A Real Ted Talks

Are you like me?

Sometimes a great big blessing becomes so familiar that I take it for granted or don’t even acknowledge it as the gift that it is. I had a “duh” moment recently and I’m vowing to soak up every bit of this privilege and specialness.

Recently, a friend commented to my sister, Karen and me that she doesn’t have any “older” people in her life. Her parents are long deceased, she lives far away from the parents of her friends, and isn’t even involved with people at church who are older and wiser and more experienced. She told us how much she misses those relationships.

That was my wake-up, reminding me how lucky I am that I have people of ALL ages in my life. Kids, young adults, babies and my peers all play a prominent role.

Thanks to my mom and dad and their hospitality through the years, I have sat at Sunday dinner after Sunday dinner listening to older people discuss everything from politics to relationships to the weather and when we are feeling adventurous, the Bible. I especially loved those discussions!

My Grandma Spencer, the original social planner, often arrived on Sunday with a friend or two who added a bit of spark to the conversation. And delicious raisin pie if Roxie came. When Grandma brought her older sister, Eliza, they often got into disagreements as they remembered details of childhood stories. They were a hoot! It was amazing to me to watch my 85+ year old grandmother morph into a baby sister, being put in her place by her sibling.

Those ladies have gone to their heavenly homes and now our own children and grandchildren have been privileged to spend lots of Sundays with our parents and my dad’s sisters and husbands. What a treat to be in the presence of my mom and dad and Mary, Brad’s mother! They have become such good friends over the years and their quiet spirits and enjoyment of simple things help to keep us all grounded. Definitely not stuck in the past, they are showing us all how to age gracefully, growing closer to the Lord all the while.

I wish you could all experience a Sunday lunch with us! Good home cooking, entertainment from little girls, laughter and Bingo make for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Since that isn’t logistically possible, I recently asked my dad to share some of the wisdom he has garnered over his 86 years of life.

Let me tell you a bit about my father. First of all, he is one smart cookie. As a matter of fact, my dad and Brad’s mom, Mary , were co-valedictorians of their high school class. They never dreamed then that there kids would one day marry! Dad isn’t afraid to try new things even now and enjoys reading and still works hard every day taking care of his garden, cows and crops.

Dad has been a farmer his entire life and lived in the same township, with the exception of his years in the army, serving in Korea. He and my mom have been married for almost 62 years.  My dad served on the local school board and was a township trustee for many, many years, and served his community in other ways, too.  I don’t know how many times my dad has been a pallbearer, but I know he was honored to do that for lots of people.

I’ve often felt a little bit sorry for the rest of the world that my dad couldn’t be their dad, too. I’ve never had trouble trusting that my Heavenly Father loved me and wanted the best for me because my earthly Father has been such a good father to me and my sisters. Growing up, I just assumed that everyone’s dad worked hard, put his family first and spent time with them, read bedtime stories, took them to church, had a worn out Bible and loved their mom.

Unfortunately, that just isn’t true.

So, I share the wisdom of a “real” Ted. I hope this little video that we made recently about the lessons Ted Marrs has learned about life blesses you!

Sidebar: Maybe you are a fan of Ted Talks, too. For those of you who don’t know about them, here is how Google describes them…..TED is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 110 languages.

Sidebar 2: I am a very inexperienced videographer, so sorry about that. The panting you hear is our new dog, Hank. He’s a keeper!

Did any of what my Dad had to say resonate with you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments, and I know he would, too!