Legacies

We seem to be living in a season of goodbye right now. So many of our friends and family grieve losses right now, and we hurt with them. If these things happen in threes, as they say, we seem to be experiencing them in multiples of three.

Yesterday marked thirty years since my little nephew was stillborn, and I spent the day remembering his life and the way God molded, shaped, and marked me through his birth and death. It's amazing to me how something that happened to me when I was so young could change me so powerfully for all time.

And Monday, we went to a funeral. We go to a lot of viewings (apparently training to become my parents, because they go to more of those than anyone I know) but we don't often get to go to a funeral service because of Ryan's work schedule. But Ryan's sister lost her mother-in-law, and we went to the funeral service Monday afternoon.

Mary's death was so unexpected - a tragic accident no one could have anticipated. I sat in the service and listened to the words spoken about her life and the legacy she left behind, and it made me think about the legacy I'm building now with the days I live. Am I taking it seriously enough? Am I investing in others and living intentionally? Am I pointing to Jesus?

Ryan and I had a long talk about it on the drive home, because we both felt the fresh weight of those questions. We took a hard look at the things we do and say, not only to each other, but to all those around us, and hoped those words and deeds not only show love, but show the love of Jesus.

(Last year, actually, I felt a fresh urgency to make sure I clearly present the Gospel message whenever I speak. I take for granted that speaking at church retreats means people know Jesus. Most do, but possibly not all. I don't want them to leave without learning about Him!)

So this is our sincere prayer for our lives. We want to live and leave a legacy that points to the Lord. Certainly we want to live a good long life and grow old together, but should anything happen to either of us, we hope the words spoken at that service show a legacy of love for Jesus and others.

We hope this isn't a season of goodbye for you right now, but it's always a good time to consider the impact of your life on those you love. Leave a beautiful legacy, my friends!!

(And as always, David Phelps has a song for just such an occasion...if you've not heard it, you can catch it here.)