I've been following the family lines of the Cooks and the Walkers on Ancestry.com for about 6 years now. The Cook family has been traced back to 1194 with several Earls and Ladys and even a Mayor of London. The Walker clan goes back to 1500 with origins in the Iroquois Indian tribe and a governor of the first white colony in Maryland. Both families had heroes of the Revolutionary War, Civil War (both sides), WWI & WWII, the Korean War and the Viet Nam War; and, not to leave out the women, ladies who played major roles in the frontier life and the expansion of America. Some people might be impressed by this lineage because of the history and the romanticism that have been attached to it. We can look back at these ancestors and see what they did by overcoming obstacles and difficulties that seem insurmountable today. How could they have lived and done that?
So, this is what I see that these "great" people gave me and my family as a legacy: "Life is not easy but it brings opportunities. Capture every one you can and make yourself better."
This is life! We choose a spouse that "compliments" us and pulls the best from us; we have children that we can help to live a more full life than we lived as children; we instruct our grandchildren in the ways of God and love of country and to honor their parents. We buy low and sell high and become wise and economically strong; we become educated and educate others by reading and learning about God and life around us. When opportunities come for us to experience these things more, we seize them and let them transform us and fill us with the sights of life in a fuller dimension.
But life is often hard and not as exciting as we think it should be, so it's easy to sit back and let it go by without a hint of what we've missed.
My life has been centered around the church and its activities since I was a child. Not only did we gather at the church building but we went to the homes of of other members--in essence we were families that comprised one BIG family. It was a very special time in my life. Now, there is a special page on Facebook to explore and reminiscence about growing up in our small town. There is so much talked about that I don't recognize as part of life in that town! A large part of life passed me by because I was so involved in the church. I had no idea I was missing out...
However, I can honestly say that I was doing what I wanted to do. My life is the Body of Christ and his Kingdom! Nothing else compares to serving it nor is as fulfilling for me. My dad was terrific at praying in public. His normal demeanor was that of humility and a little embarrassed to be in the public eye. But when he prayed, he was not conscious of those around him that could hear his words. He was talking with his friend, the world's creator. There was no stammering or searching for just the right word. He spoke with confidence in the relationship he shared with his Lord and poured his heart out so that others could relate to and desire to have the same thing.
My mom was an intercessor and prayed for others with a fervency that (I believe) caused God to take notice. I can't tell you of the times that death was averted or difficulties were lessened not to mention occurrences of healing that happened because of her prayers.
So this is what I perceive as my parents' legacy: "Prayer is a reflection of your relationship with God and can make a difference in the life of others as well as yours."
When attending a house church back in the mid-80's, a prayer was spoken out publicly that reminded me of my dad. I asked the man who gave it if I could reproduce it to give to my dad and he gave me permission. At the time I was employed by Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and hired one of the artists to give me a graphic rendering of it. I send it to my dad (and gave a copy to the man who prayed it originally). After dad passed away, it was returned to me. I keep it now as my own prayer and the basis for the legacy I wish to leave behind.
LADYING FOR JUNE 20: Your life will be a legacy of something when you are gone. What will it be? As for me, this is the legacy I want to leave behind: "She knew Christ and make him known through her life."
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