My Life in My Words

I am incredibly blessed.  The first day of a new year is a good time to remind myself of that.  When people ask me how I am I often respond by saying, "I am blessed.  I have a faithful and good looking wife, talented kids, great friends and an awesome God."  In actuality, my blessings extend far beyond that.  I am relatively healthy and have a comfortable lifestyle.  I honestly can't think of anything that I do not have and really need.  On top of that I am blessed with the gift of Jesus Christ, and the eternal hope that I have in Him.

I received a gift this Christmas that has helped reinforce how enriched my life has been.  I received a book from our daughter, Katie, and her husband. John.  I have gotten books for Christmas before but this one is different.  It is not a book to read, but rather a book that I have to write.  The title is A Grandfather's Legacy: Your Life in Your Words."  The book is full of probing questions designed help me reflect upon my memories and life experiences.  The intent is to journal my reflections so I can share them with my family in years to come.  The book has almost two hundred pages, so completing it is going to be a lengthy process.  My goal is to complete it before next Christmas.

It has already been an emotional experience.  The initial questions jogged my memory as I reflected on my birth family and early years.   Money was tight post-World War II.  My parents and I lived in my grandparent's home.  I was fortunate to grow up in a faith community.  The church and our relationship with Jesus was very much a part of the environment.  Even after our family moved into our own home, my grandparents and aunts and uncles still lived in the same neighborhood.  It was like having a committee of parents who not only loved and shaped me, but related their faith stories.  I guess that is why I value this new journal.  It provides a vehicle to share not just my life experiences, but my faith story.

You do not need a journal to do that, however.  I would encourage you to share your life experiences and faith stories with your children and grandchildren.  It is the way our legacy is passed on from one generation to the next.  Entering a new year is a great time to renew that commitment.  What a loving and awesome God we have.  What a great legacy of grace and faithfulness.