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Vol. 2007 Issue 02 ~ February

I've been thinking about my legacy lately. What I'm going to leave behind. Where the breadcrumbs of my life will lead to. What my kids will look back and remember about me. Will they just see a Mom who ran from her job at church to her job of speaking to her computer (her job of writing)? Or will they put two and two together that in all my running I was desperately trying to bring some of the Kingdom of heaven down here to earth now? I'm sure they don't get that now...but will they get it when they're older? Am I building the kind of relationship with each of them now that will lead to great friendships when they're adults? Am I passing along any habits, any disciplines, any character traits that I'd actually be proud they picked up from me, or just all the junk I hope they don't notice?

My Mom is a pray-er. Big time. She is younger in the faith than I am but she puts me to shame in her depth and frequency of prayer. She inspires, encourages and challenges me. I want to be more like her in this area. It's a huge part of the legacy she's leaving me, even if she doesn't know it. And my Dad. Hands down, he is the most generous person I know. He's been very blessed and he just pours it out into others - various charities...extended family members...me and my family. I don't just benefit from the obvious blessing of his giving, but I benefit because it makes me want to mimic his generosity by pouring a bit of what he gives me out into the lives of others as well...charities that mean the world to me, friends that I love to extend the blessing to. That is part of his legacy to me - not just the tangible, actual assistance, but the attitude of kindness, liberality, and openhandedness that he has, probably unknowingly, passed on to me.

I want to pray because my Mom prays. I want to give because my Dad gives. What will my kids grow up wanting to do simply because they see me doing it? Moms, we have the responsibility and opportunity to shape what we leave behind, to influence the impression our kids have of us, to inform the image they have of Christ. This month, I challenge and encourage you to think through the values that are important to you...the values you hope your kids 'catch'...and then work on being intentional in passing them along.

* Elisabeth K. Corcoran, 2007
Elisabeth Corcoran is the author of In Search of Calm: Renewal for a Mother's Heart (2005) and Calm in My Chaos: Encouragement for a Mom's Weary Soul (2001). She is wife to Kevin, and mom to Sara, 10, and Jack, 8-&-1/2.
Her passion is encouraging women and the Church which she fulfills through serving in leadership on staff part-time at Christ Community Church - Blackberry Creek Campus in Aurora, Illinois, and writing and speaking as much as she can.

Submitted on : 3-Feb-2007