What You Leave Behind

Today is a rainy, gloomy Tuesday. As I got up and out for the day, I found myself, as I have been lately listening to one of my new favorite country artist, Eric Blankenship. If you have never heard of him, you can find him here https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/eric-blankenship/id1187035965 This is some great country music, the way country music ought to be plus the fact that he is one of my closest friends makes it even better to listen to. He never mentions in any of his songs about losing a dog, living in a trailer or tattoo's like all other country songs mention but he does sing a song about Shelly's Winter Love and my wife's name is Shelly so I'm not so sure about that one!
As I made my drive to the church, I had already made it through listening to a number of songs when the song titled All the Things You Got to Leave Behind came on as I pulled into the church parking lot. It's a song about his mom, Pat who passed away. She never heard this music. As I began to park, the song had now made its way to the chorus.
All the Things you leave behind
and all the things that matter most
And all the seeds you sow in time
You tend with love and watch them grow
I remember Mama saying the most important
things you'll ever take away from this old life
Are all the things you leave behind.
The song is simple, moving and has such a great meaning...what we do for others now is what will last after we are gone. As I listened to those words with tears running down my face, I realized something, I wasn't sitting in my vehicle, I was sitting in one of Eric's. One of our cars is in the shop so we as a family have had to do some auto shuffling and carpooling for a few days. Eric had gotten word of that and sent word that if I needed to borrow one of his 78 vehicles to come get one. I was hoping for the new Vette but instead I got stuck with the Escalade...but this wasn't the first time he has done this. Time and time again when I was in a vehicle bind has Eric Blankenship stepped up to help me and my family but truthfully I know that he has done it with countless of others as well. The loaning of vehicles is just one thing. He supports with his time, money and talents many ministries, organizations and people and families in general. Eric doesn't do it for the attention. He doesn't do it for recognition. He doesn't do it for a pat on the back or to get something in return. I have witnessed first hand him bless my church and my family, so many times that I have lost track. There are just too many things to mention that this great man has done in the name of Christ for other people. As I sat there in my church parking lot in his Escalade with tears running down my face, rain falling on the car and the song of his mother playing in the background, I wondered why in the world has God blessed me so much with having a friend like Eric Blankenship? I wondered why in the world would Eric do all of these things, and then it hit me!
All the Things you leave behind
Or all the things that matter most
And all the seeds you sow in time
You tend with love and watch them grow
I remember Mama saying the most important
things you'll ever take away from this old life
Are all the things you leave behind.
Eric's mom Pat had it all right. The greatest thing is the life that she once lived is now playing out in the legacy that she left through him.
Thanks Eric for being my friend but even if you weren't my friend, thank you more for leaving behind what you have left for people like me!

Be Blessed...Pastor John