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Your Epitaph
Thinking about how fast life passes by and about what I want to accomplish, about what I want my life to say, and about how fast everything can change.
About 20 years ago, I wrote a poem entitled “What Do I Want to Accomplish”. I have it hanging on my refrigerator as a reminder not to let the busyness of life take me away from what is really important. I believe you have to give thought to what you truly want your life to say. We do mission statements for our jobs, for our volunteer work, our schools even have them. I believe it is just important to have a mission statement for your family and for your own life. What do you want your life to say? What do you want your family to stand for?
In life, others will judge you for what you do, but in the end it is just between you and God. People have thought we were crazy, our family is too big, too complicated. But if you spent just a moment with my treasures you would see what I see, that they are worth every bit of the complicated and so much more. My life may be busy but having them as my children is a far cry from crazy. My life is full of love. I’ve known for a long time that my gift was working with small children. There are many ways to use that gift. I have chosen to use mine caring for children with hurting hearts and I chose to do that through adoption.
The truth is I didn’t set out to adopt for that reason. We chose to adopt because we felt God leading us to Maisey and Ben. We felt it again when we set out to adopt the next four and again this year. I didn’t set out to use my gift in that way, but I see how God’s ways are so much better than mine. I love my life. I love what He has allowed us to do. I love being a part of the big miracles of bringing them to our family. I am blessed every day to be allowed to be their mother. What a gift. What a blessing.
This morning when I opened one of my on-line devotionals, I read Os Hillman’s words “What will be written on your epitaph? How do you want people to remember you? What type of legacy will your life leave behind?”
This is exactly what I have been thinking about these past couple of days. How much thought have you given to what your life says? Your life is your biggest testimony. You can quote scripture until you are blue in the face, but if you don’t live your life with love, it is all for naught.
I challenge you today to take a couple of minutes and truly give some thought to what your life is saying, what you want to accomplish, and if you are truly living a life filled with love. Here are my words from 20 years ago – they are as pertinent to my life today as they were then. (Please be kind. I am not a professional poet.) My eyes are on the promise of forever while living in the moment of today.
“What Do I want to Accomplish?”
“What do I want to accomplish?”
plays over and over again in my head.
What do I want them to whisper about me
when I’m long gone and dead.
I want them to mention my faith
and how every year it grew.
I want them to mention the words
loving, honest, caring and true.
I don’t want sins to rule
my heart and my mind any longer.
I know though I am weak
My God is most certainly stronger.
I want to take up the cross
so why do I resist it so?
I strongly believe in God’s plan
so why can’t I just let go?
I know I should apply
God’s word to every situation.
To pass the tests He places before me
and avoid earthly temptations.
I am here to work on the log in my own eye
and not the sliver in my brothers.
I am here to worship my Lord with praise and thanksgiving,
placing Him above all others.
I am here to help the downtrodden and the poor
with gifts blessed to me at birth.
I want to stand above and not be consumed
by the things of this earth.
Father, I ask for your help.
Please give me wisdom and grace.
So I can hear “well done, faithful servant”
when I first see your face.
