The title of the book describes the articles as “On” as each article was written “On” a specific thought that came into the author’s brain. King David said: “Now that I am old and gray…give me the time to tell this new generation about all of Your mighty miracles.” (Psalm 71:18) I, too, am now old and gray, and I have been given a little bit more time. I have chosen to use some of that time that I’ve been given to tell, primarily my offspring, about the
Almighty, His goodness and mercy as well as many of His mighty miracles. Hopefully, within these three volumes entitled the “Books of On” there will be, at least, a few passages that will be uplifting and maybe even inspirational to those of my descendants who may happen to read from them. Gandhi said, “Your life is your message; if you are not sure that your life expressed your message well enough, you best leave it expressed in the written word.” Because some of my future posterity will not have witnessed my life, and because I am unsure that my life expressed my message as well as I would have liked, I decided, a few years ago, that I need to do some writing. And because I may have travelled paths you may not have walked, and because I may have learned a few lessons you have not yet learned, the bit of wisdom that I have gathered along the way I feel blessed to share with you. A little humor may be sprinkled here and there throughout these writings just to make you aware that I was not totally stuffy. (Paraphrased from Jacob 4:2) “But whatsoever things I write upon…save it be upon plates (I have no plates) must perish and vanish away; but I can write a few words upon paper, which will give my children, and some of my beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning me, their father and brother… Now in this thing I do rejoice; and I labor diligently to write these words upon paper, hoping that my children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their father. For, for this intent have I written these things, that they may know that I knew of Christ, and had a hope of his glory.” May God bless us all to be faithful and courageous enough to come back to Him with our quiver full of good deeds, and not as “a cloud with no water” or “a tree without fruit.”
Your Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather, Emil O. Hanson