A Legacy!!!

Yesterday, we ran some errands as a family; Cameron was post-call and we decided to go out as a family to do some shopping for some things we needed.

As we walked through the maze of Ikea (Have you been in this store? They make you wind through every section in order to leave, to find the bathroom, to find your sanity!! LOL!) a man came up to us and said excitedly, "You have seven? I have six! Isn't it so much fun!" Awhile later another lady called out, "I love your big family! I am from a family of seven, too!"

However, the third encounter we had is truly a window for me into the future:

As we were checking out at Lowe's, an older gentleman commented on how many children we have. Usually, if we are going to get negative comments, it seems to be from men and in particular older men. However, after this man commented on our family size, he took out a picture and said, "Now, THIS is my family!" He proudly showed us a picture of him and his wife surrounded by children. I asked him how many children there were in his family and he said 13! After I asked him how old the youngest one was he said that they were all married with children. Cameron asked him how many grandchildren he had. He paused and gave us an amused grin as he hesitated. Cameron jokingly asked him if he had to count. The man replied, "No, I am afraid you aren't going to believe me." We pressed him and he said, "I have 96 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren." NINETY-SIX! Can you believe it? That is incredible to me! What a legacy this man is leaving because of his faithful obedience. He is a Christian man. He told us that God always provides--always provided for his family. How many great grandchildren do you think this gentleman will one day have? If each of his grandchildren just has 2 children that is 192 great-grandchildren! Just think if they each had 5, or 10, or 13 like him? He could possibly have 1000 great grandchildren! What an army for the Lord because of this one couple who allowed the Lord to use them, to determine their family size. What is also incredible to me is that it averages out to be at least 7 children per each of his children! How is that for not liking growing up in a big family?! His children grew up with 12 siblings each and yet each of them went on to have a big family! If that is not a testimony to the blessing of big families, I don't know what is!

I want to leave a legacy, too. I know that God ordained that encounter with that man to encourage Cameron and I to persevere, to be faithful, to be obedient. This truly was a sneak peak into the future for me about what could be just from the union of one man and one woman. God is truly a God of fruitfulness!

In Christ, Laura