Life As A Series of 'Bullet Points'

If you thought about your life as a series of bullet points, what items would make the cut? I have been thinking about that over the last couple of days as a result of reconnecting with a friend I met my freshman year in college, but had lost touch with in the years afterwards. Once again through Facebook, I have had the opportunity to connect with Brenda, a fun, sweet gal from all those years ago. What a treat!

In order to update Brenda on what’s happened with me in the last three decades (wow, that’s a LONG time!), I had to give the stepping stones of my life a little thought. These are the items that come to mind as I continue to think about putting the last 30 years of my life in print (in bullet form, no less):

• Graduated from college in 1983
• Attended graduate school and got married in 1984
• Moved 12 times with my husband (in the years from 1984-1997) for his work
. Moved here, to Orrville, in 1997
• Had one child, a son, Matthew who's now a college freshman
• Lost both parents
• Held positions in the areas of banking, real estate, customer service, event planning, fundraising, marketing and public relations among others
Etc., etc., etc.

And while all of these are true and are a partial representation of my life in the last 30 years or so, these are NOT the things I would want people to remember about me when I’m gone. I don’t, for example, want my tombstone to say Here lies Vanessa, a former marketing director!!

No, what I want people to remember is that I LOVED others, cared about their needs and welcomed them into our home; that I shared with them, by example, the love of Jesus. In short, the legacy I would like to leave is the kind written about in the song titled Legacy, written and performed ny Nichole Nordeman. I have written about these lyrics before and they continue to inspire me to be the person I would like to be, the characteristics I hope will be remembered about me, long after I've left this world.

Legacy
I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

~~Nichole Nordeman

What would be the bullet points of your life? Do they represent what you want remembered about you? If not, there’s still time to make changes, make amends, start anew. Why not start today?