+ All Categories
Home > Documents > q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant...

q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant...

Date post: 11-Jul-2020
Category:
Upload: others
View: 0 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
31
Transcript
Page 1: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Your Guide to Leaving a Legacy Now and Forever

LEGACY HELPER

Wesley Hardin and William Parton

THE

Page 2: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

   

The Legacy Helper  A Guide to Shaping  

and Sharing Your Legacy         

         

Written by Wesley Hardin, PA-C, MA Edited by William Parton, M. Ed., BS 

  

 

Page 3: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Introduction: A Dynamite Legacy  

“All of my remaining realisable assets are to be disbursed as follows:  the capital, converted to safe securities by my executors, is to constitute a fund,  

the interest on which is to be distributed annually as prizes to those who,  during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” 

- Alfred Nobel  

BOOM! The noise was so loud it shook him to the core. His ears were ringing. His heart was pounding. His gut told him what had happened. There was an explosion in the lab. Nitroglycerin was horribly unstable stuff and would go off with even the slightest disturbance. In a flash, he tossed aside the stack of bills he was lamenting and bolted outside, running like he was on fire to the building next door. He stepped inside and his worst fear was realized as he saw his younger brother had just been added to the growing list of lives sacrificed in the name of scientific research. Who would be next?  

 Now more than ever, he was determined to discover a safe way to manufacture and 

transport this potentially world-shaping explosive substance. He would not allow his brother’s death to be for nothing! For the next three years he worked day and night, devoting all of his time and energy to this one singular purpose until finally one fateful day in 1867, he stumbled upon the answer for which he had been searching. Alfred Nobel had invented dynamite.   

Alfred went on to invent several other types of explosives, as well as over 350 other patented products, and built almost a hundred factories all over the world to manufacture his prized creations. His explosives were used for building tunnels, canals, railways, and roads. They were also purchased by militaries around the world to make devastating new weapons of warfare. Very quickly, he went from rags to riches and eventually became one of the wealthiest and most influential people in the history of the world. At one point, he was making over $100,000 per day!    

1

Page 4: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Many years later, Alfred had the strange misfortune of reading his own obituary when a French newspaper mistook the death of his brother, Ludwig, for his own. It described Alfred as “The Merchant of Death” who became rich by finding ways to kill more people in less time than anyone in the history of the world. This did not sit well with him. He did not want to be remembered this way, so he took action and did something about it. He decided he would give away his fortune in a series of generous annual awards, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize, the very thing for which he is now most widely known and remembered. From merchant of death to promoter of peace, like a dynamite blast he radically changed the shape of his legacy forever.   

 Some day, you too will leave this world. What will you leave behind? What will be 

your legacy? Are you planning to leave some money, real estate, or other assets as a gift for your kids, grandkids, or other loved ones? Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” If we are wise and able, before we spend any of our salary, we give a portion of our firstfruits to the Lord, and then stash something away into some sort of savings, investment, IRA, 401k, or life insurance policy. We might also invest in the services of a financial planner or lawyer to write up a will or trust to make sure that our intentions are clear, that every dollar and every possession goes exactly where we want after we pass on to glory. It’s a great goal that we should all strive for. And if you are one of the blessed few who actually makes it happen, good for you!   

 However, most people either don’t make many preparations for their long-term 

financial legacy, or if they do, the plans get disrupted by job loss, recession, illness, injury, divorce, gambling, or other mishaps. As far back as I can remember, very few people in my extended family on either side have been fortunate enough to leave any significant amount of money as inheritance. As far as I know, only a handful have even had life insurance policies in place, and those were just barely enough to cover the cost of the funeral and grave site expenses with nothing much left over to pass on to children, let alone grandchildren. There was definitely no rich Uncle Alfred Nobel. If there was, I haven’t received my check yet!   

 And who does? The vast majority of people I know do not have a significant 

savings, they don’t have investments in property or mutual funds, they simply don’t have 

2

Page 5: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

many assets at all. It’s tough to leave a sizeable financial legacy. There is so much that is out of our control. Most people just won’t make it happen. Even if we are able to bless our 1

children’s children with a good chunk of change, inheritances are often squandered away with nothing left to show for it.   

 But there is hope. While financial legacies are very important, they are definitely not 

the most valuable thing you leave behind. But a godly heritage can change a family for generations to come. Ask yourself, what do you miss the most about the loved ones you’ve lost over the years? It’s not their money! It’s the relationship you shared, the memories you made together, the things they taught you, the imprint they left upon your heart and mind, and the ways they influenced who you are as a person. This is the real treasure. This is what legacy is all about.    

We’ve all heard it said about money, “You can’t take it with you. There will be no                                 U-haul trailer behind the hearse!” But this is not so with your life story. Who do you love?                                   What do you care about? What matters most to you? What you believe in and what you                                 stand for. What do you live for and what you are willing to die for. The wisdom,                                 knowledge, and experiences you have spent a lifetime collecting can be taken with you to                             the grave. If you don’t take action now to preserve your life story, you may never get the                                   chance and it could very well be tragically lost forever.   

