Several months ago I wrote a post titled “Why does Jesus have to be so bossy?“.  In it I explained that my six year old daughter had been inquiring as to what it meant to have a relationship with God and that her biggest struggle came with the understanding that to obtain salvation from her sins she had to surrender to Jesus being the Lord, a.k.a. the boss of her life. 

Like each of us who have been confronted with the reality that Christ’s free gift is given to us only after a willful decision to believe and confess Jesus as Lord, Rylee really wrestled with the idea of surrendering control.  I have always been amazed at the human condition.  As a sinner, my sweet and innocent little girl did not struggle with giving up some chemical addiction or some out of bounds relationship, it was simply difficult for her to surrender control.  My wife and I didn’t push – we just prayed – and waited – trusting God to continue to do his work of drawing her to Himself. 

And I am blessed to report to all my blog friends that the other night after returning from a long evening of meetings, little Rylee met me at the bottom of the steps and gently whispered, “Daddy, I’m ready to give my life to Jesus”.  I will never forget that moment, or the moments that followed during which we went and got Mommy, then kneeling beside her bed listened as she told God that she knew she was a sinner, that she knew He loved her and died for her to pay the sin debt she could not pay, and that she was ready for Him to be her boss.

It was a good night – yet another gift from a good God.

Now Rylee really is a princess, for she is a daughter of the King!

Josh

Yesterday I began a two part entry describing a few of the significant lessons taught by the life of my 89 year old Grandmother who passed away this week.  If you were not able to read yesterday’s post you can catch up at (http://joshclark.me/2010/01/12/how-to-leave-a-legacy-guest-author/)

Today’s post continues by detailing the second of the two main themes of wisdom I believe we can gain from looking at Grandma’s life. 

Yesterday’s was “LIFE IS SHORT – SO LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST”.  Today’s is:

HOW TO LEAVE A LEGACY (part 2)

1) Kneel nightly at the Davenport.  I’m not sure if “davenport” is even a word – but it was to my grandma.  In case you are 1970’s verbiage impaired let me give you a working definition:  davenport = ”An ugly multi-colored often floral designed piece of furniture pre-dating today’s common sofa or couch”.  While this may not coincide with Webster’s definition it is in fact the working understanding with which I operate.  As you may have guessed this working definition was one I received because that’s what Grandma called her couch.  I am sharing this however not because of her ugly couch but instead because of what she did at that couch every night she owned it.

She kneeled in front of it and talked to her Daddy.  I wrote yesterday of my overnight trips to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s – every night when wheel of fortune was over and the cards were put away, Grandpa would kneel at his chair and Grandma at the Davenport – then for however long it took, they would talk to their heavenly Father about each of their kids, then their grand kids, then their friends.   They would express their gratefulness, their grief, their requests and desires with such raw emotion that I knew they were really talking to God.  

As a little kid it would sometimes seem like they prayed forever, but I didn’t dread it.  Rather I was encompassed by a surreal mix of boredom and wonder – boredom for the shear length with which we prayed, wonder over the passion and gratitude with which they connected with God.  The only person I have ever heard pray like Grandma was Grandpa – I think it was all the practice.

2) Miss the kisses.  Grandpa died almost a decade before Grandma.  It was amazing to see Grandma change after Grandpa’s death.  It was evident that her life’s partner was no longer with her – the smile, it seemed, that was brought by the Garden, the Sunsets, and even her Grandchildren was just not quite as bright.  Another thing that changed though was the amount of time she spent talking and imagining heaven – I think her smile was biggest and brightest when she would speak of Grandpa in heaven, then she would talk about kissing him . . . when she would wonder aloud of what he was doing . . . was he thinking of her . . .  Towards the end of Grandma’s life her mind was not near as sharp as it once was, sure there were all kinds of medical reasons but I often wondered if the real reason was that she spent so much of her mind’s time in heaven with Grandpa and Jesus.

3) Enjoy the sunsets.  Grandma never wasted a Sunset.  She lived almost 90 years and enjoyed countless masterpieces stroked skillfully by the Creator’s brush.  The blue of twilight illuminated with the pinks, oranges, and whites of the falling sun then broken by dashing and darting clouds in the Ohio sky was a site appreciated more by Grandma than anyone I know.  When I see a beautiful sunset I think of Grandma and am reminded that God’s ability to create wonder in the world around me is more powerful than any other and that my responsibility is to enjoy His wonder and worship Him in light of it.

4) Go in peace.  I wasn’t there when Grandma died but I understand that she died the same way she lived.  With a quiet strength and the comfort of a gentle song, hand in hand with God.  Grandma did not die alone as so many do - when she left this world she was carried, as she was in life, by the Savior to whom she gave her life many years before.

So here ends my best effort at honoring and learning from Grandma Alta.  The details of her specific greatness will be lost on those untouched by her life, but the lessons described above are ones I hope to pass on to those who come along behind me.  While the stories my descendants tell will be different, I hope they will say that my life too taught the second truth of Grandma’s life, which is that “ETERNITY IS REAL – SO INVEST IN IT. 

You, like I, may not own a “davenport” but we both will be wise to  1)  Believe in the Power of Prayer enough to invest real, intimate time talking with our heavenly Father,  2) Dwell in the realities of heaven enough to lose our grip on the “realities” of this earth,  3)  Rest in the sovereignty of God enough to enjoy the masterpieces of His hands, and 4) Go through life with the peace found only in a relationship with the God who knows, who cares, and is able.

