Rudy Kalis (the sports man on channel 4) spoke yesterday at the Wayne Reed Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. His topic was "Leaving a Legacy." In describing his immigrant father and the legacy he left, Kalis said that now that he was in his 60's, he had been thinking about what he himself was leaving for his children and grandchildren. Kalis is a German immigrant, a poor scholar in school, a stutterer who hated making speeches, who now is a veteran broadcaster famous for his coverage of Tennessee sports.
After the kids spent the night on Friday, I got to thinking what my legacy for them would be--will Sam remember only the tea parties in which his tea was thick with sugar cubes; will Ella just remember playing restaurant with me; will Maddie only remember my sitting patiently ( and proudly) while she read me five books for her summer reading journal? Or will they remember that I talked to them about how God loves them even more than I do? Or that I told them lots of stories about Brandon's, Poppy's and my lives together before they were born. Or that I had the presence of mind to save some of Brandon's old toys and books for them to play with and share? Will they remember all the people in the pictures around my home about whom I have told them like Nanny and Abubba (Ronnie and Darla, our dear friends in Abilene)? Will they remember all the books I read to them and my obsession for good books?
Will they remember the times I have pointed the beauty of God's creation to them?
I wish I could live long enough to know what I have brought to their lives--but the future will tell.
"Now I am telling the world your wonders; I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray. God, don't walk off and leave me until I get out the news of your strong right arm to this world...." Psalm 71:17
"The Message"
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