Lessons Learned from Trivia!

We have been very active with serving at the church where Kristin has been on staff for almost fifteen years. During that time, we have helped with Vacation Bible School, Trunk or Treat, attending the various children’s programs, attending outdoor worship, helping with various fundraisers and generally, being available for whatever Kristin needs help with. It has been very rewarding – including helping with the Bethlehem walks during the holiday season and also helping to teach one of the women’s Bible studies on Thursday mornings. We are really plugged in at this point.

Periodically, the church has sponsored trivia contests to “reward” volunteers or to provide entertainment for the adults while younger children are engaged in other fun activities. Several years ago, most of our family served together on a team and it quickly became evident that we were quite strong as a trivia team. In fact, the first year we won the event! It was great – because it taught our younger family members two lessons.

All of us, with the exception of our oldest grandson, Connor, worked together for the win. Connor decided to sit with another group and, of course, we teased him after our team defeated the group that he had chosen to sit with. But it was all in good fun…

Anyway, as has become the custom in our family throughout the many years we have had children, and grandchildren, I always think about lessons learned. It is a chance to help teach the younger ones and reinforce what our family is all about. So… the win at trivia gave me the opportunity to remind the family of two fundamental things we live by.

First, our differences create strengths that help us as a family. We each have different skills and points of view that allow us to help one another in unimaginable ways. No two of us are wired exactly the same. Second, never go against the family! The family sticks together – through thick and through thin. That one I learned from my grandfather and have passed it on to our children and grandkids. Of course, Connor having chosen to bet against the family in the trivia game, gave the other boys a chance to tease him and since that time, Connor has chosen to run with the rest of us when we have the chance to be together. And we love him for it!

Family dinners generally provide the perfect setting for stories from years past and reminders of the goals, aspirations, successes and, yes, even failures that we have endured together. Thankfully, there haven’t been too many failures but lessons can be learned even when we aren’t on top…

And that was the case not too long ago when the church hosted a trivia night for church volunteers who had been active during the past year. Kristin was in charge and we were there more to assist her than to play trivia, but we were able to work both things into our evening. To cut to the chase, we tend to “bet” big during the rounds in the trivia contest when we have the opportunity to increase the risk level. Some folks may look at that as shot sighted but we enjoy the challenge of testing ourselves to the limit in these sorts of situations.

When it was all said and done, we went down in flames. We finished without any points… It was a total disaster, but we went down laughing all the way… Of course, the boys asked me what lessons could be learned from this defeat. It didn’t take more than a second for me to remind them that it is better to lose with family than win any other way! Thankfully, they all agreed. Nobody would have changed teams to have a better shot at winning. Frankly, that was very gratifying. The kids are learning important life lessons – especially the part about the unity of the family against all odds.

Finally –  being together, accepting our differences, leveraging our strengths for the benefit of the family and so many other teachable moments have helped make us who we are today as a close group of people related to one another. I wouldn’t trade us for anything. By the way, that doesn’t mean that we always see eye to eye – we can have massive disagreements with one another. But that’s okay… As long as we deal with one another from a platform of dignity and respect, it’s perfectly fine to have different viewpoints. It’s all good… and I hope that our grandsons recognize that. We love our kids and grandchildren unconditionally – and that sometimes is what carries us through some of the “messy” times.

Our verse for tonight comes from the apostle, Paul, who wrote a letter, or epistle, to his church at Ephesus. It was the most spiritually mature congregation of all the churches that Paul had a hand in founding. He told them, and us, in Ephesians 4:1-3, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” You could say that verse is an encapsulation of what I want for our family – unity, and peace – understanding that it can get difficult at times.

My encouragement this evening is that God wants us to continue to lead our families, particularly our children, well. That’s not always an easy task but it is the call we have been given. My prayer is that we will embrace the opportunities we have been given to impact our families through shared experiences, teachable moments and constant exposure to Christ centered living. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…