This year my parents decided to plan a ski trip to Keystone, Colorado rather than wrestle through the process of finding the right Christmas gift. What they didn't realize was that Keystone was the right opportunity to get away and experience the perfect gift.
It’s hard for me to express my feelings without getting emotional (sounds cliche right?). If you know me at all, I’m a wreck when it comes to emotional moments! I’m the guy who tears up at movie trailers. I relate to the relationships I have and the significance of how it has impacted my life! I know it’s silly, but I can literally picture so many AMAZING things that I’ve experienced, OR WANT TO EXPERIENCE, that it brings a flood of tears.
I’ll never forget the moment in
The Patriot when Mel Gibson is preparing to leave for war. He gives his bride a bold kiss and then turns to his daughter. She won't even entertain the time of day for him, and he visibly wrestles with the decision to pick her up and hug her or leave her alone. He saddles his horse and prepares to ride off.
Fractions of a second later his daughter calls out, “Papa don’t leave!” and my heart is on the floor (this happened long before we adopted Addi Grace).
The emotion! The heartfelt desire to be close to the ones we love! What I realized on this trip to Keystone is the fact that I have been blessed to have a close relationship to the man who has most influenced my life, and I have the privilege of continuing his legacy. Don’t get me wrong, John Jones has plenty of years left, but the perspective of legacy has taken a different toll.
Our time is short, and our opportunities are few. What we decide to do with them will ultimately determine the legacy we leave behind for others. I believe I have many of the best years in front of me, but I am not the one who has predetermined those years!
I have an audio recording of 1 hour 32 minutes and 20 seconds discussing life, pursuits, happiness, significance, AND a confidence in an eternal relationship with Christ on the heels of a trip to Colorado.
I don’t know what 2018 has in store for you - I don’t, but I pray you end up with an hour and a half of significance with someone you WANT to leave a legacy for!
- James 4:14