 

“The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives.                                 What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our                           earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has                               given us each day.” – Rev. Billy Graham 

 You have the power to shape how you are known and will be remembered. This                             

guide lays out a simple step-by-step plan for you to take action and develop your own                               legacy portfolio made up of priceless and powerful tools you can use to share your life story.                                 I’ll also show you how to create opportunities to share these gifts with your loved ones by                                 

1 To learn more about leaving a financial legacy, see The Legacy Journey by Dave Ramsey 

3

Page 6: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

planning unforgettable and life-changing legacy moments. These are tools that have blessed                       many of my own family members and friends, that I have been using to create my legacy,                                 and are sure to be a blessing to yours.   

 Make no mistake, there are no hard and fast rules for how to leave a legacy. There                                 

are a billion different good and right ways you could go about it. This game plan is just one                                     way to make it happen. The important thing is to be intentional, take action, and do                                 something while you still have the chance! 

    

The Game Plan 

Step 1 - Write Your Legacy  We will start with taking some time to think carefully about the legacy you have received and the legacy you want to create by journaling about seven important life questions.  Step 2 - See Your Legacy  In this next step, we will make a legacy collection of the very best and most meaningful photos, videos, and other memorabilia from the best moments of your life so far.  Step 3 - Speak Your Legacy In this next step, we will create legacy audio or video recordings of you sharing stories, life lessons, and words of encouragement using your journal and legacy collection as inspiration.   Step 4 - Share Your Legacy In this last step, we will use your newfound tools to create unforgettable, life-changing legacy moments with your loved ones, and watch your legacy grow!        

4

Page 7: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

STEP 1: Write Your Legacy   

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten,  either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”   

- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac  

My father-in-law recently went home to be with the Lord. While he was here, he was not a very practical person. Actually, that might be the biggest understatement in the world. Virtually everything he touched became disorganized! His house was always a mess. His desk was usually a picture of chaos. But he had some great strengths. He was a poet and a dreamer. He was the type who could never understand the science of the weather and didn’t care, he just wanted to get his head in the clouds. And he loved to write...a lot. He wrote masterpiece plays in notebooks. He wrote love poems on receipts. He wrote deep personal reflections on the back of bill envelopes. When he passed, we spent many months digging through his things searching for buried treasure. I can’t tell you how valuable these writings are to my wife and her siblings. She is blessed with a wonderful way to hear her father speak his mind and share his dreams, and to pass them on for our children to enjoy.   

 We will start shaping your legacy by taking some time to think carefully about the 

legacy you have received and the legacy you want to create by journaling about seven important life questions. When you sit down with a pen in hand to write down your thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that hopefully leads to a burning passion for logging your legacy the rest of your life.  

 I recommend investing in a high quality journal, like something hardcover or 

leatherbound, where you can feel excited and even a little special about safely depositing your most valuable answers to life’s most important questions. I suggest scheduling in some time in advance, at the very least thirty minutes, to sit down once per day by yourself in a quiet place, perhaps with a cup of coffee or tea, to really chew on each question, get every bit you can out of them, and then write in meaningful detailed answers you can feel proud of. After all, this is your legacy!  

5

Page 8: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Question 1:   “If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” - Isaac Newton  As you think about what legacy you want to leave, it is helpful to first take time to consider and thank God for the legacies you have received from those who have gone before you. Who has influenced you the most in your life? Who has truly inspired you to be who you are today? Start by choosing one person and share what you have received from them. Then try to focus on a different person each day over the next couple weeks.    Question 2:   “If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet, how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” - Fred Rogers in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood  Who are the people you will influence and inspire with your legacy? I think it can be an eye-opening experience to write down the names of all of the people in your circle of influence, or at least as many as you can remember. First, make a list of everyone in your immediate family. Then make a list of everyone in your extended family that you know personally. Then make a list of all of your close friends from throughout your life. Then make a list of all of your associates such as neighbors, classmates, church members, and coworkers that you can remember having close contact with on a regular basis. Whether you realize it or not, this is your legacy circle. These are all people you might influence with your life!    Question 3:   “Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something.  Even if you were too small to understand why.” - Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings  Make a detailed list of the books, movies, songs, etc. which have inspired you the most in your life? Say a little something about why you chose them.     

6

Page 9: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Question 4:   “Even when you suffer a setback or a tragedy, there is often an unexpected, totally improbable, and absolutely impossible benefit to be realized. It may not happen right away. You may at times wonder what good could possibly come of it. But trust that it all happens for the good—even tragedies can turn into triumphs.” - Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limits  What are the two greatest obstacles or challenges outside of your control that you have had to face in your life, and how did you get through them?   Question 5:   “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” - Henry Ford  A great legacy is not only what you’ve earned, it’s also about what you’ve learned.   What are two important life lessons you learned the hard way from making big mistakes?    Question 6:  “A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice  What do you feel most proud of accomplishing in your life? Make a list of your top ten greatest achievements along with some reasons why you are proud of these things.    Question 7:   “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” - Sir William Wallace in Braveheart  What are the most exciting adventures you have experienced in your life so far, times when you felt the most alive? Choose one of your favorites and tell the story.    

