The Goates Notes Five Years Later

Recently, Kurt Francom of LeadingLDS.com reached out requesting an interview for his site. I wasn't certain about it, and it took a few hits and misses for us to finally connect, but when we finally did he produced a podcast highlighting the origins of The Goates Notes and other topics of interest to him.

As I told Kurt during our interview, The Goates Notes had a rather naive birth in 2009, almost five years ago. When the thought of producing a blog was first suggested by daughter Melanie, I had to ask, "What is a blog?"

Now five years on and counting I believe I am beginning to understand.

I've had the joyful experience of a lifetime coming up with the content over those five years. In the early stages the ideas came easily, when I would find myself awakening to a new day with a mind bristling with possibilities for topics. Admittedly, I've slowed down the production line in recent months because other priorities have taken precedence. That said, I hope the content taken as a whole is representative of my thoughts, my deeply-held beliefs and my political philosophy that aligns with all of the above.

I want to thank those who have come to The Goates Notes over those past five years for content. The "odometer" on the number of visitors clicked over 200,000 last week, and each week an average of 1,000 visitors discovers content here through Google searches. I'm not exactly setting the blogger universe on fire, based upon those metrics, but I've been content with organic growth exceeding my wildest expectations when I embarked on this journey five years ago.

What I have done, I have done without apology and in the hope others may benefit from lessons learned. Everything here is original content and I answer to no one but myself and God. I'm not trying to win anyone over to my positions on anything. I simply want to be a voice for truth in the wilderness and a beacon for those who are seeking a higher path. In the process, I hope I don't embarrass my children and grandchildren too much.

Grandfather Lee often quoted someone who posed a provocative question: "Will we become the grandfathers of great men, or forever remain their grandsons?" The duty of each generation is to advance the species, I believe, and I am confident our children are raising that generation of great men my Grandfather Lee alluded to. To be their grandfather is incredibly satisfying and fulfilling at this stage of life.

One of our sons, Rich, was kind enough to comment on the interview, and reminded me of the many years Patsy tolerated the late night sessions with the scriptures and the typewriter (long before the computer) while I tried to make myself a useful instrument by attempting to understand the doctrine of Christ with all its gleaming facets. She truly has been a remarkable and patient partner in my pursuits.

In addition, reference to my dear friend Scott Strong came up more than once during our interview. Without Scott's deep and abiding friendship in our mutual love of the scriptures, perhaps neither of us would have gone as "deep" and as "far" as we did in those earlier formative years. So, for his lifelong friendship, example and love, I remain forever grateful and humbled. As I said in the interview, at one point along the way Scott and I commented we must be really "special" sons of God because He was revealing so much to us. Then, in more mature moments we began to realize He was revealing so much because we asked so much and He was merely keeping His promise that to everyone who asked there would be answers.

So, Happy Fifth Birthday to The Goates Notes. I will continue to scribble the notes if you'll continue to read them.