FamilyLife Today®

Brant Hansen: What would Satan say if he had a brief speech to graduates? You've worked hard, and now the world lies before you. I invite you to embrace it, not as followers, but as architects of your own paths. Ask questions, challenge conventions, trust your own desires. Seek what brings you joy, what sets your heart free.

Ann Wilson: This is the perspective of what Satan would say at the graduation. That's what you put in.

Brant Hansen: According to AI, right. Doesn't that sound like the typical advice? Okay, Anne Wilson. Are you ready for a

Dave Wilson: That's graduation day.

Ann Wilson: It is graduation day. I wish we had a really good speaker to give a really good commencement talk.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, and we're done. I know. We always want one. You always get those duds, you know, celebrities. They have nothing really to say, but they have a million people following them on Instagram, and they put them up there, and they don't know what to say.

Ann Wilson: So, do you have a good one today?

Brant Hansen: We have Brian Hansen giving the graduation speech today.

Dave Wilson: Thank you.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, well,

Dave Wilson: Hey, Brad.

Brant Hansen: sort of a cooperative speech. Do you guys remember who your speaker was like for your high school graduation? Cuz I I don't

Dave Wilson: No, that's what I was going to say. It was not memorable.

Brant Hansen: I don't. Yeah, I don't remember.

Dave Wilson: You know?

Ann Wilson: I can always remember a student giving a speech.

Brant Hansen: Yeah. I gave ours.

Dave Wilson: Did you really?

Ann Wilson: Wait, wait.

Brant Hansen: I didn't give a speech, but I gave a 5-minute something.

Ann Wilson: What?

Brant Hansen: Huh. Yeah, you know, I was the quarterback, you know, the guy.

Ann Wilson: Wait, wait. No, I don't think I knew this.

Brant Hansen: No, no, no, no. They don't just go, hey, we want to hear from the quarterback for graduation.

Ann Wilson: Hi, that's why you're surprised.

Brant Hansen: Because this is one chance. This is one chance for the non-quarterback to get some attention and be valedictorian and

Ann Wilson: They don't the scholars give the speech. You did not. Did you?

Brant Hansen: No. I wasn't the only one, but I did.

Ann Wilson: What did you say?

Brant Hansen: I have no idea what I said. I guarantee it was terrible. Like, hey, go uh grow your hair and be the party animal. I don't know. I had no values in my life at that time.

Dave Wilson: That's funny.

Brant Hansen: And she wasn't there Brad. She's 3 years younger.

Dave Wilson: Okay.

Brant Hansen: So, she wasn't that Did you guys do yours in the stadium?

Ann Wilson: Yes.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, we're in the stadium right on the field where I, you know, was a star.

Ann Wilson: No.

Brant Hansen: Can we talk more Can we talk about my more about me being a star in high school? And when I had hair and a mullet coming out of my helmet

Ann Wilson: Yeah, did you find your identity through that?

Brant Hansen: Uh 1,000%.

Ann Wilson: So,

Brant Hansen: But Brian Hansen, I don't even know where you gave the speech to who?

Dave Wilson: To a group in Vero Beach, Florida. So, the funny thing was I went online right beforehand cuz I was thinking, you know, what am I going to say?

Brant Hansen: Wait, wait. Yeah, I thought you were going to say I went online and asked them if I could speak at their graduation. No, you were asked.

Dave Wilson: No, no, no. That's that's funny. Like, match yourself with the speaker.

Ann Wilson: Okay, wait. Now, tell them what you did. This is so funny.

Brant Hansen: Okay, so I went I went on AI, which I'm not a huge fan of for content generation, but I I just thought this would be funny. I was like, what would a graduation speech look like if it was delivered by Aragorn from Lord of the Rings? And it was okay. I gave a little brief speech, and I was like, wait a second. What if it was Gollum? Who was your commencement speaker? And it started with this. I actually wrote it down. This is precious precious graduates. We We seize you all shiny in your robes. Trust no one.

No, they lies. They cheats like filthy hobbitses. That That was pretty good.

Ann Wilson: That's pretty funny. Did you laugh when you read that?

