A Legacy

"Man must have something larger than death...or death takes man." ~ Max Lucado

Yesterday I was allowed the honor to attend the funeral of an amazing saint of God. Her name was Marilyn Addison. Some of you know her grandson, Eric. Marilyn had an amazing 76 years. She was one of 12 children, married a pastor she met while in college, started a life with him and had five children. A little over 39 years ago, her life changed forever. Her husband, while on his way back home one night from a camp meeting, was killed by an idiotic drunk driver. He was taken from this world, leaving Marilyn with five children; The oldest being my pastor, Rick, at 14; the youngest, their only girl, at 2. Daunting odds for anyone, truth be told.

Marilyn was one heck of a lady. You really don't see her breed a lot these days. She never remarried. She raised all five of her children, on her own, in the Lord. Today, three of her sons are pastors. One is a successful Christian businessman and very influencial within the Bible College down here in Hobe Sound. Her daughter is married to a pastor. All of her children live out those Biblical foundations they were raised upon. All the while doing this, she served for many years as the Resident Director for woman at the Bible college, along with a few other odds and ends. Pastor Rick made the comment that his mom was more faithful to her husband during these years that he's been gone than most woman are to their living husbands today. Unfortunately, he is not wrong in this. Between viewing on Tuesday and funeral Wednesday, over 1000 people came to pay their respects to Marilyn Addison. An incredible woman who, as was the theme of her funeral, lived a life of impact.

We could all learn a lot from Marilyn. She had many challenges in her life, from the death of her husband to losing her trailer in 2005 to Hurricane Wilma, within weeks after fixing it up and redoing it after the two hurricanes of 2004, to her declining health, living with Parkinson's Disease for three years, and pancreatic and liver cancer for the past 10 months. But she never wavered. She clung to the only thing she had, we have, that is bigger than death. Christ. And death didn't take her. At 1:05pm on Saturday, September 12, 2008, she was reunited with the love of her spiritual life, her Savior Jesus Christ, and the love of her earthly life, her husband, after almost 40 years apart. An incredible woman. An incredible life.

I owe Marilyn a lot. I remember her before she got sick, when I met her 12 years ago. A spunky old woman full of smile. I remember driving with her a couple of times, which was a joke at the funeral, because you wondered if you were going to survive. I think her grandson Jonathon must have taken driving lessons for her, lol. I remember working in the preschool when my class was in the old building, and we had tvs in the classrooms that, if Marilyn wasn't working, we could put Contemporary Christian music videos on to watch. If Marilyn was working, though, it was all hymns, all the time. I remember family dinners at the Addison's that I was allowed the grace to be a part of. I rememer talking with Marilyn while she was working in the offices. I remember when Marilyn and Frankie would get orony at the women's retreat and nothing but fun ensued!And I have to thank her, above all, for the gift of her son, Pastor Rick, who, with his wife Karon, were like parents to me when I needed it most. I don't know where I would be if it wasn't for them. I credit Marilyn with them, for her strength to raise her children to know and desire the love of Christ, that drives them even to this day.

An amazing woman. Taking the challenges handed to her without complaint, without bitterness, but with the full knowledge that God only does what is best for us. An incredible legacy. May we all strive to leave an impact with our lives that will one day change this world for the better.

"Let it be said of us...while we walked among the living...let it be said of us...by the ones we leave behind...let it be said of us...that we lived to be a blessing for life...let it be said of us...that we came to reach the dying...let it be said of us...by the fruit we leave behind...let it be said of us that our legacy is blessing for life..." ~The Blessing - John Waller

"For those who know the Author of Life, death is nothing more than Satan's dead-man's bluff." ~ Max Lucado