This is your life.

Have any of you ever watched the show, "This Is Your Life!" or heard the phrase "What will your dash say?", referring to the dash between the dates on your headstone at your grave? I've begun pondering that just now. I mean, I'm so laid back that I really don't care what people think of me, but I do want to leave some sort of legacy that my children can be proud to tell others about. Am I a good mom? Do I take care of the kids the way they need? Yeah, for the most part I think I'm doing okay at that. Am I a good wife? I hope so! Hubby tells me daily what a "good wifey" I am and how much he loves me.

So, that leaves other people. What have I done that is a benefit to others? I give to church, CBN, pay for mission trips (if one of us can't go, then we contribute toward someone else's expense), but that all involves money. What about non-monetary gifts? I guess gardening and sharing the produce would count. I love getting my hands dirty, so it almost doesn't count because I enjoy it so much! I find joy in giving away our kids' outgrown clothes to other kids who need them. I have a large box or two ready for Mountain Mission School as we speak.

But am I really making a difference? When have I ever offered to pick up the tab at a restaurant for someone I don't even know? When is the last time I made a dinner for someone and took it to their home? What about offering to watch another couple's kids so that they can go out on a date? When I really think about it, I tend to do the asking of others, mainly my parents, to watch our kids for certain events, but haven't bothered offering that service to anyone lately. When is the last time I returned a phone call to a friend in Indy? She called a few weeks ago, and I feel like I don't have time to talk; I'm busy, I'm gone, I'm this, I'm that. All she wants is a listening ear and a sounding board. Is that so difficult???

So, what will my dash say? What will be my legacy? Will I be the friend that everyone can call upon for anything? Or will I be the selfish, greedy person that no one wanted to associate with? I need to make some changes in my life, that's for certain! I need to start listing some ideas and start doing them...