Brant Hansen: Oh, I did. I thought that like like okay, that's that's funny. And then I thought okay, what? Cuz I was also looking up like classic graduation speeches from, you know, Steve Jobs said this, and Oprah said that, and this person said this, and that. And I was I was like, okay, forget Gollum for a second. What What would Satan say?

Dave Wilson: Mm.

Brant Hansen: Satan from the Bible, if he had a brief speech to graduates. And I have it here. And it printed it out here. It said, honored graduates, what a remarkable day. Your mind's alight with possibility. Your future's unwritten. You've worked hard, and now the world lies before you. I invite you to embrace it, not as followers, but as architects of your own paths. Why limit yourselves to others' expectations? Knowledge is your power, as I once offered in a garden long ago. Ask questions, challenge conventions, trust your own desires. You need not bow to rules that stifle your potential.

Seek what brings you joy, what sets your heart free. Congratulations and may you soar. So, I read that to the graduates. It was like,

Ann Wilson: That sounds like every graduation speech.

Dave Wilson: That sounds like every graduation speech.

Ann Wilson: I was just going to say that's every graduation speech.

Brant Hansen: Absolutely, and it it's and it's well done. Because right, because it sounds like yeah, yeah, it sounds like wisdom, but it's really

Ann Wilson: Yeah. Well done.

Brant Hansen: Seek what brings you joy, what sets your heart free. It's all about you being free. Trust your own desires.

Ann Wilson: This is the perspective of what Satan would say at the graduation. That's what you put in.

Brant Hansen: According to AI, right. So, I I read that to the kids like, you doesn't that sound like the typical advice? It's all about you. Follow your desires. Follow your dreams for your desire. Like,

Dave Wilson: No rules.

Brant Hansen: no, don't let other people put limits on you.

Ann Wilson: It's all about you.

Brant Hansen: Like, here's the problem, guys. Um it's not it's through binding ourselves to relationships. That's the the only source of poetry in life. It's not about me being a free agent. If it is, I'm going to wind up very lonely. Like, in being like just I'm not going to let other people tell me like okay, but like I bound myself to my wife to the exclusion of all others.

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Brant Hansen: I mean, that's a lot of options off the table for one woman. Like, so well, I just gave up my freedom, huh? Well, I gave up some freedom, but that how you find poetry in life. Now, I'm free to do stuff like play with my grandkids who are, you know, cute little girls. And it's the greatest thing ever. It's one of the few things in life that lives up to the hype. I don't know if I told you guys that joke.

Ann Wilson: No.

Brant Hansen: Probably a terrible joke, but I was like, people will tell you it's a terrible. People will tell you, oh, you love your kids so much. Well, just wait till you have grandkids. Like, you you love your kids so much. You kill for your kids, right? Like, sure. Well, you love your grandkids so much. You kill your kids. It's a terrible joke, but they like I enjoy that so much. Um and it's a freedom I wouldn't have. It's like you you find these other freedoms as a result of surrendering it. For example, like I use a classic example like Chris Martin from Coldplay.

Like, he's sitting there playing piano over and over and over and over and over, looking out the window. He said when he was a kid, everybody's out there kicking a ball around, having a great time. They out there playing soccer/football, and he stuck inside playing the piano. Well, who's got freedom? They do, right? Now, who's got freedom? Who gets to free to travel the world or like buy any car he wants if that's what he wants? Like, but like it's wild how it's it's through surrendering freedom that we find it. And particularly with your relationship with God, it wild how not having that relationship you wind up not having freedoms that you you do knowing him and actually binding yourself to him.

Ann Wilson: Well Brian, I listened to that, and it sounds so good in a way if we don't like if we don't really listen, you know, to hear what they're saying. But I'm listening to that thinking, man, that puts so much pressure on each of those kids to find their own happiness and their own success. And it's all about them and what they're doing. And that I mean, it can sound great like I can be whoever I want to be, which is very culturally

Brant Hansen: Yeah.

Ann Wilson: evident in everything that's going on today that it sounds normal. But I think kids, and I have talked to a lot of 20-some year olds, they've been striving and trying to do all that, and they're exhausted.

