Terry Parks is the eighth child of Hosmer and Ella Belle Parks. He was born on April 21, 1948 in Gaines, Michigan. He kindly answered my interview questions and now we can learn more about him. Here is Uncle Terry, in his own words.What is your earliest memory? My first memories were all when I was about two. I remember the Green Lake roller rink close by where we lived, playing organ music in the evenings, burning my finger on a motorcycle engine in the parking lot, and having my first drink of pop in that rink. I also remember there my mother taking me next door with her many times to Mrs. Willard's house to get something baked, since we didn't have an oven. I remember vividly having a dream that while Mrs. Willard and my mother were in the kitchen, her hot iron came flying off the ironing board and started chasing me around her house, so I was scared stiff to go over there. I'm quite sure I also remember my brother Jim being home on furlough in his Army uniform before being shipped out to Korea in 1950.
Do you remember your grandparents? Any special memories of them? Only my Grandpa Roelofson was living, and he died when I was eight or so. I remember him sitting in his old stuffed chair, never remembering our names. I remember him laughing a lot, and at the table he would tell us kids to "eat your chilies" (i.e. chili beans I think). When we went "up north" as we called it to visit him in Remus (only 80 miles but to us it seemed like a trip to the far side of the earth), we'd have to sleep in the attic next to or maybe on his many sacks of dried beans and stuff. I remember how his place smelled like a grandpa kind of smell.
Do you have any special childhood memories? Way too many to count or recount. But I was just telling my kids the other day about a memory I haven't thought about for decades, which is that my dad, who almost never took us anywhere or went anywhere himself, one Saturday night when Ozzie asked him, said he would go with us to see Elvis Presley in King Creole at the Wayland theater. I couldn't believe it, but I remember I was so excited. I also remember such momentous things as marrying my kindergarten sweetheart, Rene Woodward, by placing a plastic chicken ring on her finger at the Cowbell Carnival. I was only five, so that first marriage only lasted until the following Monday at school. I really have lots of great, fun memories being a kid, with a few not so good ones, but overall I really had a super childhood.
What was your favorite Christmas gift? I remember being so amazed when I actually got an electric train set. No kidding... A Parks kid with an electric train! I also loved getting "Robbie the Robot" and a great plastic cowboy and horse another Christmas. When I was about ten, Monty gave me a little plastic Uke that I learned to play and I treasured.
Least favorite gift? Probably that real pony that never showed up.
Favorite food as a child? I loved all kinds of food, but especially coco wheats, peanut butter sandwiches dipped in a mug of hot coco, Hungarian goulash, and school cafeteria chili made with big chunks of tomato.
Did you like school? Favorite subject? Least favorite subject? Were you a good student? I liked school, and most subjects. Besides phys-ed and geometry I think my very favorite was probably physics. I wasn't so thrilled about chemistry or biology. I was a good student.
What did you do after high school? College, job? After high school I was at Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music for three years, and my senior year there I was asked to come to Seattle to be a youth pastor at Emanuel Bible Church. I was ordained there and served for six years, then went on to be a senior pastor at Sequim Bible Church in Sequim, Washington for two more years. Then I resigned and started "tent making" in various ways to support myself and my family in further ministry. I then started a small independent church called Abundant Life Church in Washington. Over the past thirty years I think I've done everything except be a brain surgeon and an astronaut. Or did I do those?
What hobbies do you currently have? I love to learn important and worthwhile things and grow, teach, lead Bible studies and small group discussions, invent things and innovate better ways of solving problems. I enjoy good humor. I like to watch the news or see a good documentary, listen to serious discussion, or see a good movie (especially true stories or storylines that are true to life). I'll occasionally get inspired and write a song, continue working on a few long-time writing projects (one a screenplay, and the others short thematic books), generally philosophize with friends and family, play my guitar, sing, travel when I can, and continue to enjoy good times with my kids and grandkids.
Are you married? Tell about your first date with your spouse. I'm an old single guy now. I said an earthly goodbye in '06 to my wonderful Karen, the love of my life, after three years of courtship and almost thirty seven years of marriage. I miss her so much, and have so many treasured memories, A year and a half after she died I was married but only for one year to Lynda, when she suddenly decided to leave our marriage and return to her former long-time and more familiar single life.
I can remember well my first date with Karen. The first weekend at GRSBM there was a picnic, bonfire, sing-along and mixer to welcome all the freshmen, so I asked Karen to sing with me at that event, accompanied by my guitar. We practiced and did that, and later went to an outdoor recreation place that had trampolines, which were a big thing back in 1966. She was jumping away on the trampoline next to me when I noticed she had split the center back seam on her royal blue stretch pants, all the way from the waist down. So she then looked both royal blue and bright white. I went over to her and discreetly tied my sweater around her waist and asked if she had felt a breeze. She checked it out and turned very red. So it wound up being a fun, memorable and very patriotic-looking first date.
How did you meet your spouse? I dated a few girls in high school, and appreciated each of them, but none sang harmony with my heart. The summer after high school before starting at GRSBM I told the Lord I wanted to meet His choice for me, and soon if possible. The very first day of Bible school I saw Karen there in the line waiting for dinner, talking and smiling. I just couldn't keep my eyes off her. Something in me seemed to say "that's her". And it was her.
