Leaving a Legacy

Even though I am a day late, I feel somewhat obligated to do a Mother's Day post {that's what good mommy-bloggers do, right?} So here I am. When I think about Mother's Day and what others write about it and my own mom, the thought that comes back to me again and again is leaving a legacy. Mother's Day usually offers a chance for us to reflect on what our moms did for us as children, the greatest lesson they taught us, what they mean to us, etc. summed up basically in the term "legacy". One definition of the word is "anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor". It was really hard to put into words and appreciate the legacy my mom has left me, especially since she was not a Christian while we were growing up, but here are the two things that I was able to formulate:

Legacy of the Strong Woman: My mom passed down to me the idea that women are strong physically and mentally. We can do much more than we believe we can. We should not be ashamed to express our own opinions or emotions. If life hands us something difficult, we can and should keep pressing forward, never giving up.

Legacy of the Big Dreams: My parents always encouraged my brother and I to dream big. Imagine what it is you want to be and go for it! You can have it all! {I've come to realize this isn't true, but their hearts were in the right place.} Whatever we wanted to be, they would support, as long as it made us happy.

To this day, I still consider myself to be strong and am always coming up with Big Ideas. Hubby jokes that I am a one-woman think tank. And so, I am left to consider what sort of legacy I am leaving my girls {children}. Some days I wonder if they'll just remember me yelling or always asking them to pick up their toys. Each day that passes is our opportunity to work towards that legacy. I want mine to be one of prayer, passion, and purpose. {That sounds so cliche, but it's what came out while typing.} Basically, I want to leave behind that I put God first in everything, that I was passionate about life {enjoying it to the fullest} and the things of God, and that I was meaningful and had reason for the things I did. I also hope they remember how loving I am, how much fun we had, and how much they truly enjoy being part of this family. I am always telling my oldest daughter how lucky I am to be her mom and I hope one day, she feels the same about being my daughter.

To all the moms I know, Happy Mother's Day! I pray the legacy you leave will span the generations, so make it a good one!