 

7

Page 10: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

STEP 2: See Your Legacy   

“A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered.”  – C.S Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet 

  Every now and again, I get the itch to take a stroll down memory lane. I get out that 

bin of my old keepsakes, rummage through the trophies, medals, and certificates, look at old letters and cards, and sift through the pictures. I love the feeling of being surprised by a good memory. How the hint of perfume on an old corsage can instantly transport me back to prom night, and suddenly I can visualize how beautiful my date looked in her dress like she was standing right in front of me. How putting on my old cleats can take me right back to the middle of the football field during the homecoming game senior year, and I can feel the electricity in the air as the band plays and the crowd cheers all around me. It takes me by surprise every time. You forget. But then, one day many years later, you remember and get to experience the pleasures all over again. It’s wonderful!     

In this next step, you will take some time to harvest photos, videos, and other memorabilia from the very best moments of your life so far, and put them into a single organized collection. This step can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you are harvesting memories for someone who has been around for almost a century! But it’s such a valuable and precious exercise. You can do this by yourself, but it’s even more fun and less work when you share it with your loved ones. You want to collect as much as you can get your hands on. You want to look far and wide, asking not only the immediate family, but extended family, friends, old classmates, coworkers, and anyone else who might have a piece of your legacy. 

  X Marks the Spot   

It is very important to set up one central location to deposit your treasures. This will make them easier to find during those opportune times when you need them, to prevent them from being lost, and to make them easier to transport in an emergency. My grandma Delores had a big old wooden hope chest. When she walked over and opened it up, you just knew something interesting was coming out. She would periodically show me pictures I’d colored as a little boy, letters I’d written to her, or photos I’d never seen of myself as a child. Her treasure chest was filled with mementos she was saving to remind herself and the 

8

Page 11: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

rest of us what is worth remembering. This can be a great way to keep all of your most valued treasures in one spot.    

But what if you want to make them all available to family and friends who live far away? You can take pictures or video clips of each object, and put them all in one legacy folder that can be stored on a computer, thumb drive, external hard drive, or even a virtual drive online such as Google Drive, Drop Box, or Amazon Prime, etc. I prefer to use Google Drive for several reasons:  

1. You can create a new unique Google account for each personal project. 2. At this time anyone with a Gmail account gets 15GB of storage for free. This is 

plenty of space for most projects. If needed, you can purchase additional storage for a nominal fee. 

3. It’s easy to access Google Drive either directly through the app or through virtually any web browser. 

4. There’s no danger in losing the files if your phone or computer breaks, fails, or is lost. 5. There are no issues of compatibility with Mac, PC, or any other type of device. 6. Anyone with the username and password can upload or download from the drive. 

Note: You want to be very careful here not to violate any of Google’s rules about sharing account information or they will close the account and all the files will be lost forever. This happened to me once and I had to start all over! You especially don’t want to share your password via text or social media.   

   

Harvesting Hard Copy Photos   

Why do we take so many pictures? I think it’s partly because when you capture it on camera, it’s like you are validating that it really happened. You experience the event yourself, enjoy it, and then store the memory somewhere in your brain. Likewise, if we capture it on camera, we can also store part of the experience somewhere else so that we might be able to experience it again later on. The problem is that we take pictures of everything! These days we all have enormous collections of pictures and videos stored away in deep dark places in photo albums, boxes, and on our phones or computers. I bet I have over 5,000 pictures and videos in storage! When do we ever actually go back and look at those pictures and videos again? How often do you go back and look at those photos from the vacation you took 10 years ago? Never!   

One reason is that it’s hard to find the pictures you’re looking for when you don’t label them or sort them as you go. There’s this huge catalog of memories waiting to be 

9

Page 12: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

enjoyed, but it’s too cumbersome to access them. However, if you could take the best of the best pictures and put them into a single photo album, scrapbook, or video, then you absolutely would get to experience those memories again and again and again. 

 You want to have a collection of your favorite photos of yourself from throughout 

your life. But before you can say which are your favorite, you want to first try to amass as large a pool of photos as possible, and then pick which are your favorites. If there are any photo albums, check there first. I recommend taking the photos out to scan one page at a time, and then immediately placing the photos back in the album where you found them. This will prevent a headache trying to remember where they belong later on.  

Next look in obvious places like framed pictures placed throughout the house. I recommend scanning these and then immediately carefully placing them back into their frames. Ask if there are any other places where photos are stored. Remember, not everyone keeps their pictures in neat, well-organized photo albums. Many people have these treasures thrown in old shoe boxes or bins, often intermixed with other memorabilia. My 80-year-old Mamaw had all of the family’s photos piled together in a big old cardboard box that she kept on a high shelf in the laundry room. My great aunt had all of her family photos thrown in an old black garbage bag at the bottom of a closet. 

