legacy

March 25, 2014

My grandma died last year at the age of 97 and she never snow skiied. She traveled all over the country and did all kinds of things, but she never went on a ski trip. Well…….. maybe she did……. just last week. She was there. I saw her almost everywhere I looked. When I broke open mom’s haystack candy, I saw grandma nibbling on one of her own. When the kids had a snowball fight, I saw grandma throwing one off the deck at me accompanied by her laugh and smile which both hit me harder than her snowball. When we played board games at the table, I watched her nimble hands slide the exact card into place to win the game. One morning

There's that smile I saw last week. 1982 — There’s that smile I saw last week. 1982

we had cinnamon rolls and they got burned because ovens cook differently in high altitudes, but I couldn’t help but see grandma’s cinnamon rolls sitting on that countertop. When I looked around the room at all my family, grandma’s influence was evident. She didn’t put up with arguing, and you know what? I don’t think we had any. We learned that from her. She loved spending time with family and so do all of us. She laughed often and it just hung in the room there like it was a permanent fixture.

When grandma’s estate was divided, my mom used some of her portion to take us on this trip. There were 17 of us: Mom, Me, Miranda, Kasen, Kesleigh, Roger, Kathy, Tyler, Betsy, Tucker, Tanner, Brenda, Schonn, Brianna, Ethan, Jaycee, and Tristian.

Grandma took all of us skiing…………. but we also took her. And we will take her everywhere we go.

Grandma left some things behind for us, but the most important things aren’t things at all. She left her mark on us. We have her in us. We became at least partly who she influenced us to become. Influence – that’s grandma’s greatest gift and the greatest inheritance anyone can leave for their loved ones. Love you Grandma! Miss you!

Thank you Mom for passing this precious gift along to us. Love you.

Here are a few pics. If you want more, check out facebook, shutterfly, or google+

July 20, 2011

Zero Negative Footprint

“You’re so negative!” Miranda’s words hung over me for a few days. It was just a couple of weeks ago. I had posted a few updates on twittter/facebook and after reading another one, Miranda responded. . . Loudly. . . Accusingly. And if I’m man enough to admit. . . Correctly. My wife has the ability to cut right through my facades and break me open. (and I’m exceedingly grateful for her.)

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about how my attitude affects my experiences. If it impacts my own experiences, what does it do to the rest of my family? My friends? The world around me?

I’ve heard of people making it their goal to have a “zero carbon footprint” in regards to their use of things that harm the environment.

What would the world look like if we all worked toward a “Zero Negative Footprint?” What if we were able to stop our negative interactions with people? How do negative attitudes harm our relational environment? What if everyone you came in contact with was encouraged or impacted in a positive way by your interaction?

Somehow, I think this is the way Jesus must have lived. Scripture is full of people who were impacted positively by Him. Even the Pharisees were given tough love (ultimately positive) by His discipline. To be a Christian is to seek to live as Jesus lived. Although He is the only person to ever walk the earth with a “Zero Negative Footprint,” He is our example, our guide.

“I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Being positive is tough. It’s counter-cultural. But it also changes people. It changes attitudes. It’s contagious! Murphy’s Law no longer applies to anything. God’s law is much bigger! It’s the difference between being a critic or an encourager.

Miranda’s words are still looming over me, “You’re so negative!” but I’m working on it. God is working on me. I’m grateful.

May 27, 2008

King of the Hill & Dad

Miranda, Kasen, and I went camping this past weekend with my family. All the Corns and Underwoods met together at Possum Kingdom Lake. It was great! Here’s a link for some of the pics. Memorial Day Pics. The downside is that a bunch of the pics aren’t here ’cause the camera flew into the lake. The little tether cord broke and . . .well, it went into the lake.

Anyway, one of the moments that stuck out to me happened while we were on the lake after the camera went overboard. My brother bought a tube to pull behind the boat that was over 8 feet in diameter. It was huge. Anyway, at one point the kids just wanted to let it float in the middle of the lake and play King of the Hill. It was like having our own little American-Gladiators-style sumo-wrestling match. When all his kids were on the tube, Roger, (my brother) dove off the boat right into the middle of them. Instead of being the parent who forbid his kids to wrestle, he jumped into the middle of it and played right alongside them. In that moment, I saw my brother transform into the image of my dad 25 years earlier, and I dreamed of the day that I’d do that same sort of thing with Kasen. It was a beautiful moment.

By the way, I also saw my brother-in-law, Schonn, bantering back and forth with the kids – threatening to make them fall off the tube just like my dad would have done too. It was great fun!

My dad has been dead for years, but he went with us to Possum Kingdom Lake this past weekend. My dad is alive and well inside each of us. I could almost hear his voice as we sat around in our chairs under the clear night sky. I saw him on the lake and in the boat.

I love you dad. Thanks for playing such a big role in our lives – even now. You have certainly left a legacy to be proud of.