Not getting by on the cheap

Sweetest story shows my dad is very good at this

A few weeks ago, I watched a short video from President Holland, and he put gospel living in a way I’ve never quite heard before (and loved!). He was specifically talking about prayer, but a broader idea stood out to me:

“Prayer is an expression of the heart, and we can pray silently. We ought to pray silently. We ought to always have a prayer in our heart. But there is something about saying the words–and for me, saying them out loud. And so, I’m reminded to not get by on the cheap.” 

That made me think—what does it mean to not get by on the cheap in life? 

Sometimes, getting by on the cheap is a relatively small thing.  Like when I was in college I chose the cheapest housing option, which meant I had to haul all my clothes over to a different building any time I wanted to do laundry. The washing machines and dryers were coin operated, so I was always scavenging for quarters. In fact, I complained so much about quarters that one of my sisters gave me a ziploc baggie of them for Christmas. (Squeaky wheel gets the cheese is my motto.)

Other times, getting by on the cheap can feel like a very big thing. We may have to scrimp and save out of necessity for even long periods of time. And that can be scary, stressful, and even demoralizing. 

But when it comes to living the gospel of Jesus Christ, not one single person has to get by on the cheap. Whoever you are, whatever your past or present, Jesus Christ invites you to live the full, expansive, rich version of His teachings. 

“He inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none.” (Nephi 26:33.)

And His goodness is pretty good! A water that if we drink, we will never thirst again. (John 4:13) Treasures that either moth nor rust doth corrupt. (Matthew 6:20) A place prepared just for you in a mansion in heaven (John 14:2). Happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. (The Living Christ).

So will I live on the cheap? Or take the full experience? 

For, this puts gospel living in a more joyful frame. Rather than seeing my daily religious practice as steps to being “good enough” (which only always leaves me feeling guilty), I see my rituals as tools to help me get through a life that is tough by design. And as a way to more thoroughly enjoy the beautiful parts of life. 

I want to experience the full range of emotion and power Jesus Christ offers, not just enough to get by.

But sometimes I forget that’s what I want. I accidently live on the cheap by turning to mindless social media when I’m stressed, instead of going to the scriptures where I might find more lasting peace. Or I live on the cheap by spending time on my phone during sacrament meeting rather than quieting my mind and listening to the Spirit’s comforting, directing voice. 

So as Pres. Holland said, I need reminders to not get by on the cheap.

My dad is someone who, by the way he lives, helps remind me. 

For example, one way Jesus Christ invites us to live is by serving others. And my dad is someone who does this naturally. I am especially inspired watching him reach out to children.

My parents are nearly empty-nesters in a cul-de-sac of young families. I counted and I am pretty sure there are around 13 kids under the age of twelve on my parent’s street. Those are some lucky kids. 

One day my dad and I were standing outside in the front yard when the 4-year-old twins who live next door came out of their house and started throwing pretty pathetic paper airplanes. We didn’t watch for very long before Dad decided their airplanes needed some help. It might have been that the engineer in him just couldn’t handle watching such shabbily made airplanes, but I think more likely it was the kind dad in him wanting to play with little kids. In any case, he left me in our yard and walked over to show the twins how to make a proper paper airplane. 

My heart melted as he knelt down on the driveway (bad knees and all) to fold the paper and then carefully showed their little hands how best to throw it. Once the twins were all set up, he walked back to our yard and we watched them play for a few minutes more before they got distracted and moved on to something else.

Some might say that kind gesture on my dad’s part is insignificant. Those 4-year-olds probably aren’t even going to remember it happened. This wasn’t some grand pivotal moment in the twins’ lives, the moment when they decided to be world-changing engineers. It was a simple act of kindness to “gladden the heart of a child.”  

Those little acts of kindness have created a very kind man whose life is full of people who love him because he loves so much. I know that our lives are so much happier when we intentionally reach out in love to those around us, whether those people are 4 or 94.

I want to be like my dad and not live on the cheap when it comes to serving others.

And I want to be like him in a lot of other ways too < 3