 Again, I recommend “backing up” these hard copy photos by scanning them and 

depositing them somewhere safe in the cloud. You want to use a good scanner and scan at a resolution of at least 300 DPI. It can be convenient to have a small portable scanner and laptop that are easy to bring over to other people’s homes if need be to scan photos on the spot. I find that most people like this and prefer not to see their precious photos leave the house.   

I recommend labeling each picture as you scan it in with a short, simple filename. I usually use the first name with a number. For example, I might use wesley1, wesley2, wesley3, and so on. This will help keep the files organized and make them easier to find later. It will also prevent having duplicate files.      Creating a Legacy Scrapbook  

Now what to do with this collection of hard copy photos? I recommend sifting through and choosing your absolute favorites, those pictures which capture moments of your life that you most want to be known and remembered, and putting them into a single 

10

Page 13: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

photo album or scrapbook. A legacy photo album or legacy scrapbook can be a beautiful and efficient way of combining a large collection of memories into one treasured volume.   

 What’s the difference between a scrapbook and a photo album? A Scrapbook 

combines not only photos, but all kinds of memorabilia such as little “scraps “from meaningful events throughout your life like ticket stubs, invitations, certificates, ribbons, awards, handwritten letters, cards, newspaper clippings, or whatever can fit on the page of the scrapbook really! 

   What a lot of people forget is you can also add little pieces or even just photos of larger objects that you could never fit into a book. Some people also like to add some flair to each page maybe with labels or explanation or captions. These can be added with stickers, stamps, or by simply writing or drawing them in with your own artistic hand. There is an endless collection of brilliant models online such as on Pinterest.     Old VHS Tapes and 8mm Film Reels   

What about that box of old 8mm film reels with the video footage of your glory days playing high school football or of your high school graduation? What about the VHS tapes of you teaching your kid to ride a bike or taking the family camping? How do you capture these? I find it’s easiest to just set up my smart phone on a tripod in front of the TV or projector screen and use the cell phone camera to capture the very best clips I want from the videos. You can record the whole thing, or just your favorite few seconds. Just be sure to place the tripod at the right height and distance from the screen so that you capture the entire image and don’t have to do much cropping to do afterwards.   

 It’s a simple, effective, and powerful way to pull these old memories out of their dark 

prison on old unused media, and bring them back into the light, setting them free to work their magic and inspire again. I’ve used this process to capture priceless clips of my in-laws and grandparents to use in tribute videos at their funerals. I’ve used it to get clips of my nephew as he grew up to use for his high school graduation video. For old 8mm rolls I had my grandpa set up the projector one night and we used the window shade as a screen to capture clips of my mom from throughout her life to use in her 50th birthday tribute video, and it worked beautifully.   

 I could give several more examples, but in each case most of the viewers were 

pleasantly surprised and even moved to tears as they either hadn’t seen these videos for 

11

Page 14: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

decades, or they didn’t know these moments had ever been captured on video in the first place! It can be quite a moving and meaningful experience. 

  

Digital Photos and Videos  Locate and download digital photos and videos. This can be quite an undertaking, 

especially since cell phone cameras have made it so easy to capture every possibly interesting moment of your life. Like Jim Gaffigan said, “I have more photos of my kid than my dad ever even looked at me!” Look for pics recently taken on cell phones. You also want to look for files on digital cameras or that have been downloaded onto computers or external hard drives. Check all the devices in the house. Call close friends and family and ask them to send you their favorites they have stored on their devices. Unfortunately, exchanging photos and videos using text messaging often requires using your data plan. This is why I prefer to use Facebook Messenger or email for this part, so that everyone involved can use wifi to exchange these high data files.      

Don’t forget to scour your Facebook, Instagram, and other social media pages, as well as those of your close friends and relatives. Search for pictures you are tagged in and download them. Again, I recommend labeling each file as you bring it into your main harvesting folder to keep things organized and to prevent duplicates!   Creating Legacy videos  

What to do with the harvest of digital files? Now you have this great collection of pictures, videos, and other memorabilia from throughout your life, so let’s turn them into something useful and easy to digest. An excellent way of condensing the very best and favorite pieces into one is with legacy tribute videos.  

I make a birthday tribute video for each of my kids every year. I have also learned a lot about preserving memories from producing dozens of tribute videos for graduations and funerals, as well as videos for vacations and missions ventures. We have several tribute legacy videos of parents and grandparents that have since passed on, and they are invaluable, priceless treasures that we have thoroughly enjoyed again and again. In fact, the whole process of creating the video is valuable, giving you a chance to really process each memory and consider its context in the person’s life. It makes for a very meaningful and rich way to honor one’s legacy. We sit down and watch them together to laugh and cry and enjoy reliving so many of our greatest memories together.  

