When even God says you’re old

Today I’m celebrating … um … I am observing a significant birthday.

Getting old humbles a woman.

The other day I looked over my body, wondering if I could find one square inch without wrinkles. I found a place—depending on how I hold my arm—but I tell ya, it’s not easy to show off the underside of my forearm in public.

As if that’s not humbling enough, even God seems to be reminding me I’m old.

While thumbing through my Bible I ran across this—highlighted! Who highlighted it?!? Not me!—so I took it as a sign to apply the verse personally:

In Joshua 13, God looked at Joshua and said, “You are getting very old.”

Sheesh! I suppose He’s looking at me today and thinking the same thing.

I’ve wanted to hear Him say many things, but never that. Never, “Linda, you are getting very old.”

Joshua must have squirmed at what God said next: He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

That got me to thinking. And squirming. He has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking on this earth, things He wants me to pass on to my kids, grandkids, and great-grands. 

It’s like He is saying, “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I will have to prepare and complete that legacy so I’ve been asking myself,

• What should be my priorities?
• What am I doing with the time I have left? Am I wasting it with pursuits that have little or no significance? What activities do I need to set aside so I can spend my time wisely?
• What legacy do I need to be working on?

One of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

I want to tell our stories—not because our family is special but because God is special. 

It’s not about us. It’s all about God. I want my stories to celebrate Him.

Perhaps you, too, suspect it’s time to rearrange your priorities. What legacy should you be preparing before it's too late?

Since inheritances come in assorted forms and shapes and sizes, which are the most important to pass on to your kids, grandkids, and great-grands?

Do you hear God’s voice today? In one way or another, He’s whispering in your ear, “You’ve gotta do this, (fill in your name), as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Focus on finishing well and leaving God-and-you stories for your kids, grandkids, and great-grands—not because you’re so special, but because God is so special.

He can use your stories to bless, 

teach, entertain, challenge, 

and shape those who come after you—for His glory.

Revised from original post published June 27, 2012

Tuesday Tidbit: What are you waiting for?

Jesus said, 

"Go tell your family everything God has done for you" (Luke 8:39).

What are you waiting for?

Tuesday Tidbit: Deliberate exploration

Jesus said,

'Go

tell your family

everything 

God 

has done

for you.'

Luke 8:39

What has God done for you in the past?

What things might you have overlooked?

Make time to 

deliberately explore

what God has done for you.

Take all the time you need.

Determine

to write stories

about those things

and include them

in your memoir.

Your memoir: Leave a legacy, finish well

“How does a person finish well?” Pastor Sid challenged us.

Once people get to my age, ears perk up when such topics surface.

Younger people’s ears should perk up, too, because time marches on more quickly than we realize, and we all need to take action now to finish well.

Finishing: It’s a sobering word, a serious reality.  Each of us is approaching the finish line. Some of us will reach it sooner than others will.

“How do you make your lives matter?” Sid continued. “How do you leave a good legacy?”

Let’s be honest. Don’t we worry that our lives might not matter? That we might not leave a good legacy?

In his sermon, Sid shared with us a few ways to finish well. And being the memoir geek that I am, of course I applied them to the importance of writing our stories.

So, then, as I share Sid’s thoughts with you, think memoir. Think your memoir.

Sid spoke of the power of partnership—of sharing our lives with others. Investing our lives in them. Connecting with them. Shepherding our flock. Teaching them about God. And isn’t that what writing and giving a memoir is all about?

Then Sid got personal. He asked us to assess ourselves. He asked, “How willing are you to give to others, to invest in others?”

So, applying that to writing memoir, let me ask: How willing are you to invest your time and talents in finishing your memoir?

The more we invest our lives in others, the more time we invest in preparing and sharing our stories with them, the better we will finish.

Sid also spoke of the power of perseverance. He reminded us of Paul in the New Testament: Despite his imprisonment for preaching the gospel, he kept partnering with Timothy and persevering with him (2 Timothy). He mentored Timothy despite his personal suffering. Paul knew he was approaching the end of his life, but he didn’t quit. He focused on investing in Timothy even on the days he didn’t feel like it.

He knew God would help him finish well, and indeed he did. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” What glorious words. What a great role model Paul is for all of us.

Pastor Sid asked us to assess ourselves: “If you were struck mute, what would people know about your life and the way you ran your race?”

He challenged us to be difference-makers: ordinary people making a difference for eternity, ordinary people leaving a legacy that lasts.

Your memoir can be a priceless legacy for your kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, friends, relatives, and maybe even strangers. Your memoir is one way to exercise the power of partnership that Sid spoke of. Your memoir is one way to exercise the power of perseverance.

“What does God mean for you to do?” Sid asked, and he left us with this challenge: “Run with everything you have!”

Leave your memoir as a legacy for your family.

Do it.

Do it now.

Tuesday Tidbit: Leave behind much more than your possessions

Here’s your 15 seconds of inspiration,

today’s Tuesday Tidbit:

“What is your legacy to the world?

What will happen to your experiences,

thoughts, perceptions,

and memories—

the stories you’ve created to make sense of life?

Will you contribute to the rich history of your family

by writing your own stories?

Or will you leave behind

only your possessions

and other physical evidence of your time on earth?”

Amber Lea Starfire, “Why your stories matter”

(emphasis mine)

Be sure to read the rest of Amber Lea Starfire's post. 

It will inspire you!

Do it. Do it now.

Some amazing events have happened in the past few months.

(You can read about them here: “Be still and know that I am God” 

and “Couldn’t He turn one of those green lights red?” 

and “Even my children?”)

Because of these changes,

 my next few blog posts will be brief but, I hope,

meaningful to you personally as well as in writing your memoir.

At SM 101, change is in the air: “You’ve gotta do this. Do it. Do it now.”

