Dashes and Legacies

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What is the legacy you are leaving for your children and grandchildren?  How will they remember you when you are gone?  How have you impacted their life and what will they take forward from you to their own kids?

For some, these have easy answers and for others, the answers would be hard to admit to.  Families these days are shattering and many times the parents are unable to put their own battle aside and their kids pay the highest price.

Picture your children looking at your picture and talking about their thoughts, feelings and memories of you.  What would they remember and what would they say?  Have you taught them how to be a person of integrity, hard work, and responsibility?  Have you shown them how to be kind, forgiving and a person of giving grace?  Think about it.

Many years ago, there were speakers who spoke about “the dash” on our tombstone.  You know…”Born April 2, 1940 – Died November 12, 2020.”  Did you notice the little dash between those two dates; the date of birth and the date of death?  The question is, what does that “dash” represent of our lives?  Does it represent a life of honesty, joy, faithfulness, fun memories, family activities, joys and sorrows, highs and lows?  Or maybe it represents a life of harshness, anger and bitterness, family drama, shame and guilt.  What does your “dash” say about you?

The beauty is that if you are reading this, you are obviously still alive and you still have time to make your “dash” productive, healthier, more content, with time to repair damaged relationships, and a life surrounded by the Lord God and His principles.

Father’s Day is close and many families will honor their fathers and grandfathers, step-fathers, adoptive fathers, foster dads, etc.  How will your kids honor their father?  If “business” needs to be done between your kids and their dad, maybe there is something you can do to help them “honor your father and your mother.” (Eph. 6:2)

If you are a single mom, please try to set your own feelings about your ex aside and, if your ex is a safe person (not perfect, but safe), let them spend some time in person or on the phone with their dad so their “dash” can be healthier and happier.  May God bless your efforts.

I would like to wish all fathers reading this blog a very Happy Father’s Day and may your heart for our Heavenly Father become even stronger as you work to set a good example to your children and leave them a legacy that will impact them and generations  to come in your family.

Dads, please spend some time praying for your children.  They need the Heavenly Father’s love, acceptance and forgiveness as much as you do.