In your life’s journey, have you ever wondered if you were on the right path? Are you doing the right things to maximize the outcome and realize your dreams?
For me that time has come a few times and I have been reminded of what I need to do to put myself on the right course. Now I just need to stay on the course and realize my dreams.
“Climb every mountain! Ford Every Stream, follow every rainbow until you find your dreams.”
Throughout my life I have found myself on the top. Not the top of the corporate business ladder but at the top of mountains. Mt. Whitney, Aark Dome, Haleakala, Freels Peak, Lowe Peak, Mt. Ogden, and Lone Peak — to name a few. Only to find the adventure over and a need to search for another to fill the void.
However, on my last adventure to the top of Lone Peak I found some real direction that would change my life forever. Something lasting and very fulfilling.
As I sat at the base of last ascent to the top of the most amazing cliff formation to the top of Lone Peak, I received a spiritual communication and confirmation that made the ascent to the top meaningless. I had no desire to make the last short distance to the top. I now had something more important to do.
The communication was this, “Paul, THERE ARE OTHER MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB. GO AND CLIMB THAT MOUNTAIN. LIVE YOUR DREAMS!” It was a very profound directive. At first, I did not know what that other mountain was that I needed to climb. However, as Dan Hadley, his nephew, and I descended the mountain, it became very clear to me what I was to do. The mountain I was to climb was to build my wife and I the house on the property we had in Malad City, Idaho. It was very clear what I needed to do.
And then the real profound statement came to me so clearly. “FOR IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!” “FOR IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!” FOR IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!” It was an exciting trip down the mountain. I was excited to get home and relate this experience with my wife
What were we to do next? We contacted our local bank in Malad to look for funding and they told us just to get started and do what we could this year and they could help us in the coming building year of 2021. We did. We put what money we had together and proceeded with excitement of what was to come. However, little did we know what all was to come.
In the fall of 2020, we were able to get the foundation in and the initial grading and backfilling of the foundation done. In the spring we would do final grading and get the gravel spread for the driveway prior to the delivery of the building products.
The real test would then begin. Were we up to building this two-story home? Could we do it?
Spring came. I had had a lot of experience with a skid steer tractor and was able to get the final grading done and spread the gravel over the driveway and parking areas and was ready for the delivery of the building materials.
In order to get the home built to the point of having the roof on, windows and doors in, with Tyvek wrap on the outside to dry things in for the winter would be a real test for just our crew composed of family and a few friends. We had until the first of November and so off we went as of the first of June 2021. 4 months to see the miracle.
It would be a challenge for me as I still needed to work the jobs back in Salt Lake City to obtain the money to pay for the materials and keep things going. Cris had a little money in savings and I knew I could work and earn as much money as I could. That however would not be enough. We needed funding and went looking for funding.
We contacted a bank in Idaho Falls and after the process of getting them all they asked for they turned us down on the fact that the house was not new construction any more. We then went to our bank in Malad and applied with the people that told us to get started and then they could help us. Turns out they couldn’t help us either and were turned down. We then went to a mortgage company in Salt Lake City referred to us by my brother and they said they could help us. After a couple of months dealing with them and their inexperience in dealing with a loan for a home in process, we were told they could not help us. They referred us to another lending company who said they could help us and that everything looked good. Again, after a couple of months we were told they could not help us. Things became a little discouraging. We were now into April of 2022 and close to wanting to get started on the finishing of our home.
During the 2021 summer, there were several miracles as we endeavored to build our home.
Our health remained strong and day after day we would get up, greet the day, and go forward in faith and the best of health and amazing strength.
- One day on the way back to Salt Lake City, Cris and I were talking about the progress and the money we needed. I mentioned to her it would be nice to have an additional $15,000 at this time to take some of the pressure of. When we got home on that Saturday evening, I saw a letter from the IRS addressed to me. My heart sank. What now from the IRS. Do they want more money? Didn’t I pay enough taxes? I didn’t open the letter until the next day after church. Then I took it and found a quiet place and opened it. The letter read, “Dear Mr. Giles, our records show that in 2007 you overpaid your taxes in the amount of $28,900.00 and we will be sending you a refund. When I got the check a few days later it was for $29,800.00. They had made a typo. I notified my ex-wife as she was entitled to half of it. The amount we received was just $100 short of $15,000.00.
- People kept calling me for more shed jobs, basement finishes, and a job with Craftsman Kitchens, a company owned by a man I built a shed for and finished his basement.
- On a sad note, but as well as a great blessing… My dad was always close to me. He was my hero. He was my dad. Well, he passed away on 10-2-21. In his passing we got our share of his inheritance. The miracle was that it was in the amount we needed to pay for all the expenses we had incurred in order to dry things in and get it ready for winter. He will always be there and a part of our happiness.
- But now it is spring and we are ready to finish our home. But there still is now financing and without that there will be no work done. On the day we got the call from the last mortgage company telling us no, we get a call from Lindsey, the daughter of Cris’s sister whom she was very close to and had passed away, telling us that her mother told her to call us to tell us we needed to talk to Kathy a friend of hers and she would help us. We arranged a conference call with her. She told us of her success with a man by the name of Anthony at Mountain America Credit Union and we should contact him for help. Why haven’t we done this before? We both have banked with them for over 20 years. Long story short, we were approved for a loan to finish our home on June 8, 2022. We will now be able to finish.
“For If You Build It They Will Come”
In getting the home built to the point it is, we needed to get the electrical and plumbing work done. The best person to do all this would be my son Dan. However, we had a falling out in 2017 and 2018 and haven’t spoken to each other and the feelings are strained. We decided to go ahead and let him know of the need. He accepted the invitation and we have since had the most awesome relationship with him and the family. This has mended fences and healed bad feelings. “For If Ye Build It They Will Come!
We have also seen my daughter Kimarie and her family come and visit with us for a day at the property where we let the kids ride the horses.
This past Memorial Day we had 39 of Cris’s family come and visit to see the progress. All had either not seen any of the building or not seen it for a while. They were all amazed and so excited to see it. Plans are being made for Thanksgiving and Christmas with family
This is going to be a place for all to come and feel the warmth and love of family. It will be a special place where all can come and feel the love of Heavenly Father and our Savior. It will be the realization of a dream. A dream for both Cris and I.
So, at the close of this most special experience, I again ask you to ponder this….
“Within each of us there are limitations. However, within those limitations there are mountains to climb and goals to reach. Go and climb your mountains and achieve your goals. Live your dream.”
“Climb Every Mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, til you find your dreams”
Always remember Him. That through Him, ALL things are possible. Never give up.
View photos from this adventure in my Gallery – New House Adventure page.