The Legacy Ship

There once was a man who was one of the best specialists in the treatment of deadly tuberculosis, but who according to a local newspaper tribute was known primarily as “cheerful, and was concerned about his fellowman, thousands of whom lived longer or are living today because they were fortunate enough to have had the benefit of his care and advice.” This man partnered with one of the most famous surgeons of his day to help discover new medicines that eventually arrested tuberculosis promptly, and no longer made necessary the special hospital where he was its senior physician. It was said this man was such an expert at radiography that he received x-rays from “all over the country for interpretation and diagnosis.” Raised on the family farm in Newfoundland and a wounded Canadian war hero in World War I, he was remembered by a pastor friend as “a great man who had served humanity well.”

That man was my grandfather, the late Dr. Garnet P. Smith (pictured), who though in every way professional was hardly stuffy— as a little kid, I once saw him dancing like a little boy in his study to “The Merry Widow” operetta playing on his phonograph. At such a young age, a kid doesn’t remember much of significance of their grandparents until they’re gone. But when Puppa Smith passed, I was amazed at the tributes paid to him, most notably a beautiful oil painting of a ship that was painted by a grateful patient and presented to my grandfather in gratitude for helping to save his life. My dad passed it along to me, and though I’ve downsized and tossed many things over the years, that painting remains a fixture on my living room wall as a reminder of a good and honorable legacy passed down and of what a life well-lived looks like.

It’s a reminder to carry on what my grandfather handed down to my dad, and he to me, and I pray that I have handed off to my own kids, that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” (Psalm 27:23)

It’s a reminder that...

...Walking in the footsteps of the Lord matters more than just about anything, because it is in these steps that a man, woman or youth practically walks out the purpose for living each day—carrying God’s light and love and hope into darkness and discouragement.

Examples are set and handed down. “One generation commends Your works to another…” says the psalmist, and when that baton lands in your hands, it’s meant to be not just admired but worn well like those who’ve gone before you and then passed on daily like a cloak of honor.

But who is that “good” man or woman? By the world’s definition, there are millions of them out there (for which we are grateful), but the ones whose steps are ordered by the Lord are supposed to also have a “You’re different” section on their resume.

For one, a "good" man or woman in God's eyes is one who lives intentionally (albeit imperfectly) to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8)

For another, it is the overflow of a life whose first love and persevering trust is in the only One who is good (Mark 10:18)...ergo, ultimately seeking to be a reflector of the God in whose steps you’re following.

And for another, there is this drop-the-mic one-liner about the vital importance of what we think about, dwell on, and pursue: "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things of the good stored up in him." (Matthew 12:34-35). Wow, imagine a world like that.

That ship painting is also a reminder that following in the footsteps of the Lord and the example of those who’ve gone before sometimes happens through calm waters and sunny days but often through stormy seas—and in either case, to keep pressing on, full-sailed, because as Jesus demonstrated more than once to His first followers, He is right there with them whenever the waters get rough and the wind howls.

And one more thing…that painting is a reminder that the Lord never intends for anyone to follow in His footsteps alone. We may each have our own journey to take, but He puts other “ships” around us to support us, befriend us, and fight through the rough seas with us as we seek to live well and pass it on to those around us.

I see that painting today on Father’s Day and am reminded once more that the baton that began with my grandfather and was handed off to my dad and now to me is meant to be good and fruitful for as long as I have breath. To pray that that legacy continues to my own children (and clearly there is evidence that it is so, right down to both following professions that help other people live) and all the generation of Smiths to come. And each day, to hold on for dear life to: "Guide my steps—steady my feet—as You promised.” (Psalm 119: 133, Expanded), and to live out loud the old song…

“Write on my tongue, let my words edify

Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in Thy sight

Take charge of my thoughts both day and night

Order my steps in Your Word

Please, order my steps in Your Word”

Foundations

At a corner of the corner of Main and Grove.

I could walk through my town a thousand times a day and find something beautiful to photograph—people, architecture, the way the sun’s setting paints a golden glow on old buildings, waterfalls and reflections, flowers in bloom and trees clothed in fall foliage or standing bravely naked against the harsh winter. I look for objects that paint a pleasant, beautiful or hopeful mood or that prompt some sort of good vibes within when you look at them—never too much positivity in a world like ours.

A photograph, well, like this one: Just a bunch of cool-looking rocks holding up a corner of the old Granite Block building at the corner of Main and Grove in my hometown. Colorful, artsy foundation architecture for sure, but I remember when I took that photo a couple of years ago, it was intentional—to help practically illustrate a teaching on something mysterious that Jesus said about Himself many years ago:

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the very stone—the cornerstone—that holds together the entire foundation.” (Luke 20:17).