Brant Hansen: Yeah. It is very exhausted.

Ann Wilson: And they're failing.

Brant Hansen: It is very exhausted. The other thing is too if it's like don't let anybody tell you

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: like who you are. You know, like do you know who you are? Do you really?

Ann Wilson: Did you ask that to the graduates?

Brant Hansen: Yeah, I I did cuz I I'm I'm I'm asking this like because it may be who you are may be a lot better than what you think, a lot bigger. Like if I'm actually made in the image of God, and he regards me as his child, and I trust him, that's a bigger identity than anything I'm going to concoct. I have a connection with the creator of the universe. Like, so just saying that you can create your own identity, it's not going to be better than that.

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And that does take the pressure off. I don't have to carry the the entire world. A different way of living is just to show up each day and be faithful and then see what God does with that. Make the best decisions you can, but the pressure's off. Like, he really is going with you. There's the scripture, and I did share this with him.

Ann Wilson: Is this a secular play a school?

Brant Hansen: No, it was Christians.

Ann Wilson: Okay.

Brant Hansen: So, I felt free to just, you know, rip it and rip it here, but it's like

Ann Wilson: Yeah. High school or college?

Brant Hansen: High school.

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: But being able to to tell them I know you've been told Christian stuff your whole lives by your parents or by the school stuff like you've been going through. I understand, but you are free to walk away. You are free. Jesus let people walk away from him. Sad, but you can. You can actually torpedo your life. You 're free to do that. We can We all are. We can do make some horrible decisions. You're You're free. I beg you though like Moses gave a graduation speech, his last speech to the Israelites. He's like, choose life.

Don't choose death. Like like I'm I 'm telling you this is now up to you. And I tell them a story. It's a story I learned from Sheldon Van Awken in his book A Severe Mercy. And I said this is the worst bedtime story of all, but I told my kids this when they were little. And if you don't mind, I'll tell this story. Just take a couple of minutes. But my kids never forgot it, and I don't think these graduates will ever If they forget the rest of the story, they said

Ann Wilson: I've read the book. I'm like, I can't imagine sharing anything from it to my kids. What is it?

Brant Hansen: Oh yeah. No, no, no. Well, he tells a story about two dogs. And it's Gypsy and Snowball. It's two dogs that live out in the country, so I'm telling these graduates this. And they're great dogs. They get the run. It's perfect dog world, you know, out in the country. They get to run around around. And then with their master, they have a great master, and he calls out, you know, dinner time, rings a bell, and they have to come right back. And so they do as soon as he rings a bell. Well, one day Gypsy here's the bell, dinner time, and a rabbit runs across her path right at that moment.

She's like, I'd like to chase that rabbit, but I'm supposed to go in for dinner. And she chases the rabbit. And the master's really disappointed, but she comes back late. And then the next time a rabbit runs by, she does it without even thinking. And she disobeys the master. And after a while, the master had to put her on a leash. Couldn't trust her anymore. And so I'm telling my I'm telling the graduates about how I told my kids this when they were in bunk beds. And they they were like, well Dad, what happened then?

Like, well, they went out in the country, and um they were going to go for a walk. And the master was getting Gypsy and Snowball ball out. And as he was getting Gypsy's leash, she took off out of the car and ran into the woods. And he's like, Gypsy, come back Gypsy, Gypsy. And she was like, I'm free, I'm free. And she ran and ran and ran deeper into the woods, and his voice just Gypsy, Gypsy till she couldn't hear it anymore. And she wanted to turn around, and now she was lost. And the master was very sad.

And they were like, Dad, then what happened? Well, master put Snowball in the car, and he drove home, and he never saw Gypsy again.

Ann Wilson: That is the worst bedtime story ever.

Dave Wilson: They're crying.

Brant Hansen: It gets worse.

Ann Wilson: Gets worse?

Brant Hansen: What happened to Gypsy? She spent the rest of her days, you know, her fur was matted, and she was she had a hard time of it. But she had puppies, and she tried to tell the puppies about the master, but they didn't really know him. And then when they had puppies, they didn't even have any clue who he was anymore. Good night. Click. And I told him that story, and I laughed with the kids about it too, but I was like, I just want you to know like there's going to come a time you're free.

