My dad and me when I was about 5 or 6...

The Party's Over and a Legacy Remembered

It's the time of year that I really don't like that much...football season is completely over. I'll get a short small boost during March Madness (basketball tourney for you non-sports readers), but it's not quite the same.

This is also the time of year that I usually think more about my dad. This time 6 years ago I was in the last trimester of pregnancy with my first child, working full time still and travelling to the hospital pretty much every day to check on my dad. He hadn't had the stroke yet, but was in for kidney issues and we thought was on the road to recovery. The medical staff was talking rehab at this point and we were encouraged. The first grandchild on both sides of the family was due in March, my dad was about to turn 75 in March...things seemed to be going well and we had no idea that the lives of our family were about to be turned upside down.

I was just talking about my dad yesterday in Sunday School at church. He had his faults just like everyone, but he left such a great legacy. I'm grateful for that more and more every day as I try to raise my children. The reason why I talked about him at church yesterday is because we were talking about how we are all called to minister no matter what our "job" is. I was telling them that my dad was a great example of that. He used his chiropractic practice as a ministry...ALWAYS. The hypocratic oath weren't just words to him...he TRULY desired to help people. It was the sole reason he got into that profession. He also shared the Gospel with every new patient that came in the doors. If they accepted Christ then he would give them a Bible if they didn't already have one and also a devotional book by Oswald Chambers called "My Utmost for His Highest" and tell them to get into a good local church.

It's amazing how many people were minstered to through my dad's "career". That was evident at the visitation and funeral from so many that attended and the stories about him that were told. These memories, my sweet hubby's unconditional love toward me, my precious children and the knowledge of Christ's passionate and unconditional love for us all inspire me today. I've spent entirely too much wasted time in my life...I'm more aware of that today than ever. The video in my last post helped me get to that realization as well.

I know that some of you people thought that this was yet another sports post, but I do think of things other than football! Look...my life has been spared yet another day for a purpose. I want to live out that purpose more and more every day of life that I'm given. I only pray that I walk worthy of that calling on my life and can leave the type of legacy to my children that my dad left for me. Those are big shoes to fill...I seem to stumble in those shoes more than walking in them.