What do you want on your tombstone?
I’ve been thinking about graveyards lately. A bit morbid, no? Well when you starting thinking about living a full life, you can’t help but think about the imminence of death. A friend mentioned this recently and I can’t get it out of my head. She was talking about the dash between the dates on our tombstone.
I keep getting this picture of my gravesite. There is a tombstone but it only has my birth year and a dash next to it. The second date isn’t yet written on it. The dash is just hanging out there…wide open, without an end.
I’ve been doing a lot of reflection on my life. I’ve been allowing myself to dream without contraint. I know who I am and I know my purpose so I ask myself, “What can I do to walk in it as a lifestyle?” All these things are driving this thought:
I want my dash between the dates to be a legacy.
My life is bigger than what I do today, tomorrow or even 20 years down the line. My life will be an inheritance to my children and the generation that comes after me. Everything I do in this life will be passed on to them. My ceiling will be their floor. So what am I leaving behind? What am I doing with the dash between the dates?
Although I’m not yet where I want to be, this thought process isn’t discouraging. On the contrary, it is hopeful. I’m not thinking about this on my deathbed. I don’t have one foot in the grave with a heart full of regret. I’m ALIVE.
I’m ready to happen to life. I’m ready to step out in faith to follow the dreams that God has put in my heart. I have the resolve to make it happen. I’m ready to establish a legacy. Are you?
What are you doing with the dash between the dates? Would you share one of your dreams in the comments?
Wow, I love your blog theme. Very awesome! Great job. Also, what a way to word it: “My ceiling will be their floor”. You have a way with words. Wonderful post.
I think about death probably too much as I’ve lost my dad, my brother, and my mom now. I think about the ending of my life a lot, but you have encouraged me to keep looking at today. Thanks for the post!
Thanks Michelle!
I’m dusting off my dash, man. I love how you put it…my ceiling will be their floor.
As for my dream…you’ve seen Mustard Seed Year.
Great post, man.
“Dusting off your dash,” I like that. And you KNOW how excited I am about Mustard Seed Year.
Beautiful post, Tony. I’ve been thinking around this topic for a while now, and reading your post made me feel like I’ve been thinking too much. It’s time to do something about it.
It’s a call to action, right? I felt called, definitely! Now it’s time to act. Thank you for that!
That’s so exciting, Cris!
So may beautiful comments! I attended a seminar once where we were challenged to think about our legacy. It really stuck with me. The facilitator suggested we write a mission statement, for all to see if they come to my home. I haven’t done it yet, because I don’t know where to begin. Your post reminded me that I should begin SOMEWHERE! God doesn’t expect me to have it all figured out, but He does ask me to step out in faith and let Him show me the way. I guess that’s where I should start. Thanks for the push, Tony.
I’m so happy to hear that, Keri! My heart is to see more people dreaming with God. It has been one of the most exciting things I’ve done. As He shows me more of His heart, I see what I’m created for and what I’ll be able to leave behind as a legacy.
A legacy? Always. Working on the plan. Great post Tony
I’m glad to hear it! Thanks David.
Great post Tony. I’ve thought about that dash for many years now and written about it often. Maybe the fact that I worked in a cemetery during high school and college had something to do with that. The sum of our days is contained in that little dash. I love your perspective. Thinking about death doesn’t have to be morbid. We should be motivated and filled with life by those thoughts.
Wow that’s crazy, Clay. I guess I was fearful of cemeteries for a long time. Probably too many zombie movies as a kid. I’m glad God shifted my perspective because you’re right, thinking about death isn’t morbid when you filled with life.
“I want my dash between the dates to be a legacy.” Me too bro’
Loving God and loving others takes up most of my time (even though I’m horrible at it on occasion).
The older I get, the more I understand that living is not really about me. It’s about Him (God). I’ll repeat a quote I put on my blog today that also applies to living between the dates:
“I am like a little pencil in his hand. That is all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used” – Mother Teresa
When all is said and done, we go back to the pencil drawer (grave). But God will always be God – Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent.
Isn’t it amazing that God created us for His purpose? To accomplish something? No Christian is allowed to die until he fulfills his destiny.
Ah, love that last line. There’s so much hope in that.
So awesome! I want my life to count for so much more than just those darn old dashes! As one of the commenter posted here, we often dash between the dates…I want to learn to leave a legacy in those dashes!
Yeah, that was a great point. Thanks April!
Maybe we should hope that our dash becomes an underscore. (If you can follow that.)
I’ll be honest, when I first read this I heard Forrest Gump’s voice in the back of my head saying “I’m not a smart man.”
90′s pizza commercials aside, I want to be known as one who trusted God completely and faithfully. I truly believe that if we will live with a view of eternity, God will take care of the legacy. Living that is not always easy, but I know it’s true.
I think you’re the only one that caught that.
oh how often we “dash” between the dates just hurrying from one thing to the next… thanks for reminding us that that “dash” is actually our legacy. Beautiful!
As usual Jenny, I love your thoughts. Great point.
Wow Donald, I couldn’t have said this any better. Being a father myself I can totally relate, and I totally agree with what you’re saying here.
Also trying to have “no regrets” is such a difficult, but rewarding task so as not to be “blah.”
Oh yeah, I too am grateful for the words from Tony and am glad to have found this blog on the intarwebs.
