THE LEGACY
I would like to tell you of an amazing and special lady.
The Depression Era hit hard in 1929. The stock market crashed on Tuesday October 29, 1929 (Black Tuesday) and started a chain of events that led to a ten-year economic slump that affected all of the industrialized countries in the world! Food was scarce, money was almost nonexistent, and basic necessities were hard to come by. Much suffering breached every home and was an all-too-common resident in each household.
It was during this time that this woman who had lived in the Mid-West was informed that her husband suicided by way of a gun to his head in the top of a grain elevator. Why, why would he do this? This otherwise upright, honest man had been accused of stealing a pig and in those days stealing food was considered more of a major crime than stealing diamonds.
All this man left his wife were five little girls. The youngest was 18 months old; the next 3 years old and on up. Not a boy among them to assume the role of a man to help with the responsibilities of providing toward the survival of the family.
Imagine, the Great Depression in full force, shame upon the family due to the act of a terrible crime, five little ones to support, no probable income in sight, no hope of marriage (what man would marry a woman with a large family of 6 to support), and mourning the loss of the man that she loved. Heartache upon heartache that produced nothing but a bleak and painful future. What could she do?
Well, this extraordinary woman knew Who to turn to that had told her that He would never leave her or let her down. She knew God intimately and fully relied on His promises. She believed deep in her heart that the answer is not just from God but THE ANSWER IS GOD!
You are most likely wondering what became of this pitiful young mother. Pitiful? Not at all! The Lord greatly blessed her to the point where she was not in need those ten bleak years until the Depression ended. The blessings came in the form of a plethora of work. She took in washing, ironing and cleaned houses. The girls would hang up the laundry to dry and fold them while they sang and memorized passages in the Bible. They were happy and blessed.
I imagine that when each of these girls had grown into womanhood that they vividly remembered seeing their mother’s elbow indentations on her bed every day after she had knelt there to pray. I believe that without a doubt. You know how I know? My mother was one of those little girls.
But the best part of the story is that every one of these five girls grew into strong faithful women! And they handed down the story of Jesus and His saving Grace to their children. What a legacy!
For myself, I cannot remember ever not knowing God or loving Him. And it was all because my mother instilled within my sister and I the comprehension of the love of God that will not let us go.
When my brother, Jerry came along 11 years later, who was born down syndrome, also experienced the love of the Lord. With great gusto and passion Jerry could sing every verse by heart of “How Great Thou Art”, along with quite a number of other songs and hymns and Bible verses that my mother had taught him. Jenna, my sister taught her children of Jesus and the Father and are believers as well. My two children are in the faith and some of my grandchildren also. “Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. And the legacy goes on and on and, prayerfully will for generations to come. Amen and may it come to pass!
Recently, I opened the office closet door to look for something. There on the top shelf was a book. Reaching up, I finally retrieved it. It was a hard back black Bible. I had never seen it there before and wondered how in the world it had gotten there. Upon opening the front cover, I saw a name written there…Madge Titus, my grandma. She had left the best legacy that anyone could ever leave~a legacy of faith, love and hope!
Moses told Israel to remember all that the Lord God had done for them and the mighty works and miracles God had performed before them and Pharoah to rescue them from Pharoah’s evil hand. Deuteronomy 6: 20-23.
Deuteronomy 6:7 “And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Able offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended to be righteous, God testifying about his gifts and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.” What a legacy!
Thus ultimately, it goes directly back to God our Father…the Father of all! Down through the ages, from the Garden, the Great Story and Legacy of God began when God said to Jesus, “Let Us make man in Our image.” The ultimate and most wonderous legacy that leaves us on our knees and prostrate on the ground in awe and wonder is the Legacy of Jesus on the cross and His Resurrection that gave us life beyond the grave!
God has taught all of us the richness of a life with Christ and a journey with Him that would last for eternity!
Where do you fit into His Legacy and History – – -His Story?
Lynn Vanderdasson Essex
December 2022
This is our story as the people of God – just different characters and plot. What is our life worth if we don’t leave such stories for our children to live on and to share with others for their daily meals. Beautiful, beautiful! – Thank you.