Was thinking this morning about leaving a legacy. We all leave a legacy, whether good or bad, for our children, friends etc. What do I want my legacy to be? I thought about this not because I want to impress people or to be well liked, but because I want to live life in such a way that when I am gone people close to me can think of tangible ways in which they were impacted by how I lived my life. That is significance. That is how I am called to live as a follower of Jesus.

So what do I want my legacy to be? One of passion, integrity, and laughter. Passion is life. Passion is attractive. Passion is contagious. I want to be passionate about my family, about Jesus, about living life to the fullest. I want my children and grandchildren to be permanently infected with my passions. That's not to say that I want them to be passionate about the same things I am, but that their lives would be marked by passion for things that fit with how they are made. That would make me smile.

Integrity. Character. Such strong words with such broad implications. I picture a grand, stately oak tree; John Wayne; Jesus, with his face "set like flint" towards Jerusalem, his place of death (and new life). I long for this in me. I long to be one who does what he says, who means what he says and says what he means. I want to be trustworthy, committed, determined, obedient even when it hurts. I want to model this for my children, so that they can avoid some of the pitfalls I have fallen into. I want there to be no gap between how I speak and how I live. Children are highly perceptive, and can see inconsistencies in parents. I need to live out my faith with sincerity and integrity, so that they can learn to love following Jesus for who He really is.

Laughter. Life should be marked with laughter and fun. Too much heaviness and introspection strips the joy from life. I want to laugh, play, and act stupid with my kids, so that they can see that it is OK to be silly.

Anyway, that's what I want my legacy to be. How about you?