Making your Mark

Throughout time, man has sought to 'make his mark,' leaving an impression or lasting legacy that goes on long after he returns to dust.  We all want to make a difference.  We want a life with purpose and meaning, right? Some seek to achieve this with innovative discoveries that change the quality of life for millions of people. Many can point to the completion of special projects at work as their lasting legacy. Others invest time in their offspring and make the world a better place through their progeny.  There's nothing wrong with any of that.

The other day I went to Google Earth and typed in my address.  Have you ever done this?  It is simply amazing and sort of underscores how small our world has become when you can type in an address and zoom in.  Here is an aerial view of Our Maker's Acres Family Farm.  Fortunately you can't zoom in too close as there are times, I must admit, when I'm working outside that I don't have time to go indoors to the restroom.

A Bird's Eye View - Is Big Brother Watching?

The arrows in the photo below show four separate paddocks in the 'L-shaped' pasture behind the house. We rotate the cows through those paddocks as the grass grows to ensure that the cows are always eating from the freshest growth.

Paddocks in the pasture

The three arrows below point out our three Jersey milk cows, Daisy, Rosie and Maggie as they are grazing on a typical Spring/Summer day, unaware that they are being photographed from way up above.  I'm not sure if these are satellite photos or aerial photos, but it is interesting the detail that you can see.

This picture shows the three chicken tractors in the pasture.  The blue arrow points to one of the tractors.  If you look immediately behind it, you can see where the chickens in the tractor have eaten a lot of the grass, leaving empty, devoured, poop-filled landscape. Each day I push the tractor westward to fresh grass.  After a rain, the chicken poop will spur fresh, green growth in the brown areas, continuing a cycle that benefits both the soil, beast, and man.

Chicken tractors from space

This last picture is interesting to me for a couple of reasons.  First you can see in the middle left of the photograph, stretching vertically, our garden with rows of fresh produce growing.  Then, as the red arrow points out, you can see a trail worn in the grass running from north to south.  That trail is my "mark." Rainwater is collected off of our roof in rain collection tanks and I carry 5 gallon buckets of rainwater from the barrels and pour them into the cows' water troughs, which can be seen at the southern end of the trail. 

Blazing a trail

I hope the mark I leave after I'm gone is more permanent and substantial than this!  It is interesting to see what you're doing from a different perspective, though.  In creating an enduring legacy, we must think more than marks we leave on this world made by works or deeds.  In time, my 'mark' seen from space will be erased by the growth of grass and passage of time.  This is a temporary mark and unimportant and trivial in the grand scheme of things.  What permanent marks can I leave?  Have you thought about that?

In spiritual terms, our flesh will return to the dust it was created from back in the Garden.  But the soul - the soul is eternal.  In order to 'make a truly lasting mark,' Someone must first make His mark on you.  We must be purposeful in seeking out a relationship with our Creator, through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Our spiritual legacy is the one that truly matters and we'd be well-served to spend time building that relationship first.  When we know HIM, our lives will hopefully bear fruit and we'll be of service to those around us and help point the WAY to Christ.

Matthew 5:16

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 

On your mark, get set, GO!