My Most Recent Read

I recently joined a book group.  This months choice was Little Britches by Ralph Moody.  The story is all about a family who moves out west to become rancher.  Their father had become sick while working in a textile mill and thought the move would do well for his health.  The whole story is about their triumphs and failures in becoming ranchers.  

At first I thought that it was an o.k. book, but the more I think about it there is so much in this book that I could and should apply to my life.  The father in this book teaches his son many lessons that are as valuable in our times as it was in this little boys.  

The father teaches the son about what he calls “character houses”. He says: “A man’s character is like his house. If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable his house soon becomes a ruin. If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn’t do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth.” (p. 41).

I LOVE how this father teaches his son.  This story made enough impact on the young boy that it stayed with him for the rest of his life.  Every time he had the choice of telling a lie the father's words would enter his mind.  I wish and hope that someday I can do this for my children.

I also enjoyed this lesson that he taught his son.

“Some men work almost entirely with their brains; some almost entirely with their hands; though most of us have to use both. But we all fall into one of the two classes-honest and dishonest.
“Any man who says the world owes him a living is dishonest. The same God that made you and me made this earth. And He planned it so that it would yield every single thing that the people on it need. But He was careful to plan it so that it would only yield up its wealth in exchange for the labor of men. Any man who tries to share in that wealth without contributing the work of his brains or his hands is dishonest.” (p. 177)

If everyone in the world felt this way I think that the world would be a much better place.