Do you have any children? Grandchildren? I have four adult kids, now all in their 30's.. Debra, Daniel, Darryl and Denise. I have a daughter-in-law, Shannon, and four grandsons, Steven, Issac, Caleb and Elijah. Someday my princess will come.
Other than the Bible, what is your favorite book? Hard to say. I really appreciated "Traveling Hopefully" by Stan Mooneyham, and "Living On The Growing Edge" by Bruce Larson also had a major impact on me as a young pastor.
Where do you currently live? Do you like it there? Houston, Texas. There are things I appreciate about it, and for the past year and a half it's been a provision of God for us in many ways, including medically. But I'm not a fan of mega-cities, heavy traffic or humidity. I loved living in beautiful Montana, especially Missoula, and miss it in many ways. But every place has its wonders and blessings.
Finish this sentence: "People say my best characteristic is..." I've heard at times things such as caring, generous, patient, understanding, hopeful or visionary. But I guess I don't fit any one suit very well, especially those.
"I wish I could change about myself": I'd like to change the way I too often allow myself to waste precious time on rather worthless things.
What is something people might not know about you? Most don't know how much I love to write and create. I've written some songs, three musical drama productions that have been performed in towns and in churches where I've pastored. I've got at a few books on varied subjects and one screenplay in my mind, outlines and underway, but I'm not close to finishing any of them. People probably don't know that until I was about twenty I almost always chocked up and about died of nervousness whenever I spoke or sang in front of an audience (which now I love to do, but nobody asks anymore...ha, or maybe not so ha). Also, I went through a suicidal depression for several months when I was student body president at GRSBM, which ultimately caused me to miss playing in the most important basketball game of my life at the national championships my junior year of Bible School. That deep abyss helped prepare me both for pastoral counseling and later dealing with the serious mental health issues in my family. Another unknown might be that Karen and I had what we think were two visits to our home by Ted Bundy, before the world knew the serial killer he was. I'm also certain most don't know I'm planning to do my best to attempt to establish with others a new small freedom-loving and Godly independent country, much more like early America once was in spirit and practice, to be called New Liberty.
Do you have any special talents? I have a special and well-honed talent for writing long answers to short questions.
What is the funniest thing your child/ren has ever done? Well, for just one of the many, I get tickled every time I think of Debra as a newly wed, inviting Dan and Darryl over to their humble apartment for a home-cooked meal. She told them later that she had dropped all the hot cooked spaghetti on the floor, so to save the meal she washed all those hot limp noodles with dish soap in the bathroom sink before she served them. Another funny that comes to mind is when our little grandson Steven, whom we raised as our own, one day out of the blue joyfully and excitedly wanted to tell Karen and me that he as so happy because he had just let Jesus out of his heart. Free at last. Another time our same little Steven was throwing lots of ants up in the air. When asked why he said matter-of-factly he wanted them to have a sleep-over with Jesus.
What is the scariest thing your child/ren has ever done? Oh, boy, that's pretty hard to be specific about. Having three of my four kids deal with mental breakdowns in their lives may give an idea of some of the extremely scary and serious things they've attempted or have done. By God's great grace they've all survived them.
What do you like to do after a long day? I like to maybe snack on popcorn while catching some news or maybe watching a good documentary or movie.
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Both, but only one at a time.
What is your favorite hymn? I love so many of then, but "Great is Thy Faithfulness" is right up there. I also deeply love "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".
Tell about how you became a Christian: I was about six or seven when I watched the first Billy Graham film made, called "Mr. Texas". I knew while watching that film that night that I wanted to be sure Jesus was in my heart, so I made very sure of it right then and there. I had been exposed to the gospel many times before, of course, but it especially struck home in my heart that night, Little did I know then that well over 50 years later I would be living in Texas where that film was made.
Favorite Bible Verse? Of all my favorite Scriptures this is probably the one I quote and treasure the most: Romans 11:36 "For from Him, and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen."
Is there something specific you want to do or accomplish before you die? Yes, I want too be sure to take my very last breath. OK seriously, I really want to help establish a new small, freedom-loving and Godly country, richly bless in some tangible way all those who've helped me to much throughout my life, complete several special projects now underway, and be in a position to give away untold amounts to address the needs of orphans and widows, and advance many worthy ministries.
What is a word of advice you would give to someone younger than you? I'd like to tell them that life is one big trading market...a constantly ongoing exchange of one thing for another, moment by moment, cradle to grave, So make sure when you're exchanging you trade what is less valuable for what is worth much more. The Lord essentially offers us this deal. If we'll just turn over to Him all that we think that we have and own, He'll then freely give us in trade all that He really has and really owns. So that's an exchange you definitely want to make as soon as possible, and then keep right on trading with Him.
Thank you Uncle Terry, for sharing some of your long answers to my short questions! It was fun to get to know you a bit more and find out some of your hopes and plans for the future! Love you very much!
