Abe in his Hooptie Ride

This morning I read in my scriptures about a group of people who were extremely prideful.  They stood on their Rameumptom, which was their holy stand, where they claimed they were better than all others because of their gold and silver and extreme righteousness.

I giggled a little as I looked out the window at Abe's car.

Abe currently drives a 23 year old Lincoln Towncar around town, which, in its day was really nice.

When I was a kid, my dad drove a big van with colored stripes across the side.  We called it the A-Team Van.  I found out later that Abe's dad also drove a big van with colors flaring that they named the A-Team Van.  What are the chances that we would both grow up gaining character riding around in similar "A-Team" vans?  Now we drive the kids around in an awesome 12 passenger shuttle van.

Abe was driving the kids to school in his car a couple of days ago when out of the blue Jackson said, "You have a modest car, Dad"

Abe asked, "What do you mean?"  

Jackson responded,  "Well, you're not driving it around to show it off to people."

I laughed so hard when Abe told me this because in all honesty, that is one of the very reasons I married Abe.  I had dated so many guys who bragged about their nice cars that it sickened me.  One was even bold enough to say he was worried that I might like him for his car!!  Not only did I not like him for his car, but the fact that he would even be thinking so highly of his car made me not want to date him ever again!

When I dated Abe, we definitely did not look "cool" in his Buick Skylark; but when I saw his confidence in his old beat up car, I knew he was a man of true character.  The car did not define him.  Now... his own son was recognizing this humility and true character in his father.  I'm also grateful he was not embarrassed to ride with his father in the modest car.

Modesty, in all its forms, is the guardian of virtue.  

This car has served us well for over 3 years, and it was a gift from my dear grandmother.  She gave her car to Abe when she decided it was time for her to stop driving.  The only problem with this car (besides a window that won't roll up on demand when a rain storm hits) is that the two stereotypical groups of people who drive these cars are grandmothers and gangsters.  Since Abe is clearly not a grandmother, he has been assumed to be the latter.

A black man driving a "gangster" car raises some suspicions for many police officers.

In Michigan, Abe was pulled over 8 times in that car.  He was only speeding once.  All 7 other times???  Well... the police officers were just "making sure everything was ok."  Here in Florida, Abe has been pulled over once in our first month... again.... he was NOT speeding.

Note:  The blue bag is only in place when the window is stuck.  He didn't even have the blue bag hanging on the edge of the window when they pulled him over.  Because I DO admit, that blue bag could raise a few suspicions.  Abe, in his complete humility, never acts angry or bitter for these stereotypical actions.  He allows them to learn who he really is as a person... not just a black man driving a low rider, hooptie ride.

Abe's humility has been a source of much inspiration in our lives.

I believe God can work through the hearts of those living by the code of virtue, humility, and modesty.

Last night, I read from Sports Illustrated about a BYU football player who was recently suspended for his actions which broke the honor code.   In this young man's sorrow for his actions, a beautiful miracle unfolded because God worked through his humbled soul.

It's a GREAT story.  Please read:  http://cougarfan.com/article.asp?ArtID=83813&URL=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130925/spencer-hadley-byu/