Leaving
a Legacy
Love leaves legacy. How you treated other
people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can
leave on earth. Rick Warren
Have you ever known someone who made this
world a better place by having lived in it?
My mother-in-law passed away yesterday.
Her family got together last night to talk to the pastor who will be
doing her service tomorrow. He wanted to
hear stories about her life from the people who loved her.
As we sat and shared stories of her life, through
the tears and laughter the things that stood out most was how much she cared
for others, her love for the Lord and how much she loved her family. Artie Faye was no pushover by any means. She was always a straight shooter with a
backbone of steel. You always knew where
you stood with her.
One of her grown grandsons talked about what she
told him when he decided to join the marines.
She said “the only thing you’ll get is a tattoo and learn how to smoke.” He did neither of those, but I honestly think
that was Artie’s way of telling him she was afraid for him. I listened to my husband tell the story about
when he was in school he used to water ski after work with a bunch of buddies. One day he stopped by the house to change
clothes and told his mom he was going to go water skiing and she replied “That’s
good, but don’t get in water over your head.”
She also had a phrase that she always
used. If you were doing something that
she didn’t agree with she would say, “What would you do that for?” As one of the kids said, this was her way of
telling you what a dumb idea it was.
As we sat and laughed about all the stories
of her life, it struck me that she was leaving a legacy to her children. During her time on earth, she was a
caregiver, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. The legacy she leaves behind is that she
showed us what it means to love the Lord and how to do it, she lived a life of
character and honesty, and she left behind (as her granddaughter put it so
aptly), a wealth of Artieisms. She will
be missed by all who knew her but the legacy she leaves behind will live on in
her children and grandchildren. We love
you Artie and you will be missed.
Prayer for the Day:
Heavenly Father, my heart is filled with sorrow over the loss of Artie. I know you mean all things for our good, but
sometimes it is so hard to understand when our loved ones pass away. We mourn the loss but also know that she was
faithful to You throughout her life and what a blessing that is. I praise You for allowing me to know this
wonderful lady and for the things she taught me about You.
No comments:
Post a Comment