Grandma’s life was what it was as a result of her very real and personal relationship with God.  There are many of you who bless me by reading this blog.  If you are reading and don’t have a real and personal relationship with God through his Son Jesus Christ?  Please talk to someone you know who does, email me any questions you may have, or check back in the next day or two and I’ll let you know how you can meet Him.

God is good – so was Grandma.  Thanks for reading.

Josh

Today’s post will be the first on this blog written by someone other than myself.  The author will be my 89 year old Grandmother, Alta Mullet, who very early this morning completed her brief journey on this rock we call earth and began a new one in the physical presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There are many things that my grandma might say at this moment if she had the opportunity.  No doubt if she had the chance she would be able to speak words of wisdom to which one would do well to listen too.  However she doesn’t have that chance, and quite honestly she doesn’t need it.  Because Grandma, like all of us, lived a life that spoke volumes more than any words she might utter at the end of it.  As a man who was blessed to experience Alta Mullet for 32 years it is my opportunity this morning to pass along some words which I believe were spoken by her life.

HOW TO LEAVE A LEGACY.

1) Make egg sandwiches and chocolate milk.  There is one meal  that I crave, not for it’s quality of flavor or nutritional value but for the place and time too which it transports me with each bite.  For me, egg sandwiches and chocolate milk reflect the relational investment my Grandma made in me as a child.  Even writing about it places me at her small kitchen table, as a seven years old who is jumping out of my skin over the anticipation of my pending fishing trip with Grandpa.  While I spew words a mile a minute, she answers my questions by simply placing a small white plate in front of me, on it bursting out from between two perfectly buttered pieces of bread are the lightest and fluffiest eggs one ever tasted.  By the plate is a glass, in it, a concoction so chocolaty that rather than drink it one almost needs to unwrap and take a bite. 

2) Have strawberry jam at the table.  My Grandpa was a great influence in my life.  He was a tender man in his old age in no small part to both the victory’s and tragedy’s of his life experience.  He accomplished much and lost much in his life but his most precious prize was the woman he loved and his most pressing defeat the day his body gave out and left her alone on this earth without him.  For over fifty years my Grandpa was loved unconditionaly by a woman he didn’t deserve, a woman whose spirit would not break, and a woman who thought he hung the moon.  Grandma went through periods where Grandpa worked too much, hunted too much, was sad too much, did nothing too much, but in each of these periods of his life – grandma was beside him, believing in him, and spurring him on to be whom God created him to be.  Sometimes at dinner grandpa would gruffly chide grandma for not having the strawberry jam on the table – each time my grandma’s response was simply to get up, retreive it from the kitchen and place it beside him. 

3) Play Rook every Friday.  Rook is a card game.  Like life, to be experienced fully, it cannot be played alone.  Grandma had a group of friends that for years she hosted in a weekly game of Rook.  Sometimes she would win, sometimes she would lose.  But each Rook party came complete with homemade dessert, spirited laughter, and a perfect display of arrogance from the winner.  Yes, grandma could gloat.

4) Plant a garden, then enjoy it.   When I would arrive at Grandma’s house, I would often find her not in the house.  Instead she would be found outside, planting or pruning.  When I picture Grandma I see her in a yellow sundress on her knees with a pile of freshly cut flowers or fleshly pulled weeds.  Spring thru fall, her house was filled with the fruit of her hands – Grandma could turn dirt, manure, and sweat into flowers or vegetables better than anyone I knew.

These four things are obviously not Grandma’s suggestion to you for the details of your legacy.  They do however illustrate one of the two main truths her life preached.  LIFE IS SHORT – SO LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST.  Grandma’s life spanned almost 90 years, but the truth be told, it went by really fast. 

Egg sandwiches are not Grandma’s legacy- but entertaining her Grandchildren for overnight visits and creating untold adventures for them was.  Egg sandwiches were just one of the small things Grandma did because she loved me – they just happen to be the one that I remember best.

Strawberry Jam is not Grandma’s legacy – but loving one man deeply and unselfishly for her entire life was.  I never heard grandma once speak anything but respect for the man she shared life with and for that her children rise up and call her blessed. 

Winning at Rook is not Grandma’s legacy – but a host of real and intimate friends is.  Grandma invested her life in people and tonight I will joyfully drive my family over 600 miles to join hundreds of others in celebrating her investment and her passing to join those who have gone on before. 

Gardening is not Grandma’s legacy – but pursuing ones passions with diligence and hard work is.  Grandma was not a victim of today’s fast food, instant gratification culture.  Instead she modeled the joy that is found in doing what you love and patiently trusting God for the results.  Gardening is perhaps the best illustration of God’s desire to partner with man in life – you follow his rules, faithfully do what you can, and trust him for the rest.  Grandma had this down and taught it to those who would listen.

Sorry for the length of this post – it’s just hard to pack 90 years into a paragraph.  So here is part 1 of Alta Mullet’s legacy as observed by her grandson:  1)  Be intentional about making life fun for those you love,  2) Be selfless in your love for your spouse,  3)  Be significant through a host of meaningful friendships, and 4) Pursue your passions with diligence and hard work – trusting God for the results.

Tomorrow is Part two – hope you can come back.

God is good – Grandma’s are almost as good

Josh