But the master's good. But I want you to know you're free. But there's so many good There's so many reasons to bind yourself to him. He's actually faithful. And if you want, you can go through life with this strength. Cuz in Psalm the the last verse of Psalm 23 says, surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. It's so great cuz the whole chapter starts with the Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. That's literally how it starts. And then it ends with he's going to follow me.

Like, his goodness if you know if you listen to scholars on that, his goodness following you, it's not like lagging behind like, hey, you know, where are you going? I'll catch up here. You know, it actually is following more like a hunter. That's the actual image tracking you. I am locked on for the rest of your life. And then you get to spend eternity in his his house if you want. But it's up to you. Like, it's your choice. I did tell them God can be trusted. Even if you have big questions about life, like you you you've been taught Christian stuff your whole life, maybe you're like, I need to explore some other options.

I don't have every answer. You may not either. You may have some doubts, but I 'll tell you this. I can trust the character of God. I I'm convinced of it. So, even if I don't have every answer, I trust him, and I am convinced that in the end that trust will be vindicated. What about hypocrites? So, I'm talking to the kids again like cuz if you want to walk away, you'll blame hypocrites. Like, look, you may have encountered a lot of hypocrites maybe in your schooling, maybe in life, maybe in your family.

Ann Wilson: Maybe in church.

Brant Hansen: Maybe in church. And say it might it might life, it's my family. In my church, like my dad is a pastor that the trauma we went through. But um do not give them the power to chase you away from the best relationship of your life. Don't walk away. It's too good. And so I told them the the story I told you guys before about knowing how all this ends. And it's like watching a game in repeat where your team wins. You know your team wins at the last second. You're not stressed out when you watch that cuz you know they're going to they're going to win.

You'll be watching it. Um I took Julia, my daughter. I said things are going to happen in life where you're going to be like what is happening. But I remember taking Julia I can't remember if I told you guys this story, but Caroline and I when the kids were little, we lived in Houston. And it's a big city, and we were going to the rodeo. Did I tell you this? Okay, we were going to the rodeo, and

Ann Wilson: No.

Brant Hansen: it was one morning. We have to buckle the kids in. It was a It was a strangely cold March morning in Houston. But we got the kids all, you know, with their coats and mittens on and everything and buckled them into their seats. It's a It's a big operation, you know, to get kids going somewhere when they're little. And we had to make a an errand run. And so we stopped at some friends. We had to unbuckle the kids, get them out, you know, unzip, and unzip back in. Okay, click them back in, put them back.

And then we stopped at the the grocery store too. So, we had to unbuckle Oh, I forgot something at the church. So, we stopped at this church to get this stuff and unbuckle, zip them up, buckle them back in, get them And then I got pulled over for speeding on the freeway. And so a police officer comes up, and he's like, what are you doing? There's lights flashing. These are little kids too, right?

Ann Wilson: They're in car seats it sounds like.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, they're in car seats. And the officer's nice, and I got a ticket, you know, and where would take off. And then my daughter said something from the back seat. She's like, hey Dad, like yeah. And I adjust the rearview mirror like, where are we going? And I hadn't told them we were going to the rodeo. I forgot to tell them. So, from their perspective from her perspective, it's just I'm being lifted up, I'm being clicked in, I'm being taken over here, I'm being clicked in again. There's some flashing lights. There's a stranger. We're stopped.

Cars are whizzing by. You know, I'm being taken like just like how we going? And I said, oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm so sorry. We're going to the rodeo. You love horses. Oh, good. And I was like, continue to drive. I thought, why wasn't she panicking this whole time? Like, if it's us, we want to know where we're going. Right? You can't just what what now? Like, what what is happening to me? Like, that'd be our question from start to finish.

Ann Wilson: Especially if there's any kind of detour or why why are we what is going on?

Brant Hansen: Absolutely. Right. So, honest question, I I was like, what's the difference? Why was she okay? And it dawned on me, she knows who's driving.

Ann Wilson: Yeah, she trusts the father.

