Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is …Â Story.
I sit, or stand, and listen to their stories. It’s a gift I embrace each time they share a story from the past. My parents are in their 80’s, relatively healthy, minds intact, and their stories bless me as they give a glimpse to the way life was lived years ago. They bring a depth of wisdom and insight not always seen in our society today.
It’s wisdom and insight gleaned from their eighty-eight years of life.
Story is defined as “a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader” (from dictionary.com). It further includes the definition “tale.”
But these are not tales and neither are they fiction. This is real life, lived out in the nitty gritty of years of challenges and changes.
The stories come from varied stages of their lives – from home, church, work, and family. The stories have one thing in common, in the moral of the story – Jesus.
Their strength, endurance, and perseverance came from their faith;
and they are living to tell the story.
Image by Taras Lazer from Pixabay
Today I may be joining …
“their stories bless me as they give a glimpse to the way life was lived years ago. They bring a depth of wisdom and insight not always seen in our society today.” How very true – my Mum is (soon-to-be) 91 and her stories are something else! When I remember what her generation have lived though, the inventions they’ve seen, the things they’ve witnessed, I can only wonder!
Popped by from #9
It truly is a blessing to be able to hear their stories from the past and glean wisdom for the future. May you continue to hear many more stories!
I wish my parents have lived into their eighties. My mom died when she was 52. I was 22. You are very blessed.
Terri #3 FMF
I am sorry for your loss while she was yet young, and yet that is part of the story of your life. God will use that detail in some way, perhaps to comfort others who experience the same. No part of our lives is wasted as He redeems it all in His way and time. May He bless you today.
Stories come and stories go,
most die with those who carried
them, but you are blessed, for you know
the tales ‘fore they were buried.
But it’s not only in the hearing,
anyone can do this thing;
no, to keep from disappearing
a story calls on you to bring
a listening heart, and patient grace
and willingness to then
remember
to that sacred meeting-place
and the breath to fan the ember
of another’s life gone past
that it can in safety last.
Oh yes, I love stories from the past! Stories of how God did extraordinary things in and through ordinary people. So much to learn from those that have gone before! Visiting from FMF#10
Amen. I often pray that I am a faithful witness to the wonderful story of redemption that God is working in my life. Like you, I remember the stories my parents told so many times. Being adopted, I wasn’t around for some of those stories, but in my mind, they are a part of what makes me, me. Perhaps it’s my love for writing, but story is a big part of the voice God has given me. Like you, I pray it is used well in His service.
I think we all love hearing stories of the past.
My children, grandchildren, and now the great-grands, are always asking to hear them–and I always wanted my mother to tell me them too.
I loved the stories of my parents, who faithfully taught me the story of Jesus. Thank you, Joanne.
What treasured opportunities. I hope you write some of their stories down. I regret not writing down the stories my aunts told me – now they are all lost to me and to the generations to follow. Blessings. Dawn #25
Such a blessing that you can sit and listen to your parents’ stories! Both my parents are gone, but my in-laws are still here, and they love to tell stories. I’m thankful for that.