My amazement and wonder at the salvation of Christ is by far the most important thing in my life. However there are other things that top my list. One of these is my heritage of Christ.
Now, I have a legacy of love. I was blessed to be born into a family of love and Christianity. My parents have been married for 35+ years and they are still very much in love. Both my maternal and paternal (passed away) grandparents were never divorced. Inside my mothers large family of 5 girls there is no divorce. I come from a long line of commitment, honor, and love.
I have been blessed with a grandmother who rocked each grandkid singing hymns over them. A mother who fervently prayed over and for her children to this very day. A father that worked very hard to provide for us and served diligently at church. I always knew that my parents would be together and they would be serving the Lord.
It was not until I moved up here to North La. and was surrounded on a military base by such diverse peoples that I realized the blessing of my heritage. The security that I grew up with is pretty much unheard of. Our home was one of love and of tradition. We always knew love and we always knew what would happen in a given moment. I always knew what was expected of me. I always knew that I was special.
My dad is a Godly man who serves the Lord and the church. He always led prayer in our home and always led devotion times. He was a tough critic on my many beaus. My dad worked at times 3 jobs to provide money to buy dresses for special occasions for us. Yet he always, always had time to shoot some hoops in the front yard or to practice softball with us. We always had special time even if it was snuggling up on the couch on Sunday afternoon to watch the Saints lose again. Even as an adult, we would talk on the phone every day or so. We talk about nothing but to me it is the most important conversations of my life. I am so thankful for the example he set for us but also the security in knowing that to this day, at 32 years old and many many extra pounds, I can still sit on his lap. I am thankful for being daddy’s little girl.
My mom is the example of a woman after God’s own heart. She has ALWAYS sought to honor him in her rearing of us. She ALWAYS wanted us to know how special we are to her and to God. She has spent MANY hours on her knees in prayer over me (and boy did I give her reason). She moved her business taking less money to our home in order to be with us. She always did special, out of no where things with us. Being checked out of school on our birthdays for lunches or a picnic on the floor of the living room on a random day of the week. She taught me how to be a mother. She taught me how to love my children. She taught me how to care for my home and my husband. She taught me how to honor my husband. But above all that, she taught me the Power of Prayer and she taught me humility. She has never claimed to be a perfect mother but I can tell you the look of perfection.. It is when your mother comes to you, asking forgiveness for mistakes she made as a parent. That is not only humility but it is wisdom and sincerity.
I have been blessed with two wonderful Christian parents. They were not perfect but they were perfect for me. They brought me, sometimes drug me, to church every time the doors were open and then some. But they gave to me a home that honors Christ, a place of love, comfort and security.
Now that I have my own children, I pray that I can continue that heritage. I pray that my children see me living out the calling of Christ. I pray that they may some day look upon their lives and see Christ through every detail. I pray that he may continue to bless my marriage that they may continue to see love and security in our lives as well.
So I am thankful for my heritage of Christ. A home centered on Christ and a place where love abounds. A warm cooked Cajun meal, conversations, and fun are great but the security and peace are priceless.
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