A Day for New Life

Molly’s dad took this “selfie” a few hours before his accident.

This guest post from my husband David really blessed me!

August 4th.

A day my wife and I shall mark for the rest of our lives.  A day like any other day, except that for us, in years past, it has brought the pain, tears, and joy that mark the beginnings of new life.

R.C. Sproul Jr. was on to something about life and how to live when he stated, “Our fathers knew well that you don’t only live once. You live at least three times. You live your life here on earth. You live in eternity. And you live in and through the generations that follow you.”

We will each live our life here, our never-ending new life in eternity, and finally we “live”, in a fashion, through the generations that follow us.  Who they are will reflect who we were, in a definite–albeit altered–way.

August 4th has served to mark the transition to new life for my family in years past, and so we commemorate it.

 August 4th, 2011

My father-in-law was suddenly ushered into glory in Northern California as he motorcycled back to his home in Arizona after a pleasure trip to Alaska.  He came to Christ late in life (after my wife was grown). He was a joyful Christian, fervent in his faith, and he spoke about Christ to everyone, openly and without fear. On that beautiful August 4th day he entered his reward fully and began experiencing a new life that is beyond our imaginings. He lives now in eternity.

 August 4th, 2012

Chang Ai Lu was born somewhere near Changzhou, China. She was born with the obvious physical imperfections of a cleft lip and palate and was abandoned by her parents one day later.  In her parent’s final act on her behalf, she was left warmly dressed in a box outside a local government building where she would likely be found quickly–and in God’s providence, she was. August 4th represents the only day she spent with her biological family.  After more than a year in an orphanage, she was given the new name of Margaret, and a new life in our family. She is now an American citizen and a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and cousin. She will, Lord willing, spend the next many August 4ths just as she did today: celebrating with the family that chose to love her and traveled across an ocean to claim her.

 August 4th, 2014

As R.C. Jr. stated, we live through the generations that follow us. Our eldest son will spend much of this day packing up his room to head off to his new life in Jackson, MS.  His room is full the memories and memorials of his childhood life: trophies won, camp wristbands, birthday gifts received, and the like.  It’s a museum to a life that is now behind him and a mile-marker which points to the life ahead.  If God ordains a “normal” course for him, he will live on past his parent’s days, get married, and raise a family of his own.  He, along with the rest of our children–and all their offspring–will be the bulk of our physical legacy to this world, should The Lord tarry.  They are also likely the bulk of our spiritual legacy here.  We gave our son the Gospel at an early age and endeavored to raise and disciple him in The Lord.  God gives strength to the young and we pray he will be used greatly by the Lord.  In this way, our lives will yet speak through our children, long after we are gone.

There is nothing magical about this day for us, but there is something special.

It is a day for my family to stop and reflect on our lives, what we are living for, and the choices we make each day.

What we are doing right now will matter forever. 

Perhaps those who read this need such a reminder. I know we do, and God has ordained that we get it, etched into our calendars every year on August 4th.

 

 

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