12

Page 15: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Choosing Background Music  

It’s very important to carefully choose appropriate background music to set the mood and pace of your video. It can make or break the video. Here is a list of great songs I have used in creating birthday, graduation, vacation, and funeral tribute videos for my loved ones. (Along with a few I plan to use soon!) Remember, most of these songs are protected by copyright, so if you use them in your video, the video can only be for your own personal use to enjoy at home with your family. If you want to share your video publicly on YouTube or share it on social media, you need to obtain written permission or license from the owner of the song. If you don’t, you could risk YouTube removing the video, or risk being sued for copyright infringement.   2

 Girl Birthday Videos Beautiful Child by Sara Groves Happy Birthday Beautiful by Innocence Mission Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs Still That Girl by Britt Nicole Set the World on Fire by Britt Nicole Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift The Best Day by Taylor Swift Through Your Eyes by Britt Nicole Who I Am by Blanca All Good by Capital Kings and Hollyn Beautiful for Me by Nichole Nordeman Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey He Knows My Name by Francesca Battistelli She’s a Butterfly by Martina McBride Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield When She Loved Me by Sarah McLachlan My Little Girl by Tim McGraw Touch the Sky by Julie Fowlis  Boy Birthday Videos Safe and Sound by Matthew West Prayers for This Child by Sara Groves Song for My Sons by Sara Groves 

2 See https://www.miksmusic.com/how-to-legally-use-copyrighted-background-music-in-video/ 

13

Page 16: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Beautiful Boy by John Lennon Blackbird by Sarah McLachlan Slow Down by Nichole Nordeman Signal by Sara Groves Backseat Driver by TobyMac Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) by Dixie Chicks McQueen and Sally by Randy Newman Infinity and Beyond by Randy Newman You’ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman Hall of Fame by The Script Father and Son by Cat Stevens  Funeral Tribute Videos The Great American Napkin by the Summer Skinny Finally Home by Mercy Me Mama’s Song by Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen Cinema Serenade Fiction by Belle and Sebastian Coming Home by Gwyneth Paltrow Kind and Generous by Natalie Merchant Married Life by Michael Giacchino So Long by Randy Newman No Hard Feelings by the Avett Brothers 100 Years by Five for Fighting  Graduation Videos Memories by Panic! At the Disco Fun, Fun, Fun by Pharrell Then They Do by Trace Adkins So Long by Randy Newman Hall of Fame by The Script  

There are also loads of fantastic pieces of music that are copyright free, royalty free, or public domain. You can find whole libraries of great tracks with a simple online search. Here are some examples of sites I’ve used:   www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music http://soundcloud.com http://freemusicarchive.org/ 

14

Page 17: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Putting It All Together  

Now that you have a collection of your most favorite pictures and video clips, and have carefully chosen appropriate background music, you are ready to combine it all into a movie project! The following is a somewhat technical breakdown of what I consider to be the most essential things to remember when making a legacy video. If you don’t find this info relevant to your legacy project, feel free to move on to the next chapter!    

Most computers now come with video editing software built in such as iMovie on the Macbook Pro. Upload your pictures, video clips, and background music files into a movie project file. Once they are loaded, you want to place them in a particular order according to some sort of structured theme.    

Some people choose to make it chronological order, starting with baby pictures and progressing through the years to the present. I find songs without lyrics work best for this kind of video so that lyrics aren’t distracting you from the memories the images represent. If you choose songs with lyrics, you might choose to follow the lyrics of the song like a narrating template or lattice work to build upon, placing pictures and video clips where they seem to fit best. Either way, I think it is very important to carefully adjust the timing of each picture and video clip such that they follow the tempo and mood of the song. This can make for a more emotionally felt experience.   

 I like to look for moments of video clips that contain meaningful or fun soundbites 

where someone is laughing, giving a punchline, or making a profound statement, and then place them in the instrumental interlude parts of the song. This can be especially powerful when done well at the very beginning or end of the video.  

 I think it’s a nice touch to crop pictures and video clips so that they fill up the entire 

screen when possible, but sometimes you just can’t help but include some of the margins so that an essential part is not left out. You can also use the Ken Burns function to slowly zoom in on a picture or video clip to highlight the person and add a sense of motion to still clips.   

 Feel free to add overlaying text such as a title at the beginning, or even little captions 

that describe what is seen throughout the video. You might even put in some frames with one of your favorite quotes taken from your legacy journal or taken from Scripture. For example, in the life legacy tribute videos I have made, I always start with a title frame and end with a frame stating well wishes for the person and oftentimes a Scripture.   

 

15

Page 18: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

When you finish your movie project, you want to save it and export it as a movie file on to your computer. I suggest you then back it up onto a thumb drive, external thumb drive, or online drive in the cloud for safe keeping. I like to upload all my videos to my own channel on YouTube so that I can enjoy them anytime, and very easily share them with anyone. Remember to pay attention to copyright laws when sharing videos that contain licensed music or other media.  