That's a great image to hold on to when you wake up every morning to a world gone mad, where all around seems shaken and unstable. The Lord who made heaven and earth and all that is in them is still the firm foundation of it all. Whew! But the news gets even better, and frankly a bit unbelievable, for anyone who has made Jesus the cornerstone for life—news that promises a life full of meaning and adventure and fantastic purpose, even amidst all the trials and stresses that everyone has to deal with on planet Earth. And Peter, that most imperfect and relatable of all disciples, sends the invitation that has no expiration date: “Come to Him, the risen Lord, as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God. You believers, like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4-5)

While that always sounds like “Amen!” music to the ears and you know in your brain that it is so because God said it is so, truth be told, there can be days when I wake up on the wrong side of bed and wonder how on earth I can fit in to that kind of holy structure — to reflect the love of God to people and situations and conversations throughout the day. "Maybe not today. Too may faults and blemishes and inconsistencies." On such days, Peter's invitation is still a beautiful picture, but something seems missing...

... My newspaper publisher, when I first broke into journalism back in the day, never let us settle for the obvious. He’d often say something like, “Dig! Get more details. Tell a story.” And once that gets in your blood, there’s no turning back. I had to admit that “cornerstone” was a word I could easily throw around and nod at, but didn’t know much about. And how do the other stones fit in?  So, I dug a bit. From an architectural definition:

“The cornerstone, also known as the foundation stone or setting stone, is the first stone to be laid in the building of a foundation. All other stones will be placed with reference to this stone… The cornerstone should be selected based on its quality and the reputation of the builder….Cornerstones can also be used as an anchor for heavy loads [Amen!], such as when placing a foundation under a house or garage. … It is laid initially to verify that the structure is square and sturdy. It is the rock that bears the weight of the entire construction…

… Each stone has been selected with care; some are more notable than others, but they all serve one purpose: they build up the structure so that it is solid and reliable.”

Every picture tells a story beyond the obvious, and there it is!

Unlike many other photos that can be liked and quickly forgotten, I will often return to this one and gaze intently as one might do at a painting in an art gallery. I return to praise God in awe and wonder and joy as I remind myself that no matter what kind of day I'm waking up to or think I’m having, He always has and always will delight in choosing to build His Kingdom every single day with and through a bunch of imperfect, oddly-shaped stones who simply depend on the Cornerstone for unshakeable strength.

No excuses. Time to get on with it...

The Sign by the Lake

Evening walk at Edward MacDowell Lake.

A line from a prayer we taught our kids after we tucked them into their beds at night has stayed with me all these years. It could be at bedtime praying for tomorrow and it could be in the early morning routine of welcoming the day from the porch: “… help me the path of love to take.” If nothing else gets accomplished, there are few things more important than that — the love of God within expressed in words, actions, and (maybe especially) attitudes.

Sometimes, it can be hard to wrap your arms around what that kind of Love will, should or could look like. It can show up in the routine of things, and in unpredictable and in surprising situations and conversations. It can be noisy and sweaty, and it can be so quiet that no one notices except you and God and you don’t even realize it has happened until afterwards. All you know is that...

...the path of Love is right and good, and it is the Word for your life…and it is really deep—deeper than you can ever imagine. Until you see a sign…

The other night, though I wasn’t really looking for it, I was on that path of Love. In the natural, the path was a familiar friend close to home that hugs the shoreline of a large reservoir of water. Many a time, I have launched my kayak here. Most of the time, silence is the soundtrack that's playing gently in the background. The sun sets beautifully here, and when there are puffy clouds in the sky, the mirror image on the glassy lake can be breathtaking. On this night, there was a kayaker’s awareness of what happens when there hasn’t been much rain lately — the lake was low, as it often gets this time of year, still with plenty of water but with shallow water reeds and large boulders emerging. You could almost walk across it in places. Meanwhile, everything else around the lake — the gently blowing grasses, marshes, and woodlands all looked as they should be.

As I reached the end of the path where kayaks, canoes and fishing boats can be launched, a broken tree with a freshly-nailed, hand-written marker told a different story. Last July, when the rains were endless and heavy, this path of Love was so deep that everything around me was covered with five feet of water. A marker on the tree showed what that would have looked like. It was stunning to picture it while standing there, even surrounded by beautiful woodlands, knowing that I’d be standing on tippy toes to get air. An astounding amount of water, and yet the sign noted that the reservoir basin was still only at 35% capacity! What it didn’t say was that the dam at the end of the reservoir, which was erected many years ago after much of the downtown area was devastated by flooding waters during the Hurricane of 1938, gradually released that abundant overflow to the community downstream. It roared in places and quietly meandered in places, but the supply seemed endless even as the reservoir slowly returned to its normal level.

And just when you think it is all very interesting and historical and weather-geeky, along comes this…

“…And may you, having been deeply rooted and securely grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all…God’s people the width and length and height and depth of His love— fully experiencing that amazing, endless love; and that you may come to know practically, through personal experience, the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience; that you may be filled up throughout your being to all the fullness of God so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives—completely filled and flooded with God Himself.”—Ephesians 3:17-19, Amplified

Filled and flooded…and overflowing to the community downstream. It's a sign. “Help me the path of Love to take.”