The Family Table

The holidays are here, which means time with family. My family is unique. My grandparents owned land which they gave to their kids, which means my neighbors are my relatives. My cousins and I grew up next door to each other, staying at Granny’s house after school until our parents got home from work. We spent holidays jam-packed in Granny and Grandpa’s house, eating food and exchanging gifts.

Over the decades, the family dynamics have changed. My cousins and I have gone from being the little kids running around getting presents from all the aunts and uncles to being the adults who now have to bring a dish and have our own little kids running around. Granny and Grandpa now watch us from Heaven.

As I get older and the family changes, what I’m beginning to understand is the power of leaving a legacy. My grandparents instilled many great values in their children – faith, family, education, hard work, and serving others – that must continue to be passed from generation to generation.

It’s not about the gifts; it’s about the legacy that is being built. It’s the thoughts of benevolence and positive feelings when your family name is mentioned in the community. It’s the bond of togetherness that can never be broken, despite the ups and downs that families face.

The greatest accomplishment of any individual is not a career, notoriety, fame, or an amount of money; it’s their family. The Proverb says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” (Proverbs 13:22) A true inheritance is not money, possessions, or things. A true inheritance is found in the prayers of our ancestors when we live our lives well.

As we sit around the family table this holiday season, think about the legacy that has been left by those who have gone before us, and think about what legacy we are leaving for those who will come after us.