What is your legacy????

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.... 2 Corinthians 2:10

The last week has been extremely hard on us in the Wallace
household. Our devoted pet has been extremely ill. During
this time, I have been reminded of just how important WHO
your friends are. I have been consoled and lifted up by the
many calls, e-mails, and conversations I have had with old
and new friends.

During this time, I talked with one of my old professors
from college. He wanted to know if the "commies" were coming
and had they arrived. It took me a minute to figure out what
he meant. Then, he reminded me of the "religious" column in
the local paper. He was encouraging me to write the paper and
restore some semblance of intelligence to the points she had
made. I also heard from some out-of-town friends. Somehow,
it didn't seem all that important to me, given what I was dealing
with. I used to make it just fine by completely ignoring her
column and pretending her voice of hate didn't exist. Then, some
of my friends and relatives were hurt by assertions she made in
the name of God. That got me to thinking.................................

And then, I got the sweetest e-mail from a friend I graduated with.
She told me how very much she had enjoyed my blog and knew
her Dad would have, too. Her dad was a very visible and loved
preacher in this county for over 50 years. You couldn't go to a
revival or a funeral that Bro. Robert wasn't there. I got to thinking
about all the sermons of love and acceptance that he preached and
I could close my eyes and see he and Ruby singing "Green Pastures."
I talked to my brother-in-law about the song and was trying to
remember all the lyrics. My brother-in-law is another one that
has had such an impact on different members of our family. He
made the decision to follow God and never waivered. I have watched
him for over 30 years be a good and faithful servant. We have often
talked about what a witness he was through the years and he didn't
have to say a word. I never heard him judge or admonish a soul and
like the rest of us, he had reasons to. Yet, he quietly loved and
accepted everyone and just tried to show them in a non-judgmental
way how to follow Christ.

I'm sure I wasn't the first choice for a wife for my mother-in-law's son.
I was divorced with a child and 5 years older. Yet, through the years,
she became the dearest friend I had. She spent the last 3 years of her
life going into detail about all the things she loved about me and how
much she needed me. She did that because she knew I needed love.
I talked with her sister this week and she began to tell me all the times
that Deanie bragged on me and said she didn't know what she would
have done without me. But, the truth is, it is me that got the blessing.
I have memories of every doctor visit, every late night call when she
needed me, every special meal I prepared for her, and all the games
of cards she so loved.

My brother-in-law captured the very essence of my mother-in-law
when he conducted her funeral. He touched all of us exactly in a
manner that comforted us and reminded us of her legacy.

She was a wonderful friend.......therefore, she had wonderful friends.
She was a wonderful mother....therefore, she raised wonderful
children that grew up to be wonderful parents.
She was just special..... a woman with a legacy hard to match.