Honoring a Legacy

"I went skydiving, I went Rocky Mountain climbingI went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu

And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter

And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'

"And he said, "Some day I hope you get the chance

To live like you were dyin'"

 

-Tim McGraw "Live Like You Were Dying"

 

I love to write. In fact, I decided to be a writer when I grew up at age six, when I was selected to attend the local "Young Writers Conference." I have to be passionate about the topic, otherwise I avoid writing like The Plague. Passion makes words spill out effortlessly and I can't "not write." This is one of those times...

It was over five years ago The Lord gave me the phrase "Finishing Well" for my Dad. I could see how Dad had grown spiritually following the passing of my Mom in 2017.

Instead of living in a constant state of self-pity...

• He asked his friend Sam to join him in a 90-day read through the Bible challenge. He took walks with Sam, and together they joined a men's Bible study with accountability.

• He became a regular driver and dialysis buddy for a friend who needed someone to take him to appointments.

• He visited us for weeks at a time in North Carolina and we made some great memories. He helped me learn how to care for my crazy, out-of-control garden, with his Iowa green thumb. Probably my favorites times were dad-daughter road trips or mornings with coffee and the Bible.

• He looked for Christian charities and missionaries to support. His checkbook was a witness to his faith.

• He filled in preaching at church, teaching Sunday school and even visiting those who were ill.

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The scripture "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" comes from 2 Timothy 4:7 in the Bible.

It is spoken by the Apostle Paul as a testament to his lifelong dedication to his ministry and faith, anticipating his reward from God. It's a powerful statement about perseverance, finishing strong, and remaining faithful to God's calling. 

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So, a Post-It note bearing the phrase "Finishing Well" perched on the side of my fridge for years, eventually covered in dust during our home renovation. I pulled the crusty note and decided it was time to do something.

I mentioned to Dad that there was something undeniably different about him in these recent years. He responded graciously and a bit tearfully, "Sometimes I wonder if I had been closer to the Lord earlier, maybe the Lord wouldn't have felt He had to take your Mom." A very human statement.

I asked Dad what his favorite hymns were. Interestingly enough he already had his funeral songs picked out and written in his Bible. These are the songs I also used to create "leaves" for his painting.

Dad told me he preferred Fall colors, which I incorporated into the painting. (Moving away from coastal blues and purple hydrangea bouquets was hard for this gal, believe me!!) I had envisioned a long walkway leading to a Heavenly greeting marked by a finish line. With Dad himself being in the Fall/Winter of his life, this fit in well with my artistic vision. In 2024 I asked Dad, an amazing woodworker, if he would be willing to create a frame for the piece. I purchased a gold nameplate, and we put the whole piece together. It is in "his room" in our NC home.

I wish Dad had been able to enjoy the painting longer. I wish he had finally been able to move in with us full time in North Carolina. The Lord had other plans. Dad went to be with Jesus, Mom, his parents and so many others we love on June 9, 2025.

Good 'ol ChatGPT indicates it may have been up to 10 years that Dad had undetected Pancreatic Cancer. He didn't jump out of a plane or ride a bull at a bar, but I believe in a deeper way in his final years he was living like he was dying. He had been a Christian since childhood, but before reaching Heaven he was "all in" for Jesus.

I Don't Think That's a Thing...

I wrestled with what to do with that Post-It note phrase for years. Perhaps God wanted me to speak at Dad's funeral and share the ways I was seeing him honor the Lord in his later years. Perhaps I was supposed to write him a card... but what kind of card??

I couldn't find anything (even on Etsy) that truly stated what I wanted to say to my aging father, "You are leaving a godly legacy. I'm proud of you and I know the Lord is proud of you." It recently occurred to me that others may feel the same way.

I couldn't find anything (even on Etsy) that truly stated what I wanted to say to my aging father, "You are leaving a godly legacy. I'm proud of you and I know the Lord is proud of you."

How many spouses want to tell their husband of 50 years, "I'm proud of who you are and the legacy you're leaving?" How many daughters watch their moms faithfully lead Bible studies, and want to tell that unsung hero that she is seen?

Though I created the "Finishing Well" painting just for Dad, I feel there are others who may benefit. A visual that comes to my mind is a small print with a push pin through it hung up on a nursing home resident wall. Look for a print of this painting with a love and legacy-focused poem on the back coming in 2026. Who in your life do you appreciate their long-time, faithful service to the Lord?