Does your legacy cause the earth to stop?

At 4:40am on November 2, 2009, the earth stood still. I could barely catch my breath when I heard my father say, "Your grandmother has died." As I exhaled, the earth began to move again. The impact that my grandmother had on my life caused me great pause, thus stopping the earth. Her legacy was profound. At at young teen age, she led me to Christ. She poured into me daily. Although, through college, she probably thought NOTHING stuck! But, it did. God's Word resonates in my brain....Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I was that child that was trained. I will never forget giving birth to my firstborn and having a conversation with her. I called her and said, "Grandma, she is so beautiful. I love her more than anything in my life." She said to me, "Shelly, never say that. You can never love anything more than God. God gave Alexia to you and should thank Him and love Him more than her." It was a 30 second conversation exchange, but it changed my life. From that point on, my foundation was different. My foundation was solid. I learned so much about her from that one statement. Matthew 15:19 says, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from heart and they defile a man." In this passage, Jesus is explaining a parable. He is teaching us that ungodly words, ungodly thoughts and ungodly actions, flowing from heart, can defile a person. Therefore, our children can know our heart by our words. How powerful!!!! When my grandmother made that statement, I understood more about her walk with Jesus. I heard her heart that day. What do your children hear?

Webster's dictionary defines legacy as something passed down to another generation. We pass our words and phrases down to our children. How many times have you said something to your children and then laughed and said, "I sound just like my mother." In psychology, we call this learned behavior. Our home is our training ground. What language do you speak to your children? Now, I am not talking about English, Spanish or Japanese. My question boils down to your heart lingo. If God's Word says that our words are a reflection of our heart, what is your heart saying to your children? Do you walk around angry? Do you use foul language? Do you gossip? Do you complain all the time? Now.....here is where the rubber meets the road.....when your children turn to you for advice, what advice does your heart give? Are you quick to tell them what Oprah, Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz says or does your heart lead them to what God's Word says? Your children are listening and watching EVERYTHING. Last week at dinner, my 7 year old daughter amazed me. My husband was helping get all of the plates on the table for dinner. Everyone started asking for something. One wanted a spoon, one wanted a fork, a cup, a drink, etc. He said, "Stop everyone. You only have one Daddy and I can't get everything." Alyssa said, "I have 2 Dads. I have you and I have a heavenly Father." I was ecstatic that her understanding had evolved to understand that there is a difference between an earthly father and a heavenly father.

What is your heart saying right now? My grandmother's heart spoke to me LOUD and CLEAR and now I can confidently say that her legacy is being passed on. When I need direction, I first seek God. God brings to my remembrance things that my grandmother poured into me and all of those memories confirm God's Word. Her life and legacy mirrored God's Word. How do we have that kind of legacy? Where do we begin? We do a heart check. We check our hearts with what we are saying to our children, to our spouses, to our friends, to our co-workers. We have to assess where we are before we can begin the process of change. Then, I suggest that you read James 3: 1-12 (The untamable tongue). Read it, reread it and Pray that God allows His Word to penetrate your heart and bring about a change. I know that I desire a long legacy for my children when I am with God in heaven. Beacause of my grandmother's 97 year legacy to me, the earth stopped and I paused. Will the earth stop for me and will my children pause, when I die? Will the earth stop for you?

Signed Michele.....Saved, Secure and Blessed!!!!!!!