A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.
Proverbs 13:22
My grandmother, Norma Nell, “Nanny Nell,” passed away 6 years ago this month. We were given a beautiful ivy plant. (Pictured above in the colorful teapot planter.) Brent’s Dad, Bruce Darrel, “Snad,” passed away 4 years ago this month. We were given another gorgeous ivy (Pictured above with a cross.) I absolutely love these plants and love to see them growing and flourishing, making a new leaf ever so often. The third plant you see above, sitting amongst our classroom area, is a combination of new growth from the two older plants. As I was potting the beautiful vines into their new home, I was filled with gratitude for the legacy that both my Nanny Nell and Snad left for me and my children and my children’s children. A legacy of faith. A legacy of determination. A legacy of generosity. A legacy of tithing. A legacy of loving people. A legacy of servitude. My Nanny Nell, cared for me and my sister when my Momma was working several jobs to make ends meet when we were young. She also cared for other children in the community, along with my younger cousins, Zakk and Lance. She kept hot meals on the table, kept the animals fed and watered, kept the house clean and took care of my Hawpaw. I met Bruce when I was 14. From the beginning, I was enamored by his gentleness. He was the epitome of a “real life teddy bear!” He prayed, and he prayed often. He talked about the importance of tithing the first 10% of all your earnings to the church. I guess I can’t think of a time that he didn’t pay for someone’s meal when he was at a restaurant! Genuine generosity was first revealed to me through him. I can only think of one hobby that he took time for, which was shooting a few holes of golf here-and-there; all other times, he was serving people. As I looked at the new, strong roots growing off the vines I cut from Nanny’s and Snad’s ivy, my heart was filled with gratitude and appreciation. What a legacy both of these monumental figures in my life left to me and to all generations following them. What legacy are you leaving? Remember that this kind of inheritance keeps “leafing” on forever, through all generations…..most people I talk to say that inheritance is monetary (gold, stocks, life insurance policies). It can be, but those are the least important. Leave a legacy of faith in Jesus, an eternal inheritance!