Tuesday; August 1

The other night Jeane and I spent the evening watching the of biographies of General Robert E. Lee and President Jimmy Carter.  (Yes, our lives are that exciting!)  I enjoyed the programs because they brought to light some very interesting conflicts.  Each of these men had some incredible traits and each of them endured some unimaginable struggles.  The assessment of their success is often determined by a person’s understanding of the times in which they lived and the values they shared (or despised).
At the conclusion of the evening I got to thinking about the word “legacy”.  The end of General Lee’s life was played out in Western Virginia as he contemplated the role he played in the history of the United States.  President Carter’s legacy continues to be shaped, but he, too, struggled with the mark he had made after his defeat by Ronald Reagan.   These men faced the challenge of pondering their own personal use of the gifts and opportunities they had been given as well as wondering how they would be remembered by history.
King David laid the groundwork for a good legacy when he wrote, “Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments.  His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed.   Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.”. (Psalm 112:1-3)  The older I get the more I think about legacy.  I am not ready to give up on my day-to-day work, but I am getting closer to a time when my life will have to stand on its own merit.  I realize that I will not influence people on the same level as General Lee or President Carter (and especially King David), but if my life and values make the next generation better – I hope that my life can be viewed as a success. 
         Think About It!

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