"Let's Go Get a Hot Dog"

    That was a phrase I loved to hear as a kid. I'd be at my grandparents playing games or watching TV and my grandpa would say, "let's go get a hot dog". As a 10 year old it seemed like he knew every place that sold a hot dog in Northwest Indiana, and who had the best. We would drive around Hobart, all over Gary, and sometimes even out to Griffith. It was during those times I developed a love for hot dogs, and we developed a relationship that I cherished. My grandpa was my best friend. He fathered and taught me some of the greatest life lessons I still hold on to today.
    My grandpa passed away 11 years ago this October and the greatest lesson came after he passed, leave a legacy. He passed away during my senior year in high school in October 2000. A couple days after we had his wake and funeral at Rees Funeral Home in Hobart. I remember standing with my Grandma during the wake greeting those who came to pay their respects. As I stood there, the line of people kept coming, stretching down into the seating area and around the corner. I didn't know how long it stretched around the corner, but I saw hundreds of faces that day. I'll never forget one particular woman. She gave my grandma a hug, was introduced to me and my brother as we stood there, and left. I asked my grandma, "who was that?" She replied, "our mail lady." I couldn't believe it! My grandpa had such an impact on their mail carrier that she took time out of her schedule to come to his wake. All day it was like that, mail carriers, family, people he coached, fellow volunteers at the hospital, former coworkers, members of our church, family friends, and friends of his children and grandchildren. At one point I stepped away to go to the bathroom, not knowing how difficult it would be. As I walked around the corner the line went down the hall and out the door. WOW?!? So many people. As I walked down the line I was overwhelmed with hugs, words of encouragement, and condolences. I just wanted to go pee, now I felt like I was a greeter at Joel Osteen's church. On that October day from 2-7, waves and waves of people flooded Rees Funeral Home in Hobart, IN. Some waited an hour and a half to honor this man. At 17 I didn't think of it too much, but as I've lost a few more hairs, it echos in my mind more frequently, "Leave a legacy. Leave a legacy. Leave a legacy."
    Donald Herman Rosenbaum spent a over 70 years on this planet. In that time he directly and indirectly touch hundreds of people so much that they were moved to honor him at his wake and funeral. He loved and stayed faithful to one wife for 50 years; raised four boys to men. Those men have all married and given him nine grandchildren, and now four great grandchildren in the last three years. His love, teaching and discipline affected many lives that will carry on his legacy for decades, and hopefully centuries.

    Jesus' legacy is still affecting millions of people 2,000 years after his death, and he has called us to do the same. Recently I've been continually asking myself, what am I doing to leave a legacy? Am I just floating through life, or am I making a difference and a splash? Am I affecting those around me, or am I letting them affect me? Jesus called us as Christians to be difference makers. We've been called to make disciples and raise children that will carry on His way of living the best life. So I leave you today with a challenge, a question to meditate. Are we impacting anyone that will carry on our legacy? If we don't see our temple completely built as David didn't, are we raising a Solomon that will? Everyday our decisions will impact our children, our children's children, and so on. The next generation is longing for fathers that leave a legacy and inheritance to their children. Are you going to leave a legacy?