 Creating high quality legacy videos is quite fun and very meaningful, but not always 

easy! It can take some time and a bit of patience to get it right. I find that it takes me an average of about 10 hours to create one high quality tribute video. That might seem like a lot of time, but it’s really not. I spend about 10 minutes at the start of every workday ironing my clothes. Over the course of a year, that will become 2,400 minutes or 40 hours! If I consider that time in terms of productive 8-hour workdays, it’s an entire week on the job! What amazing video could you produce if you were given 40 hours to complete it? You don’t swallow a T-bone steak whole, you take your time and savor it one bite at a time. This is how you will create fantastic legacy videos of your own.   

 Don’t forget, if you need personal assistance with creating your own legacy 

scrapbook or video, you can always get help from a legacy coach at legacyhelper.com.   

                   

16

Page 19: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

STEP 3: Speak Your Legacy  

“There are questions to be asked, and it is time for you to do so.  Here in this Fortress of Solitude we shall try to find the answers together.  

So, my son, speak.” - Jor El in Superman  

My grandpa was born the same year as Superman. He reminds us with a smile every birthday. What is he implying? I’m pretty sure they never cast Superman as a short old Italian guy. He might be able to pass for Jor-el’s father with a good makeup artist. Do you remember how Superman had his Fortress of Solitude? It was this huge, alien-looking crystal fortress he created way up in the arctic where he would often visit to get away from it all for some peace and, well, solitude. You remember how he had this collection of crystal pieces that were like a library of records or thumb drives. He would pick one out and insert it into something like an advanced alien computer port, and suddenly an interactive holographic image of his father, Jor-el, would appear to talk to him and share some wisdom.    

Oh, how often I wish for just five more minutes to spend with my loved ones that have passed, to hear their voices, to see their faces, to gain insight, to get advice, to feel better through hearing how much we meant to each other. Have you ever felt this way? Wouldn’t it be amazing to have your own Fortress of Solitude? What if you had your own thumb drive that you could insert into a laptop USB port and suddenly see your father, grandfather, or even great-grandfather pop-up on the screen sharing wisdom and giving you words of encouragement during a tough time? Might a loved one of yours feel this way about you one day? Most definitely! What’s stopping you from providing something like this for your future generations?   

Not everyone likes the way they look right now. Some people might want to be remembered for how they looked in their younger or healthier years. But usually our voices don’t change much throughout our adult lives. This is why audio recordings can be so powerful. Much like music, the sound of a person’s voice can cut straight to the heart and transport you in an instant to another time or place.  

 

17

Page 20: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

The vast majority of people leave this part of their legacy up to chance, hoping that people will remember what they had to say. And often we do remember. But isn’t it wonderful that we now live in the future when we carry these incredible technological marvels in our pockets that we can whip out, hit one button, capture any sound or any scene for hours on end, and then upload them to the cloud to be preserved indefinitely and enjoyed for who knows how long. This really is an incredible advance in how we can impact our family and friends and generations to come!   

 Yes, these files can be deleted or corrupted, but it’s not so easy as a hard copy journal 

that can be lost or damaged by water or fire or having its pages ripped out. This happened to my wife. In one of our eleven moves, she lost one of her journals, the one she had used to log her thoughts about becoming a mother. It was tragic. It is extremely easy to back up digital files online and make multiple copies in multiple places...if that something you want to do.    

I recommend you start by recording yourself reading the answers to the seven questions from Step One. You might also make recordings of yourself sharing your thoughts about your most precious photos and other memorabilia that you compiled in Step 2. You could explain what is happening in the photos or share how you feel about the people in them. Apps like “Story Glory” for iphone can be helpful here.    

I recorded my Mamaw singing “Jesus Loves Me” as she held my baby boy in her rocking chair one day and it is so precious to me. There is a recording of my great grandfather singing old-time hymns with his four brothers Acapella style that is a treasure shared by the entire extended family. I used it in a tribute video for his daughter that we played at her funeral.  

Another option for you could be to record reading some of your favorite passages of Scripture or praying for your loved ones. Or perhaps you want to be recorded reading lines from a favorite poem such as “If” by Rudyard Kipling, or reciting lyrics to one of your favorite songs. The possibilities are endless! Just ask yourself, what would I want to hear from my parents or grandparents?    

18

Page 21: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

Especially important is simply speaking words of encouragement, love, and blessing directly to those we love. This is something we should all do every single chance we get. Making an audio recording simply allows us to do it in a way that speaks to them over and over again for years and years, even after we are not around. It could give future generations the ability to enter their own “Fortress of Solitude” and hear from you anytime they need.    

Again, creating high quality legacy audio recording is fun and meaningful, but not always easy! If you need any personal assistance with creating your own professional-quality legacy audio recording, don’t forget you can always get help from a legacy coach at legacyhelper.com.                        