I’ve lived “blah” for way too long. It’s time to LIVE.
I’m doing everything I can to see my daughters have a deeper and better relationship with Jesus than I have. Any father should want their children to succeed them, be it financially, emotionally, and spiritually. I want my children to be what I leave behind, in the sense of how I have raised them so they are relevant and not just blah.
I look to God to see how to be a father. I look to Jesus to see how to be a son. I will train my daughters in this mindset. That, sir, is the dash between the dates I am shooting for.
Thanks for the food, Tony. Your blog continues to encourage me, and I am glad we “met”!
I feel the same way, Donald. So glad to connect.
The dash between the dates? Wow, love that. I suppose I want to be remembered as someone who loved Jesus and encouraged people to see themselves as He does.
Inscription on a hypochondriac’s tombstone: “I told you I was sick!”
I laughed out loud…seriously. You are the best Kat.
Very excellent post. One of the best I’ve read in a long time.
My dream? To see ministry leaders all across the globe serve with a consistent strength that not only beats burnout, but soars far beyond it.
Thanks Scott, that means a lot. And being someone that has experienced burnout badly, I’m so thankful for your heart and ministry at Serving Strong. You are a blessing.
First thing – I’m fascinated by graveyards! I love to hang out there, reading inscriptions, imagining lives and legacies…
Second – this was really challenging to me, because I don’t know when the range of dates closes, but I can change what happens in the dash.
I used to be somewhat terrified of graveyards. It wasn’t actually until this past year when my grandmother passed away that I felt the same thing you describe. The site was beautiful. I looked at the graves and imagined full lives, lives that mattered, lives that were given as sacrifices for our country, dashes that will not be forgotten.
My hope and dream is to leave a legacy of faith for my wife, daughter, and community.
A “legacy of faith”. A rich legacy, that.
“My ceiling will be their floor. ” (awesome!) – I think this is a hard concept for us to really grasp. We’re a society of instant gratification, we think about the “right now” and not the future; so there aren’t many people thinking about future generations to come. Only recently, during a conversation with my Aunt, did I really start to think about what you are talking about. She and I were discussing how truly miraculous it is that our entire family (both sides of mine, actually…amen!) love Jesus. The most miraculous thing is that most of us didn’t start out that way (me included). She then pointed out that she believes it was the prayers and dedication and love for Jesus that our grandparents and great grandparents passed down to us. What better legacy than the gift of eternal life? We don’t have much money; we never did. But our family has passed down something much better than money or possessions that will rot and corrupt; they passed down the love of Jesus. Today is my 30th birthday, and I prayed to Jesus that all I want is to live a life that makes the most impact for His kingdom as possible. I want my “dash” to be an adventure story, with twists and turns…danger and suspense…..love and laughter….tears and pain…I want all of it. So here’s to a live lived taking risks and passing down a legacy that lasts for eternity. CHEERS!
I love EVERYTHING about what you wrote here Katie! And welcome to the “year of the priesthood”. 30 was my best year yet. I’m believing the same for you!
Thank you so much! I am already feeling super excited about turning 30. I’m believing for an amazing year as well! Preach on Tony! Preach on….
You must have just posted it because I’m on your blog now reading your holiday recap. You are TOO funny. I love your style.
Right back at cha….
PS – I blogged about your post today….http://katiemaesdailies.blogspot.com/2011/01/30-is-new-black.html
Happy Birthday Katie!!!
Thank you!!
I have a message that I preached on this – love this idea because it is about today. This truly will resonate and reverberate through my mind today – that is what am I doing with the dash.
One of my dreams is to live/write/pastor/husband/parent so intentionally for Christ that Christ makes a difference and becomes real to others. Just a quick other dream that is not quite as spiritual but to me is spiritual to me is to spend a day Whitewater rafting with my children.
I wrote out a list of 20 dreams last year. Only about half of them were “spiritual”. I believe the Lord delights in us when we do things that we enjoy! I know that dream will come to pass and I can’t wait to hear the stories!
I am probably older than 99.9% of your commenters tony (I am 58) and so I had to really think about this one. I look back and hope I have a legacy in my two adult daughters. I used to think that my dream was to pastor a large church. Now I am glad that I never have. God led me to the ones I have pastored and I am content. I love where I am now and hope that I leave with them a passion for jesus. And that would be my biggest dream. That I leave with my grandson a passion for jesus. If I can do that, along with my two girls, then I will have considered my life a success. Cool poem about the dash. have you read it?
Bill, I know we’ve just met but I want to take a moment to honor you as a father in the faith. I read your blog and I see how many lives you are impacting (including mine). You are leaving a legacy online and off. Thank you for your example and your heart to spur others on in their faith. Thank you for taking what the Lord has taught you and pouring it into the generation that follows behind you.
One of my dreams is to love what I do for a living. I know it is simple, but at this time in my life, I ONLY go to work to support my family. It would be nice if I loved what I did day in and day out.
From what I see, I believe you are well on your way there. I’m behind you 100%.
I heard an evangelist say one time that we live in the “to” From glory TO glory.
He asked us how we can improve the TO. This has been my focus for the the year. To live better and fuller. My dream…one that I have openly said is to finish my book.
I can’t wait!