Legacy

There are times when the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and even years seem to march ahead at a pace that affords us little time to reflect. But really, what is life without the special memories and defining moments that make us who we are? Yesterday I had the chance to pause and look back.

A dear and wonderful soul went to be with Jesus on Saturday. Tuesday we remembered his life. His name was Jay Sills. Husband to Ruth, father to Gary, Cheryl, Cindy, Callie and Sallie, a grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend to many. The service was truly a celebration of a life well lived. The music and message were the most inspirational I have ever heard. A life like his lends itself to an amazing memorial. Some of the things that were said about him bear recording and remembering, though I am certain this is just the beginning of a list that could go on and on.

• he was a family man, who put his family first (after only His Lord)


• he taught his family what was important spiritually, physically, morally, and otherwise


• he was dependable


• he was a man who could admit when he had made a mistake


• he was fun


• he had a way of putting a positive spin on things


• he made time to be involved in the lives of those he loved


• he served the Lord diligently


• he served his country


• he was an overcomer

Needless to say, even when the pause was over and my life came at me full speed as we picked up Coleman, Chris headed off to work and the boys got off the bus with homework to do, mouths to feed and practices to be taxied off to, I spent the afternoon pondering things in my heart. What kind of legacy am I leaving? What can I do to make the most of every moment that I have? What kind of wife, mom, sister, daughter, friend or neighbor am I? When my life is said and done, what kind of things will the people I leave behind have to say about me?

All of that thinking took me to another place. A place of gratitude. I am so grateful for the life God has given me. I am so thankful for the wonderful people in it. So many wonderful influences.

The influence that Jay Sills had on the life of his son Gary and his daughters has impacted me directly. You see, Gary served as the student pastor at my church during some of the most impressionable years of my life. I had the privilege of learning about being a disciple of Christ under his and Mona's leadership. Chris made the comment on the way home from the service of how thankful he was to Gary for making such an effort to get him to fully commit his life to Jesus. Gary, Callie and Sallie introduced me to what it really meant to worship the Lord in song. Gary and Mona were working at our church during the years that they were adding children to their family and I looked up to Mona as a wife and mother. She was a fabulous role model, and I am sure did not even know it. Gary so graciously led worship at our wedding and helped to make it the type of day we wanted it to be, a day where God was glorified. And when it came time for us to choose where we would serve the Lord in ministry as a couple, there was Gary again. He was filling in for his brother in law at a brand new church in The Woodlands ministering to the four students they had attending. I am not sure how things went down, but Kerry called Chris and I to come to Fellowship and serve as Gary would be moving on.... and the rest of that is history.

All of that to say, we have no idea how God wants to use us in the lives of others. When the time comes, may I be found available to Him to use as He wills. Lord, be the center of my life and what my legacy becomes.