19

Page 22: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

STEP 4: Sharing Your Legacy 

 “What do you leave to your child when you're dead?  

Only whatever you put in it's head. Things that you're mother and father had said, which were left to them too.  

Careful what you say. Children will listen.  Careful you do it too. Children will see, and learn.”  

― Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods  

In this step we will focus on sharing the legacy you have been shaping. Now comes the exciting time where you get to use all of the valuable tools you put together in steps one through three to create legacy moments with your loved ones and watch your legacy grow!  

 For example you might take some of the significant lessons you’ve learned, favorite 

lines from movies, literature, music, poetry, or Scripture that you logged in your Legacy journal and share them in birthday cards or social media posts. You could also send them one of your audio files so they can hear your voice sharing the same. Of course, you could share a link to your legacy tribute video which might feature pics or videos of you together. All of these are fun and meaningful ways you can start sharing your legacy right now.  

 Three very close relatives of mine have passed away in the last two years. The days 

surrounding the funerals were spent at their houses with several other family members sorting through their things, trying to decide what to do with them and who should get what. At times there was this awkward tension you could feel, the jealousy, the temptation to covet building up inside of each of us. Praise God that no family feuds started, but there were a couple heated arguments and tears shed over what was supposed to be “my fair share”. There is inevitably a sort of free-for-all run on whatever can be scrounged up from the personal possessions left lying around the house.   

 People just assume that the kids and grandkids will be be fine managing for 

themselves. But what often ends up happening is a first-come, first-serve, finders-keepers 

20

Page 23: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

disaster. Leaving things to chance and human nature guarantees some important people will miss out on getting what they deserve and what you might want for them.   

 Most of the time, there is no ceremonious handing down of precious mementos from                           

father to son or grandmother to granddaughter, even though this kind of thing really could                             mean the world to the recipient. Part of the reason for this is that legacy simply isn’t at the                                     front of the mind for most people. We don’t often think long-term or consider all the                               wonderful possibilities, the incredible return for such small investments of our time and                         effort. Seize the day! Make a plan to pass down something that your child, grandchild,                             niece, or nephew could treasure and enjoy over and over again for the rest of their lives! 

 Perhaps you only have a few meager possessions. You should consider these as 

priceless treasures and instantly multiply their values by ceremoniously handing them down in a special way. You can dress them up with your words and use them as opportunities to tell your family members how you feel about them. Try to find some tangential way of relating the object to the person, to their character, to some event that you shared together, or to some lessons that you learned about life that you want them to know.   

 In this way, even a handkerchief, a pen, or even a coin can become priceless to a 

person if it is given to them with some great purpose. Perhaps this was the pen you used to write your letters to your sweetheart while you were away at war, or the penny you found on the ground the day you asked her to marry you 50 years ago. It’s you’re lucky penny, and you’ve kept it all this time, and now you want it to be theirs! It’s like the widow’s mite; the value comes from within. You might put it in a special box or in a charm on a necklace and present it with flare and passion. What would you give for a penny like that from your great grandfather? 

  

Capitalize on Birthdays  We need to be intentional about scheduling in times to share what we have. A really useful                                 common denominator is birthdays. Pretty much everybody celebrates birthdays! This is a                       great way to really focus on one person and make them feel they are a special priority in                                   

21

Page 24: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

your life. It is a time when they might even expect to get a little extra attention, so it                                     wouldn’t be strange for them to hear from people that they might not otherwise hear from                               him every day. It wouldn’t be weird for them to here sentimental things from their family                               and friends about how much they mean to them. This makes it a little less awkward or                                 uncomfortable to share a legacy moment. Remember, even if this is the only predictable                           time all year that you can count on impacting them in a significant way, that’s no small                                 thing. And over time, year after year, this can really add up! 

You don’t have to memorize everybody’s birthday but you should have them written into your agenda, into your schedule, so that you can count on making a connection with the person on their special day and don’t forget! You can use Google Calendar, Microsoft Office, or even a written calendar, but clearly lay out and schedule opportunities to share something special with each person in your legacy circle.     Creating Legacy Moments 

  Looking for some inspiration to create lasting memories with your loved ones? 

Here are a few ideas that come time mind from my life. I hope you will steal some to use for your own legacy. Likewise, if you have some creative and fun ideas you’d like to share, please post them on our facebook page at www.facebook.com/legacyhelpercoaching.  

● Attend a daddy-daughter dance. I got to take my daughters to one of these at our church. We got dinner, dancing, and a professional photo shoot.   

● Train together for a race that supports a good cause. Every year my family dresses up in costumes to run the Superhero 5k with Bridge-a-Life to support foster kids.  

● Hike the trails in a local state or national park. My brother and I once hiked into the Grand Canyon and stayed all night at the bottom!  

● Climb a mountain together. I took my wife and kids hiking to the top of Kennesaw Mountain. Great conversation all the way up and down. We went out for pizza and ice cream to celebrate afterwards.  

