Leaving footprints

I am loving the snow here in Colorado. It is very different than the Midwest stuff we were used to. I had always seen pictures of beautiful fir trees covered in tons of snow, with picturesque winter at its best. But through my eyes, it looked like cold and yucky winter.

But snow has begun to take on new meaning for me. It is light and powdery here, and the day times are warm and sunny, and the snow really is something to be enjoyed. Those two words - snow and enjoyment - have rarely gone together in the same sentence.

But as I walk out my front door, they combine to create a new experience for me. As I plow my way through the knee deep powder, I find myself leaving unmistakable tracks in the soft remains of the latest storm. As I look back at the swath behind me, I ask myself one of those profound questions; What kind of footprint will I leave with my life? What will be the sum impact of how I live and the ways I influence others?

I find some clear parameters to the answer - I couldn't imagine impact being defined as making lots of money or building a big building, or starting a successful business or leaving lots of things for my descendants. I find a very clear answer inside that my impact properly defined would be leaving a big footprint on the lives of the people in my world. THAT'S what I want to do. I want the steps I take to make a difference that lasts for centuries in the lives I touch. When a person's grandkids get to share in the transformation in their lives because they were impacted by Mike, my life will have been significant.

I want to leave footprints behind that leave a well marked trail to the foot of the cross.