What Kind Of Legacy Are You Leaving?

I hear people talk about legacy. Like what kind of legacy is this or that politician leaving behind. Unfortunately a lot of that talk is obviously self-serving and tilted toward a particular agenda. That is unfortunate because the question of "What kind of legacy is a person leaving behind?" is a legitimate one.

It seems like family reunions are a good time to reflect on what legacy is really all about. Seeing multiple generations together can actually give you a glimpse of legacy being lived out. That happened to me at the July 2005 Baker Family reunion and again at the 2007 one. It was a wonderful time especially seeing four generations at the same time!

Seeing the four generations, I started thinking about the generation that was not there; my Grandparents were missing physically but were definitely there in our memories.

My memories of Grandmother Etta Mae Baker are very hazy as she passed away when I was young. During my brief visits, I remember her as a frail small woman with a lot of love. I know that during her life, she was anything but frail; after all, she raised the fourteen children that lived past infancy. My memories are supplemented by stories told me. Those stories have a common theme of her love and devotion for her family. At this year's reunion I saw a diverse group of people: there were people of different ages, levels of health, levels of abilities, of economic status, and even a group who did not grow up as Bakers at all (they married in). Yet between all of them, there is a tremendous love. I think much of that goes back to Grandma Baker's love for her diverse group of children and grandchildren. She left us a legacy of love.

I have more memories of Poppa David Baker. Times like sitting on the porch with him, butchering a chicken with him, how he loved to eat chicken and turkey. Some dinners I remember him eating and enjoying the turkey necks, it took many years till I could understand that! I especially remember him sitting in his chair one time reading out of his "huge" Bible. I asked him about that and he told me how he read the entire Bible in a year and had done so several times. Somehow, besides aweing me with the fact someone could read through such a big book, he communicated to me his love for God and God's Word. Looking around the reunion this year I was impressed by how many of his descendents also loved God and His Word. He left us quite a legacy too.

I also started thinking about my other Grandparents and I remembered that they left me an important legacy too.

I have to admit I have no direct memories of Grandmother Anna Tarbutton because she passed away about five years before I was born. My mother has shown me a picture of her and of course, she was beautiful. But even more beautiful are the few things I learned about her from my mother and one of mother's cousins. They all paint the picture of a woman devoted to her family and especially devoted to God. If that devotion is all she passed on to my brothers and me she has given us a special legacy.

I was able to know Grandpa Claude Tarbutton much better although for much of the time he was a distant figure. That is because he lived in Oregon and only saw us on rare occasions. I had a special visit with him when I went to Oregon and spent a couple of weeks out there. He took me out in his boat a few times and at a reservoir in western Oregon taught me how to water ski. More than that, I learned about his faithful but quiet service to God. In my memory was another visit he made when I was in high school. We were driving to get horse feed for Northern Frontier and he turned to me and told me to always obey God. I remember how serious he was and I have reflected on his life both about the mistakes he told me about and on how he strove to obey God no matter how it hurt. He showed me a legacy of love for God in striving to live an obedient life no matter what.

My Grandparents were very different people who raised very different families. Yet, they passed on love for family and for God. What an incredible legacy they left us!

Think about what you are passing on, what kind of legacy will you leave? May we all then go to God in humility and ask Him to work in us so we leave one that will count for eternity.

Written by Rev. Daniel B. Baker July 2005



Articles by Rev. Daniel B. Baker :: Webmaster: Joseph I. Baker