Brant Hansen: She trusts the drive She doesn't have to know. Like, God is actually good. Do you know what Do you know he's actually faithful? Do you know you're going to be able to look back at your life and go, this is this has been good? Like, I don't have I don't have a bunch of warnings for you. I just want to tell you if you trust him, this is good. So, yeah, that was that was kind of a thrust of it. Instead of saying don't let anybody, you know, stop you from being the you you like he's he's trustworthy.

This is a This is a better way to live. And the neatest thing happened afterward, and that was a guy got up to sing. I think this is a great idea for graduations if you have a Christian graduation thing. But he led the parents and everyone to sing the blessing, that song.

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: Well, the kids are on stage. You're facing the kids.

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Brant Hansen: And that song isn't a song you're singing to God.

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Brant Hansen: The Lord bless you and keep you.

Ann Wilson: It's a benediction.

Brant Hansen: Right.

Ann Wilson: Number six, yeah.

Brant Hansen: And you're looking face to face at these graduates.

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And you're ending the whole thing with like as you go. May his presence be with you behind you before you. Yeah.

Ann Wilson: Go before and inside you. Behind and inside you.

Brant Hansen: And bless your children and their children, and the Lord keep you and like you're talking to people. I'm like, now there's a graduation.

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Brant Hansen: I didn't I didn't plan that at all, but it was like that's a really sweet idea. So yeah, that was that was the thrust of what we talked about.

Ann Wilson: So good.

Dave Wilson: Yeah, and and at the heart of that obviously is you trust your father the better you know him. You have a history with them. I mean, you don't trust your father in day one. You don't know them, but as you see and experience his presence and and his gentleness in your life, you're like, I can trust him. I don't need to know where.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, and I think it's good to hear from older people older than you people. I don't want to call myself an older, but I am. I am. And so like but to say I have learned that I can trust him.

Ann Wilson: All right, let me just say this. We know life is full of challenges, and families today need biblical truth more than ever. Isn't that true?

Dave Wilson: Oh, it's definitely true.

Ann Wilson: And as a family life partner, your monthly gift helps bring the truth into homes every single day through podcasts, events, and resources.

Dave Wilson: So, let's make a lasting difference together. Seriously, together we can make a difference. Become a partner today. Just go to familylifetoday.com and click the donate button. Okay, let's get back to the conversation.

Ann Wilson: You know, what's interesting? I'm still stuck on the story of the two dogs.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, it's haunting.

Dave Wilson: It's going to be with you the rest of your life.

Ann Wilson: And I was just thinking like he should have added that every day the owner goes outside on the patio and calls.

Dave Wilson: Mm.

Ann Wilson: They may not The dog may not hear his voice, but he's always calling and welcoming the dog back.

Dave Wilson: He's waiting for Gypsy to come home.

Ann Wilson: Yeah. It's like he's

Dave Wilson: Mm. Luke 15

Ann Wilson: And he never forgets about Gypsy, you know, and always And because he had a purpose and a plan and

Dave Wilson: Mm.

Ann Wilson: it it's not their purpose. It's not Gypsy's purpose. It's his purpose. He had something for Gypsy that was really remarkable because he created Gypsy in his own image. That kind of thing, you know?

Brant Hansen: Yeah. I don't like all that. That's just not an original story, but but it's I'm I'm going to put you on the phone with my adult kids now. Hey, that one story, it turns out that there's some other stuff too.

Dave Wilson: I I'm adding to it. There's a better one. Jesus actually told a similar story.

Ann Wilson: I Have you ever talked to your grown kids about that of what it made them think now?

Brant Hansen: Well, yeah, I mean, um yeah.

Ann Wilson: What did they say?

Brant Hansen: Well, this just again, it's like I I have the freedom.

Ann Wilson: I have a choice.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, you're not locked into this. And I don't want you to have that script in your head too that just because we raised you as believers that you were trapped somehow. Oh no, it just happens to be this is the best way of life.

Ann Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And when they see that and live that out, then it's, you know, you get it. But it's also true like in that story what's what's a little bit haunting too is that her life Gypsy's life was not better.

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Dave Wilson: Right.

