Can YOU Impact Future Generations?

Our week has been rather bittersweet. We've visited funeral homes three times this week. Three dear friends have passed from this life. I wrapped my arms around family members while their loved one lay cold and lifeless in the casket, beautiful flowers bright and cheerful surrounding them. The scent of roses tickling my nose now and again.

Questions flooded my mind.

What kind of loneliness would this widow / widower face? How many nights in that big, empty bed will he/she cry himself/herself to sleep? How often will she look for him to pull in the driveway? And for those children... what's it like to have had a Daddy or Momma all your life and now ...

Then, my heart broke when it got personal... What if that were me standing there by the casket? What if Mark, my very best friend and favorite person in the world wouldn't be coming home tonight?

All of these friends were saved. Accomplished the goal, ran the race. All have entered that perfect Home! The land of no temptation, no sin, no pain, no funeral homes... Praise the LORD for that hope! (Actually makes me a tad jealous!)

So, as I ponder life -- the meaning of it, how quickly it passes, I'm reminded again of a message I heard. Do you realize the impact YOU have on future generations?

One of the friends who passed away was only 55 years old. Her death, by man's standards, was an accident. Of course, it was no surprise to God; accidents don't happen in HIS world. I've known this precious lady over 25 years. I've never known her not to jump at life... smile and LOVE to live. Her life had an impact on me, but not nearly as much as it did on her own two children who had children, who, if time lasts, will most likely have children.

Another friend had been a neighbor to my parents for over 30 years. His daughter is a very very dear friend of mine. His life has impacted the community in ways he probably never knew, then what about his two children? Their children?

The other friend was 81 years old. A church friend. He and his wife were best friends. They laughed together, sang together, loved and ministered together. Their marriage relationship inspired me. What about their children, and their grandchildren.?

That message I heard was about a couple who married and were blessed with 8 children. They raised them in a godly home, and those eight children had children who had children, etc. After many years had passed, a college student in NY was assigned a project for a class, and he chose this family to research. From this married couple, there were some 10,000 descendants, I believe he said. Of those multiple thousands it could be counted on one hand the number who weren't successful and ministering for the Kingdom.

This intrigued the college student, so the opposite scenario was researched. A couple married to partner in crime. Thousands of descendants followed. In these thousands, most died early deaths, many served long, even life-long, prison terms, and it could be counted on one hand the successful or Christian.

You are just one person -- obviously we all are. BUT our life WILL impact future generations.

The question is what kind of impact are YOU making?