Who’s Who

Last week I received a phone call inviting me to be published again by the company. They sent an email previously, to which I responded out of curiosity. After all, at 82 years of age, my life is considerably different from 1994.

I answered the man’s questions, and volunteered several of my favorite activities – writing and painting. Immediately his enthusiasm heightened and he wanted to put me in the 2011 book as an accomplished retired teacher who still makes a difference. In the course of the conversation, the cost was introduced….$549 for 5 years, $249 for two years and $149 for one year. When I hesitated, he told me all the benefits…being published in the year book – net-working – give others the benefit of my experiences in teaching – and other reasons why I should be published.

When it came time to give my credit card number, I refused the honor. I felt uncomfortable. Why would I want my ego fed in such a way? Things have changed in education, how could I help anyone? Share my “achievements”, such as they are, with others? I don’t know why.

This experience made me truly ponder Who’s Who? Who really makes a difference? In what way can we truly make a difference that lasts past this life on this earth? What constitutes immortality?

The books that we write, the riches we leave, the paintings we create can be destroyed, wasted and torn to shreds. Having my name published in a door-stop will not last. It will sit on a shelf. Immortality is ours through the relationships that we cultivate. First of all, a relationship with our Lord, then a relationship family and with others. The question is, how do we grow a relationship that endures?

Humility, encouragement, loyalty and just plain love grows a relationship. Ephesians 4:2 reveals the secret – “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Why humility? James 4:6 says, But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

I Peter 3:8 reminds us, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”

Earthly rewards mean little, when you contrast the joys of a loving relationship in a family. One of our children had a comment, when I told about the phone conversation – “I know who you are, you’re my Mom!”

Nothing can replace that joy and fulfilment of family and recognition of being a part of the family. This is one reason that the joy of a church family, too, is so very important. And our church family is exceptionally dear to my dear husband and me. A family is the opportunity to learn to live together in Heaven. Nothing else is as fulfilling.

One of the joys of writing about ancestors who have gone on, is realizing their examples of love and that we will again be together in Heaven. The more we can encourage each other in faithfulness, the more His joy saturates our hearts and lives.

That is more satisfying being published in a ‘Door-Stop’. The immensity of that one book, made me wonder about the size of the Lamb’s Book of Life. What size font is it written in? Is my name written there? Are the names of our earthly family written there?

Remembering our four children sitting around the supper (dinner) table, laughing and enjoying the family relationship, we want it to be so in Heaven…with all the new family members we have not seen on this earth.

I John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

When I searched for the Lamb’s Book of Life in the scriptures, I found Revelation 20:12 – 
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

And I ask – Who’s Who in the Lamb’s Book of Life?