A Tribute to Theodore “Ted” Lee (May 20, 1923 – February 4, 2013)

• Ecclesiastes 9:9 (NLT) Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.

It’s been said that ultimately, kissing is not just something you do with your lips but with your life.

I witnessed an example of that in the life of Ted Lee. Ted, who passed away this past Monday (February 4), was married to his wife, Ethel, for 62+ years. Right to the end there was a tender love and deep affection shared between these two. Any that knew them can confess to the truth that ultimately, kissing is not something you do just with your lips but with your life, for they saw that reality lived out between these those two “love birds.”

Following are four diagnostic questions that can help you gauge how well you are doing with “kissing” those you love.  They are questions I asked Ethel concerning Ted and he got a “slam dunk” with each one.  The questions are as follows:

1. At your funeral if your loved ones could only have one things said about you what would it be? This gets to the essence of who you are.
2. After you are gone, what will your loved ones miss the most about you? There’s a huge difference in being loved and being mourned. Even the most difficult person is loved, but probably not mourned very much. The reasons you would be mourned gives evidence to the contributions you made.
3. What would your loved ones describe as your greatness? You are great at something – everyone is. However, what you are great at makes all the difference. For example, there is a world of difference between being a great golfer and a great dad.
4. Would your loved ones be able to describe how you became a Christian and how would they describe your current relationship with Christ? A strong legacy of faith – leaving foot prints to Heaven – is the greatest gift you can give those you love. Are you doing that or do does your family know where your true affections are no matter what you say or do at church?

These are questions that deserve an honest answer. To answer them well is have lived your life well; to answer them poorly would be a sad, sad tragedy.  Answer them now while it is still time to kiss those you love.