Legacy

This picture, simple as it is, represents so much to me.

I could be wrong here, but in my experience, a lot of women do not have a great relationship with their dads. Again, I can think of a dozen father/daughter relationships off the top of my head that are pretty great.
But growing up, I just knew that my relationship with my father was unique. He is loving, attentive, wise, and funny.
The coffee cup represents him. He gave me it to me when I moved out and I treasure it. I've mentioned before and I'll mention it again and again:
from the time I was young until even now, I have known where my father will be when he wakes in the morning. He will be in a chair somewhere, with a coffee cup hand and his Bible open in his lap. He sips his coffee, and slowly absorbs the Word of God, savoring them both.
Every morning.
It was the most comforting sight as a child. As an adult, I see the effects of his morning routine. Talks with him can sometimes be unreal. He knows scripture. He breathes it. You ask him a question and almost always the response is something from the Bible.
I believe in the Bible. I believe it is real and to be taken literally. All together. It doesn't contradict. It corroborates itself.
To believe is one thing. To believe in a way that saturates your lifestyle is quite another. It is fully decreasing so that He may increase. Setting aside what you think is good for what you know HE says is good. My dad personifies this "setting self aside" life. With his permission, (What do ya say, Dad?) I am going to start a series called "Coffee With Dad" and I'm going to share with you some of the amazing conversations we've had. Read: conversations where I finally stop talking and listen!
So, something to look forward to.
The tape in the picture represents a rare and wonderful thing I got to experience. No, not life before ipods and mp3 players (yes, I miss having to turn over the tape and rewind and fast forward to find just the right spot) This tape holds a treasure.
A dear, sweet woman at church that is quickly becoming special to me read on Facebook how I adore Corrie Ten Boom. Corrie is another one of those human beings that has so absorbed the Word of God that what flows from her mouth is unreal and wonderful. This woman at church mentioned that she had a tape of Corrie speaking at a church in California in the '70s and would I like to borrow it?
I did and have cherished it immensely. I want to share more with you about some things Corrie says that are encouraging. For now I will give you this tip: putting on makeup while listening to a Corrie Ten Boom lecture? Decidedly not constructive. Proceed with caution or go fresh faced. Give me her time-and-trial-tested faith over make-up any day.
These are the two heroes of the faith that stand out to me this morning. I could go on:
-my mother, who as a child brought both of her parents to the Lord.
-my sister who had some seriously wild days. It still trips me up when she (in a way that only sisters can) tells me to stop my worrying and focus on the Lord
-my in-laws. My mother-in-law is a prayer warrior and my father-in-law lives his belief quietly but faithfully. No big show, but solid integrity that you can trust in.
That's the legacy of faith in my family. There are numerous others that have lived before us, paving the way for us to follow faithfully: C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer, Elizabeth Prentiss...I could go on and on.
These are the faithful that show us exactly what we're striving for: to honor Christ in word and deed. To follow Him completely, without hesitation or apology. To love those around us, preaching Christ.
So tell me, who is among your favorites in the "Faithful Hall of Fame"?