I know I keep my blog light and it's never my goal to preach at you or stuff my faith down your throat. But I do want to share a little bit of my heart with you today. And to show you all the coolest picture of Darin ever.
This picture literary brings tears to my eyes. Most of you have read my story and know where I've come from. A place of extreme hurt and abandonment. It wasn't long ago.. but it's so amazing to now to call this man my husband.. someone that's faith is unswayable.. I am so undeserving of his love. He is such an amazing example of God's grace and love because I can't believe this man loves me... just as I am so unworthy of Christ's love for me. This big ol' sinner and lowly scum is redeemed because Jesus went to the cross. For me. It's crazy, really.
Anywho...
We spent the past weekend at a retreat with the elders and pastor's at our church. Talked about leadership and vision at our church. We also wrote up and shared what we wanted to leave as our legacy when our time on earth is finished and we start our residency in heaven. Our theme this year at church is "I am Legacy" and we are all asked to examine how we need to live to achieve how we'll be remembered. I made a looooong list of attributes of how I'd like to be remembered and a looooong list of things I don't want to be remembered by.
Came to the conclusion..
I have a lot of work to do.
Things on my list of what I didn't want to be know for is a gossip, a nay-sayer, a pessimist, someone who lacks faith, a bad mom, wife.. sister and daughter. I don't want to be known as a brat, someone who expects things to be given to them. I don't want to be known as a snob, as stingy, selfish, bitter person. I don't want to be faithless. Or even lack it one iota.
So you ask, what do I want to be known for? I want to be joyful, giving and selfless. A faithful servant that reaches people for Christ at any cost. The best wife and mom that Darin and my kids could have ever asked for. I want Darin & my girls to feel loved 100% of the time. I want to be a leader, always be hopeful and confident. I want to seize every day and not waste my life. I don't want to sit back and hope for the best.. I want to MAKE my life the best it can be with Christ's help. I don't want to make a name for myself.. I want to help all my friends and family ensure that their name is in the Book of Life. I want to make an impact.. be a smiley, happy person that doesn't' take life too seriously. I want to be known for my cookies because I'm a little shallow like that. I want to forgive and forget. I want to strive for where I'm going, not where I've been. I want a pure heart. I want to be known as a hard worker. A woman that can love and laugh at all the days to come.
We were supposed to write out our legacy in 1-3 words. As you can see.. I got a little windy. =)
But a passage in scripture came to mind that encompassed all I strive to be in 21 verses..
I want to be known as a Proverbs 31 woman. If you aren't aware of it, I'll type it out for you here and underlined many words and phrases that describes what I want to be:
The Wife of Noble Character
10 [b]A wife of noble character who can find?She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
as I said.. I have a long way to go. =) I want to get a little further away from the things I DON'T want to be and a little closer to the attributes I DO want to be each day.
I have to ask the question.. what do you want YOUR legacy to be? How will you be remembered?
9 comments:
thanks for the challenge and the truth darce. i pray this reaches more people than just me. i am proud to be called your friend and privileged to have walked through so much "life" with you. and...that picture of darin brought tears to my eyes as well. :) love u!
Ok, just read your post and I don't often comment on these but had to tell you that I am going thru a lot of change in my life right now and this post hit me in the face. I am most of the things you don't want and I don't want them either! Thanks for the reminder about what is important. Sometimes we just need someone else to lay it all out on the table so we can see it!
Heather
Wow! Thanks for always being so open & honest. It's such an encouragement & challenge for me to do the same. And ditto to what Erin said...it's such an honor to call you my friend :) Love ya girl!
Great things to think about Darcy. Love this post. I need to make out my own list of what I do and don't want to be remembered as and for. Thanks for sharing this.
Great post! Have you heard of Thirty-One, the bags and purses home business? Proverbs 31 is their mission/foundation/etc. How neat. Makes me like them very much knowing that little extra bit o' info :)
Enjoyed reading this post Darcy. I think it's good to think about these things and focus on our ideals and goals about the kind of person we are striving to be!
Darcy, this was such a beautiful post. That photo of Darin IS awesome!! I love it. And how blessed you are. :) I loved your post and just want thank you for being such an inspiration and sister in Christ. May God Bless you AND your legacy. :) Hugs!
Darcy, thanks for the challenge. I think about this every day that I am in my classroom...what do I want my students to remember about being in my class. Honestly, it's not the cool decor, or the names of their groups, or how crazy Miss C can get during a lesson, or that awesome piece they wrote. Every day during our moment of silence I pray, "Lord help me to love each of these kids with the same love you lavish on me." That's how I want to be remembered....Loved like Jesus.
What an awesome post!! I love that Psalms and I pray that I am a woman who can follow those versus and leave my legacy as you do- in a positive and not negative way!!!
Just a side note- our freshman year at Milligan we were allowed to paint on the wall outside our rooms and our suite (which included Denise)- but verse 30 on our wall "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleating but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." It took me back to the incredible family a grew to love my freshman year at Milligan!!!!!!
God bless!
Sue
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