I missed posting on Saturday.

Instead of blogging, I was flying home from southern California after a visit with my three grandsons—and their parents, too, of course: daughter Karen and her hubby, Brian.

Missing my regular Saturday blog post bothered me but, at the same time, it felt OK.

It felt OK because it symbolized a change I’ve felt coming on. I’ve been feeling it in my heart, my mind, my spirit.

Missing that blog post prompted a change I knew was inevitable.

I hinted at that change on my birthday in June when I pondered God’s words to Joshua: “You are getting very old” (Joshua 13) and He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Since then I’ve been thinking. And squirming. God has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking this earth, things He wants me to leave for my family.

For the past couple of years, my oldest grandson, Chase, has been asking me to write a book for him, another book of family stories.

I have a few vignettes snapped into a three-ring binder for him and the other grandkids, but I need to write so many more!

Doing so has been on my mind a lot since June, and—you guessed it—again last week Chase asked if I was writing our family’s stories. I knew the time had come, as if God again nudged me: “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I have in which to prepare and complete that legacy, so I’ve been asking myself, What should be my priorities? What am I doing with the time I have left? What activities must I set aside—or cut back on—so I can spend my time wisely? What legacy do I need to be working on?

If you’ve followed SM 101 for even a short while, you know one of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

Soooo ~~ here’s what’s changing at Spiritual Memoirs 101: Beginning next week, I will post only once a week, on Thursdays, so I can dedicate more time to writing for my grandkids.

I want to tell our family’s stories—not because our family is special but because God is special.

It’s not about us. It’s all about God.

See you next Thursday, September 19!

Continuity gives us roots;

change gives us branches,

letting us stretch and grow

and reach new heights.

Pauline R. Kezer

When even God says you’re old

Today I am celebrating a … um … I am observing a significant birthday.

Getting old humbles a woman.

The other day I looked over my body, wondering if I could find one square inch without wrinkles. I found a place—depending on how I hold my arm—but I tell ya, it’s not easy to show off the underside of my forearm in public.

As if that’s not humbling enough, even God seems to be reminding me I’m old.

While thumbing through my Bible I ran across this—highlighted! Who highlighted it?!? Not me!—so I took it as a sign to apply it personally:

In Joshua 13, God looked at Joshua and said, “You are getting very old.”

Sheesh! I suppose He’s looking at me today and saying the same thing.

I’ve wanted to hear God say many things, but never that. Never, “Linda, you are getting very old.”

Joshua must have squirmed at what God said next: He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Well, that got me to thinking. And squirming. God has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking this earth, things He wants me to leave for my family.

It’s like God is saying, “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I have in which to prepare and complete that legacy, so I’ve been asking myself, What should be my priorities? What am I doing with the time I have left? Am I wasting it with pursuits that have little or no significance? What activities do I need to set aside so I can spend my time wisely? What legacy do I need to be working on?

One of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

I want to tell our family’s stories—not because our family is special but because God is special.

It’s not about us. It’s all about God.

I want my stories to celebrate Him. 

Perhaps you, too, suspect it’s time to rearrange your priorities. What legacy should you be preparing?

Since inheritances come in assorted forms and shapes and sizes, which inheritances are the most important to leave your kids and grandkids?

Do you hear God’s voice today? In one way or another, He’s whispering in your ear, “You’ve gotta do this, (fill in your name), as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Focus on finishing well and leaving God-and-you stories for your kids and grandkids. God can use them to bless, teach, entertain, challenge, and shape those who come after you—for His glory. 

The Value of a Written Legacy

Today we welcome guest blogger Cavin T. Harper, Executive Director of Christian Grandparenting Network.*

“And I will make every effort to see that

after my departure

you will always be able to remember these things.”

2 Peter 1:15

When my grandparents passed away, so did most of the stories of their lives and my heritage.

While I still had the imprinted memories of the times we did have and the faith they so powerfully gave witness to as I and my siblings were growing up, I am missing some very important pieces of their lives that played important roles in shaping who I am today.

When Peter said what he did about making every effort to see that the things that had to do with life and eternal life would always be remembered, I suspect he had in mind more than just telling stories around a campfire. That’s why he wrote a letter—a written record was one way he could help them remember.

What effort are you making to make sure the lessons and stories God has written on the pages of your life are being passed on to another generation? They are priceless stories that will help the generations after you remember and understand how your story is impacting the story God is writing on the pages of their lives. They are stories that must be told and remembered.

My good friend, Lana Rockwell, has written a valuable book, Passing On A Written Legacy,* with simple, practical helps for creating your own written record to pass on to your family. Don’t underestimate the value of leaving a written record.

My sadness at having lost so much of the story of my family history is repeated over and over by many others who feel so much of their own history has been lost because no one took the time to write it down.

I feel so strongly about it I have also put together a tool for helping you write your legacy. The Legacy Journal* can help you organize information about your personal and family history in the first section, and in the next section record your thoughts and lessons learned about life that you want another generation to know as they journey through life. I encourage you to consider using both tools to tell your story.

Whatever tool you use, we will bless the next generations if, like Peter, we make every effort to see that these things God has done throughout our lifetime are remembered for the blessing and encouragement of another generation.

It really is more than our story--it is HIS story written on the pages of our lives as a testimony to His greatness and grace. Write it down, record it on video, or do both.

Make the effort for the sake of your children and grandchildren. If you do, they will call you blessed.

Thanks, Cavin. Your message is so important:

The stories God has written on the pages of our lives

can help future generations

understand the story God is writing

on the pages of their lives.

What a valuable legacy!

*Learn more about Cavin's Legacy Journal and Lana's Passing On A Written Legacy by reading The Value of a Written Legacy at http://www.christiangrandparenting.net/blogs/not-on-my-watch/496-the-value-of-a-written-legacy.html