It’s dark. My husband has gone to work. I was sitting looking in the sunroom at the naked Christmas tree, and a few boxes of Christmas decorations waiting to be taken to their resting place in the basement for another eleven months. Glancing out the windows, I watch clouds quickly passing by the sliver of moon on the southeastern horizon. It’s January 1st – January 1, 2012. Now the dangerous part – I start to think! I began to think about the past year. . .you know, 2011, the one that slipped away so quickly. . .the flash of a crystal ball in New York, and it was gone – forever!
I wondered to myself, “Was this world a better place because I was a part of it?”
“Did I do anything to bring a smile to someone’s face?”
“Did I make my husband happy in ways that brought a smile to his face when he was alone?”
“Was I still a good mother even to my children who are now all adults?”
“Did I play and giggle with my grandchildren enough and tell them Mimi loved them enough?”
“Were my students better because I was their teacher?”
“Was I the best friend I could be to my friends?”
“Was I ‘there’ when I was needed?”
“Was my heavenly Father pleased with my life this year?”
“Did I truly affect anyone’s life for the better?”
Most importantly, “how many people did I point to Jesus?”
If you’re like me, you could probably double that list of questions in a heartbeat. Life is so fleeting. Didn’t I just graduate from college? Wasn’t it just last year, we celebrated our first Christmas together. . .Or, last week, didn’t I bring my son home from the hospital and was the love of his life, only to watch him walk down a church aisle in June to take the hand of another woman now as the love of his life; and, oh yes, didn’t we just return from living in Brazil so that we could grow our family by adding two little children into our home. Oh, wait! One of those ‘children’ just gave me two beautiful granddaughters!
Wasn’t it just this past summer I baptized my dear friend, Gale, in her sister’s swimming pool. . .
Words to the song, “Legacy” floated through my mind. Dictionary.com defines legacy as “anything handed down from the past” and I pondered whether or not the legacy that I was leaving would point to the One who has defined my past and Who holds my future. My dad left me a legacy of a good work ethic; mom left me the legacy of not giving up, never quitting.
Most of us try our best to be good moms, dads, grandparents, teachers, friends, ministers, employees and most of us are working diligently to leave that little part of ourselves with those we may someday leave behind. We know we have the legacy of God’s word. The Biblical patriarchs left legacies that we may follow that lead us to a loving Savior. Jesus, Himself, gave us a wonderful legacy. He left us His Holy Spirit to lead and guide our lives, a legacy of love, compassion, of work, and diligence, of humility, meekness, and
The more I thought about it and the more I poured over the scriptures, the more I determined to leave a legacy. The song, “Legacy” is written below, and it’s the song that stirred my heart. But, when my children think of me and remember my time on earth, I want them to find me faithful. I could find no words that could better describe the prayer of my heart than that of Steve Green’s song captioned here. I trust you will be blessed.
We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
If you really want to be doubly blessed, click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s392HyzQ79M and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you and stir your heart. Be sure to watch to the end.
And I trust you will be equally blessed and God will touch your heart and lift your spirit as you read the lines of Legacy.
“Legacy” by Nicole Nordeman
I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much
I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy
I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy
Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...
You can listen to Legacy here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHX3qV83W3k
