't have been.  I figured he was about my parents' age.  And my dad just died.

Come to find out through reading the obituary, he died 10 days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Back in October 2018. He was 72 years old.

Doctor Scherer was always nice to me.  He owned his own orthotics lab.  I remember taking a tour of  it one time.  He was one of my favorites at CCPM.

In fact, Doctor Scherer was the clinician leading the Special Problems Clinic when I was donned Doctor Barbie.  When the lady told her daughter to walk towards the doctor that looks like Barbie so that we could watch her gait, Doctor Scherer is the one who said, "We just call her Doctor Barbie around here."  So, Doctor Scherer is responsible for my nickname.

Doctor Scherer was one of, if not, the top biomechanics experts in the world.  Even though he was one of the best in his field he was never arrogant.  He was down to earth and personable.  I remember him saying one time during lecture that when we graduate we will all have the same title behind our names.  He was an excellent clinician and teacher.

RIP Doctor Scherer!

That's my two cents.

Dad's Final Lap

Dad took his final lap around the track during the funeral procession on the way to the cemetery.  Thanks to a wonderful neighbor who has connections to the high school and got us permission to use  the track.

Dad went out in style.  Like a big shot even.  We splurged and paid the extra $700 for a police escort during the funeral procession.  After leaving the church after the funeral, the police escort led us to Graham Kapowsin High School where the hearse took Dad around the track for his final lap.  Then the procession continued on to the cemetery with full police escort.  It was awesome.

I can't help but think that Dad was running alongside the hearse.  Actually, he probably lapped it a few times. :-)

Going around the first turn.

Coming down the home stretch.

Kicking it in at the end.

Of course, Dad is atop the podium.

Dad won many races in his lifetime.

Dad just finished the biggest race of his life.  Like I said in my talk,  I'm sure when Dad crossed the finish line and met the Lord on the other side of the veil he was greeted with open arms.  I'm sure the Lord welcomed him home saying,“Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

Dad was always a fierce competitor.  He was an endurance athlete who endured it well to the end.

Dad went out in style, like a big shot!

That's my two cents.