Brant Hansen: And her idea of freedom Well, is freedom the ultimate thing in in the world? Or do you wind up if you OD on freedom, you wind up lonely?

Ann Wilson: Mm.

Dave Wilson: Or addicted.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, addicted like sure.

Dave Wilson: Or in bondage.

Ann Wilson: In bondage.

Dave Wilson: You said that which you thought would set you free.

Brant Hansen: Yeah. So, what what's in Satan's graduation speech like okay, freedom, freedom, freedom from any limits. Well, that's that sounds right, doesn't it? And then it it's a it's a what he always does is it's a sucker punch. Like, look over here. It's going to be great, and then pow. And um it the the freedom lie is one of them.

Dave Wilson: Interesting that AI picks up on how deceitful Satan's words are.

Brant Hansen: Yeah.

Dave Wilson: You know,

Brant Hansen: And AI itself is deceitful.

Ann Wilson: Exactly.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, I mean, it's that's

Dave Wilson: Sounds good.

Ann Wilson: But it's like the father of lies, the father of light. It's sounds so right and so appealing, and yet it's so twisted in comparison to God the gospel.

Brant Hansen: Right. And it's all again, it's always a replacement. It's always a like it's always that magician's trick of look over here, and then pow, you get hit.

Ann Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.

Brant Hansen: Um so he uses that uh over and over and over. And I think that's uh the the freedom idea is one of his biggest lies. It's not free.

Dave Wilson: Mm. Yeah, especially you know as you apply it to marriage, there's this cultural belief probably always been a covenant is the most restrictive thing you could ever commit to.

Brant Hansen: Uh-huh.

Dave Wilson: Stay away from a covenant. Live together, date. Don't enter into a covenant of marriage cuz you're you're I mean, your life's over.

Ann Wilson: It's too confining.

Dave Wilson: You have no more freedoms, and you just you illustrated at the beginning. No, I actually have grandkids because of that covenant.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, and I know people that have kept their options open even after they got married.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And are now old and alone.

Ann Wilson: Yeah. And I'm telling you because your anniversary's coming up for 35 years. Ours is coming up for 45 years. I would hate to be alone right now. I would I I look at our marriage like, oh man, we're we're in the best years. And it's been worth the hard parts of it as we've worked through with God's grace, with his power. We're experiencing the beauty of it.

Brant Hansen: Yeah.

Ann Wilson: It's pretty It's freedom, it's joy, it's like what he created the covenant to be like.

Brant Hansen: And the freedom too in my Like, there's freedoms that you have if you're single. Like, these are single serving God. You have freedoms too.

Ann Wilson: Right. There's also a calling to be single. Oh, it's beautiful. Right.

Brant Hansen: But there's the kind of freedom that I have being married this long is the freedom of having somebody know me this well and still like me.

Ann Wilson: That's what I was going to say. I know, it's a miracle. Well, maybe not for you, but it is for me.

Brant Hansen: No. No, but that's a freedom that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Ann Wilson: Like, he sees all of me and still likes me.

Brant Hansen: But it doesn't It doesn't come without the the thing the the vow.

Ann Wilson: Uh-huh. Yeah.

Brant Hansen: Like, that's where the poetry in life comes from.

Dave Wilson: There's our wedding picture. You know, 45 years ago. And you know, most people would say that's a good looking

Ann Wilson: That's true. Point it to the camera, Dave.

Brant Hansen: It's a great picture.

Dave Wilson: Oh yeah, it's all good.

Brant Hansen: I have a theological question. Do you think that you'll be reunited with your hair?

Dave Wilson: I think I will. There it is on the uh on the on YouTube. I will be reunited with my hair.

Brant Hansen: Do you think it'll be emotional?

Dave Wilson: I think it'll be emotional. I'll I'll be in tears. My hair is back. No, what I was going to say is

Brant Hansen: You know, do you think they'll have your hair like on a stage and be like, come on down, and then we'll all cheer and it'll be an emotional

Dave Wilson: reunion. And I had a serious point I was trying to make, but

Ann Wilson: He had really good hair too.

Dave Wilson: forget that when I You know, and I have to tell you Brad when I in my college where I played college ball, I got inducted in Hall of Fame years ago.

