Friday, January 21, 2011

In Honor of {LIFE}

Life is a vapor. I received some bad news yesterday morning that a sweet friend and co-worker died. I'll not go into details, just know that it was VERY sudden, VERY unexpected, she was my age and leaves behind a precious family … a husband, Shane, two sons, Daniel & Mitchell, and a daughter, Amy (who is my own daughter's age). Please pray earnestly for them! She will be missed by so, so many people!

I have been asking the Lord, "What do you want me to learn, to see, to know in all of this?" I scroll through the vast outpouring of tributes and love and memories on her facebook page and there I saw it … legacy. LEGACY. She left an incredible legacy amongst her family and friends. I am reminded of the song 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 the 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

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

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly 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

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

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So there I sat … thinking about LIFE … and LEGACY. What will people say about me when I die? How will they remember me? Will there be such tributes written about me?

Earlier in the week I viewed this trailer for a newly published book that I am eager to read:





Please watch that video. Watch it again. Oh, it pierces my heart each and every time I watch and listen to those lovely words. Life is not an emergency, yet I live as though it is. My eyes are not wide open. I've got to figure out a way to live with my eyes wide open.

I ordered that book on Monday and it arrived … yesterday … 4 days earlier than it was supposed to … on a day when I was asking the Lord, "What do you want to show me in all of this?"


Life. A gift. Holy, amazing, ordinary. {LIFE}

2 comments:

  1. Heather, I'm so sorry to hear this. Life is so precious.

    I've recently added this to my prayers "Lord, please let me see the beauty of you in this world" because honestly, it's so easy to focus on the ugly.

    I just ordered "One Thousand Gifts". Sounds like just the book I need to read too. I want to slow down, stop and reflect upon my gift, but I need someone to show me how. In a world of "world changers" I have to stop and realize that my "gift" may be to change the world around me... in my home and in the life my husband and lives of my kids. My "gift" may just be raising two little girls to be WORLD CHANGERS and supporting a husband who works hard and loves the Lord. Only God knows.

    I have struggled with this for some time now. God... what's MY gift? And how do you want me to use it to your kingdom's benefit. I just need to slow down long enough to hear His voice.

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  2. Love that song....and I've been thinking a lot about my own life too, these last 24 hours.
    :) Elizabeth

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