I am almost to the end of the Old Testament in my chronological bible, and boy, I sure am ready for Jesus. Today’s reading was a bunch of genealogies, and as I raced over the unfamiliar names, I made special note of the names I recognized (Boaz, Judah, Jesse, etc.). Skimming lists of names is not unusual for any of us. We look for our kids’ names in box scores, and our names listed as contributors to annual funds. As a child, I would always flip through my school’s address book to double check that here were 2*’s by my name (hutch alums understand). We check, because we want to be recognized; we need to matter. We feel the need to belong. The OT genealogies did the same thing for their tribes and families.
I belong to amazing parents and a wonderful husband. I sign letters all the time using my full name. Pat and I named all of our children after family members. We are building a legacy and hope it will continue. We are not alone as parents to yearn for our children to follow in our footsteps. I am still holding out hope that one of my kids will go to The University of Kentucky, but my greatest prayer is that they will love Jesus. Of all the lists they will have their names written on, the only one that matters is the list of names on that final judgment day.
I look like my mom and I have her sense of humor. I am diligent like my dad and have his competitive spirit. My children are tapestries made up of different quirks and qualities inherited from their parents. They are not especially pleased with everything they inherited, or with everything I try to teach them, but they will likely never question what I care about the most. I love Jesus. I love their dad, and I love them. That is the legacy I am trying to build and one that I pray will carry on for generations to come.
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)
“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12b (NIV)