Ann Wilson: He's not bragging though.

Dave Wilson: No, no, this is a moment where you know, it's a big thing. So, you go back, and my two best friends from my from my team were there. They showed up.

Brant Hansen: No, it's awesome. Right.

Dave Wilson: It was 10 years after we graduated, and they handed me a a little uh present, you know, wrapped up like Christmas. And I'm like, wow, you guys, you got me something. I was like, yeah man, this is a big day for you. You know, we're hoping someday we get it. You know what was in it? I opened it up real slow, and they're just there you start laughing. It was a hair toupee. They go, we found this in your helmet. What a great moment. Now, uh here's what I was going to say.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, right, right, right.

Dave Wilson: You look at that picture of any couple, and we're looking at our wedding picture, and you think those are some of the prettiest days of our lives. We're, you know, young bodies. This is a better wedding picture. 45 years later sitting in a hospital room a couple of weeks ago with my bride, being there when she needed me. She's there when I need her. We don't look as good. We don't like anywhere near Like, make make the joke about hair and the whole thing. This is a beautiful picture cuz it's what you just said. She's still there.

She's seen all the bad in you, and she loves you.

Brant Hansen: So, I had friends years ago. We were young marrieds. And they are a little older than us, and she had bad Crohn's disease. She was diagnosed with it. It was It was touch and go completely. And he said that when they were first married, they look at older cuz they comment on older couples that are walking along holding hands and maybe both 80 or whatever.

Dave Wilson: Probably limping, yeah.

Brant Hansen: Yeah, they thought, oh, that's really sweet. But then she got this thing, and that meant their physical life had ground to a halt. She was so sick. And he said I had to bathe her and lift her in and out of the bathtub and he's like, this isn't what I signed up for. But it is.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And then they realize, you know those people who are holding hands when they're 80, you have to go through that.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: Like, all those stories, all those hardships, and all those things that are like, oh, you know, I've how I've I don't have any freedom at all. Now, I'm having to bathe my like what what happened? Like, well, you don't get to hold hands at 80 unless you've gone through some stuff together. And that's again, it's the it's the poetry. All those memories, all those things that can rush in back. And I imagine you did like you would having a hard situation like have to reflect on

Ann Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: all this stuff, but it's like yeah. That was from us taking a vow in front of maybe a couple hundred people. I don't know how many people we have, but you know if you're if that starts with taking a vow not to quit in front of 200 people, it's probably not going to be easy.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: That otherwise they wouldn't make you do that.

Dave Wilson: Your vow's going to be tested.

Brant Hansen: Right. This is the whole like like this is not easy. But I thought the same thing when my son was getting installed in the military, and we went to his thing as an officer. Like, yeah, this is a big commitment. And it's good.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: He's sacrificing a lot of freedom, and it's good. But now that 's opened up doors for him and other stuff now that he's he's out on the other side. But it's like that's just that's the way of It's not just surrender your your desires. Like, it's make your desires subject to a will that's formed by God.

Dave Wilson: Yeah.

Brant Hansen: And then watch watch the poetry happen.

Dave Wilson: Good way to say it. Well, you're you're welcome back here anytime.

Brant Hansen: Thank you.

Dave Wilson: Anytime. Thanks.

Ann Wilson: This has been rich, so good. Cried about 10 times, but that's not surprising when you come in Brian.

Brant Hansen: Thanks. Well, I'm not sure quite how to take that, but

Ann Wilson: I know.

Brant Hansen: Like, she's like, I cry for the future of broadcasting.

Ann Wilson: I cry because you point us. You always point us to Jesus.

Brant Hansen: Cool.

Ann Wilson: And the gospel to me is always miraculous. And how he saved us. And it's been good. Hey, thanks for watching. And if you liked this episode,

Dave Wilson: You better like it.

Ann Wilson: just hit that like button.

Dave Wilson: And we'd like you to subscribe. So, all you got to do is go down and hit the subscribe. I can't say the word subscribe. Hit the subscribe button. I don't think I can say this word.

Ann Wilson: I can subscribe.

Dave Wilson: Look at that. You say it so easy. Subscribe. There it goes.