The Weaving of a Legacy
The white sheer curtains moved gently in the early summer breeze, wooing the scent of gardenias in to fill her bedroom. Sitting in the oak rocker by the window was the frail frame of my Great-Grandmother. With eyes closed, she inhaled the fragrance, then like a sputtering engine, she let out one of her nagging coughs.
Me as a young girl with my Great Grandmother, my Grandmother (on the right), and my Great Aunt.
“Marsha, come here child, I need you,” she said sternly. She must’ve seen me tip-toeing down the stairs. I was maybe eleven-years-old at the time and hoping to escape without her notice. I really didn’t want a “religion” lesson, I just wanted to go outside with my transistor radio and dance to some music on the front porch. I set the radio on the bench outside her room, put on a half-hearted smile and kissed her on the cheek, while she was waving her one good arm towards her radio. “Turn on the radio. It’s time for ‘Hour of Decision’. I want you to sit here and listen with me.”
The radio was to her right and within her reach, but I was raised to obey my elders so I obeyed—outwardly anyway. Inside I was sulking. The familiar intro music began as the announcer said, “Welcome to ‘Hour of Decision’. I’m your host, Cliff Barrows. Today Billy Graham’s topic is ____________, But first, here’s a song by our crusade team soloist, George Beverly Shea.” For the next hour, I would “listen” off and on because I knew that afterward, my great-grandmother would question me on what we heard.
Those once a week live broadcasts in the mid-60’s were my introduction to the powerful and passionate evangelist, Billy Graham–that, and reading “Decision Magazine” to Grandma Doty each month when it arrived. I didn’t ‘get it’ back then. It wasn’t until over 2-1/2 years after she died that I received Christ as my Savior at the age of 16.
Many years later, in late October of 1994, the Billy Graham Crusade came to Atlanta for 5 nights. I finally got to see and hear in person the man who weaved part of his legacy into my heart and life. And that old familiar intro music that opened each radio broadcast, I learned was the old hymn “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name”. I still well up with tears when I think of being in the Crusade Choir lead by Cliff Barrows and opening the crusade with the song I heard every week while sitting with Grandma Doty.
I’m thankful for the threads she wove into my heart and life, and I’m thankful for the threads Billy Graham and his team wove into my life as well. Together, they moved the shuttle of their life threads across the warp and woof on the loom of my life, adding to the beautiful work of art God is creating in me.
And now I have three adult children and their spouses and eight grandchildren of my own to weave threads into their life tapestries. It’s too soon for great-grandchildren, but when they come, if God allows me to see them on this earth, I will begin to weave legacy threads into their tapestries as well.
A legacy isn’t something to be bequeathed when we’re gone. It is a work in process, woven into the lives of those around us. A well-woven tapestry will become a priceless heirloom and passed down to the generations to come.
Grandma Doty is with the Lord since January 2, 1967. And on February 21, 2018, Billy Graham entered the presence of the God he loved and served faithfully for decades. The looms of their lives are silent here on earth, but their legacies live on and will continue to be cherished for generations to come.
When the loom of my life lies silent, what will the tapestry of my life reveal? Will it be something those around me will cherish? How many lives will it affect with eternal purpose? May the words displayed on the finished work say, “This was a woman after God’s own heart. She walked with God.”
One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Thy majesty, and on Thy wonderful works, I will meditate. And men shall speak of the power of Thine awesome acts; and I will tell of Thy greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Thine abundant goodness, and shall shout joyfully of Thy righteousness. Psalm 145:4-7
Beautifully written Marsha! What a legacy! I pray I’m leaving something so eternally tangible behind for my family.
Thank you, Laurie. There’s something about having grandkids that’s helped to make me to become more intentional about creating legacy. It’s also helped me to do ‘damage repair’ with my kids; to acknowledge my shortcomings when they were younger.
The older I get the more I am open to share about Jesus and my faith. Yes even at work. May God continue to guide me to share wherever I can about His glorious works.
How wonderful you are finding yourself growing in boldness, Iris! May we all continue to be bold witnesses in our arena of influence.
Spiritually speaking, I wish I had a childhood like yours with a grandma like yours. Cared about what you learned. Billy Graham was not listen to in my house. Back in the 60s I was a Catholic. We devoutly attended catholic school and church but I don’t believe my parents cared what I got out of it. Not the way of learning of God’s love. God to me was more of an angry God. I lived in fear of him and was always filled with guilt. Billy Graham was not catholic so we couldn’t listen to him. He was considered a holy roller, bible pounding hillbilly preacher who didn’t teach the way the Priests taught. He was someone we had to ignore. Well, 20 yrs later I was no longer Catholic. I was set free and could the full biblical truth of God and love. Eventually, I became a baptized born again Christian. My world had changed for me forever. I wanted to please God. And felt good doing it.