 

22

Page 25: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

● Make a legacy scrapbook together. My wife has done scrapbook parties with her friends where they sell little stamps and other specially made scrapbook materials.  

● Create a giant family tree on the wall with family photos. Similar to this, we built a giant 4’ x 6’ corkboard “Legacy Wall” to pin up pictures of great memories in our dining room. It’s a great conversation starter.   

● Plant a tree in someone’s name. You might also place a plaque or sign that tells others why it’s there. This is something I plan to do someday soon with my kids.   

● Restore a classic car together. My dad and I completely restored a 1953 Chrysler New Yorker when I was 15 years old. Those were some of the best times I ever had with my dad. We used to take it to all the local car shows and to the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise in Detroit every year.   

● Take a weekend road trip to see a concert or show in a nearby major city. My wife took the girls on a weekend getaway to see Wicked in NYC.  

● Play a round of golf or hit some balls together at the driving range. We love Topgolf!  

 ● Try Kayaking or Canoeing. I’ll never forget when we went took the kids canoeing 

down a river in Florida with alligators swimming alongside us. We stopped along the riverbank for lunch and hoped we wouldn’t be on the menu!  

 ● Go fishing at a local pond, river, lake, pier, or take it off shore if you know someone 

with a boat! I have a great pic of a trip with my dad, my grandpa, and my nephew.   

● Get your hair done together or get pampered with a spa day, massage, makeover, manicure, or pedicure. This probably goes without saying for the ladies in your life.  

● Go shopping and grab some soft pretzels and frappuccinos at the mall. Sit in the demo massage chairs at Blackstone. My kids are always up for this!    

● Go ice skating or roller skating together at a local rink. I remember my mom taking me out one night to the same roller rink that she used to go to as a kid.   

● Go play some video games at a local arcade like Dave & Busters. My dad and I still like to do this with my kids when he’s in town.  

23

Page 26: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

 ● Play Iron Chef and give a cooking lesson to your kids or grandkids. Teach them an 

old favorite family recipe. My mom has done this with my wife and our girls.   

● Make a time capsule together, fill it with fun family treasures, and bury it in the yard.   

● Work together on a legacy quilt made from meaningful articles of clothing you might have saved.  

● Go to a painting party and come home with a masterpiece. My grandma used to do this with her daughters. She gave each of her paintings to her kids and grandkids.   

● Host a family reunion and put on a variety show where great stories and jokes are told, songs sung, poetry or other personal writings are read aloud, achievements are celebrated, and fun or meaningful awards could be given.  

● Go hunting for hogs, ducks, bears, or bucks. I’ll never forget when my dad took me hunting for the first time. We met a bunch of guys at a cabin up north in the middle of winter, didn’t get any deer but we did kill some time and shoot the bull together.    

● Play board games or cards together. What I enjoy most is not so much the particular game we are playing, but the fun conversation we end up having while we play!  

● Attend a workshop or class together and learn something new. My wife and I once took a swing dance course and became friends with an older man taking the class with his daughter.  

● Shoot hoops or play catch. This is such a great way to lighten the mood and have a little fun together. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve enjoyed doing this with my dad, brother, cousins, nieces, nephews, and so many others over the years!    

● Go camping somewhere unforgettable. I once went camping with my son, my dad, my grandpa, my brother, and my nephews at Zion National Park. It was epic! The conversations we shared on the long hikes in the canyon and around the campfire were some of the greatest we’ve ever had.  

 A thousand more examples could be given. The idea is, find something that would 

be fun and interesting for each of you and do it! You need to be intentional and invest in quality time together as much as you can. And remember, even if you don’t get to spend a 

24

Page 27: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

lot of time together, you can make up for it with the quality of the time shared. Jesus got to spend only three years with his closest friends, but what an incredible impact he made on their lives in that brief time! We need to be present in the moment, interacting with one another, really communicating what we think and feel. Living with legacy in mind can add meaning to every moment and significance to every second. It may not be that every moment you share is as enjoyable as another, but you can guarantee there will be some that stand out and shine in their hearts and minds for ages, the legacy moments.     Now take a minute to brainstorm and come up with 10 activities ideas of your own.   

1. ________________________________________________________________ 

2. ________________________________________________________________ 

3. ________________________________________________________________ 

4. ________________________________________________________________ 

5. ________________________________________________________________ 

6. ________________________________________________________________ 

7. ________________________________________________________________ 

8. ________________________________________________________________ 

9. ________________________________________________________________ 

10. ________________________________________________________________ 

25

Page 28: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

 

Passing the Torch  

“I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough  

to make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering,  a child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically, and leave that kind of legacy.” 

- Nichole Nordeman, Legacy 

 Talking about legacy is kind of like talking about politics or religion, it’s obviously 

important, but it’s not always easy. When you think about how your decisions might affect future generations in the light of eternity, it can feel like quite an extra load is being put on your shoulders! Not only that, putting together your own legacy portfolio takes time and at least a little bit of sacrifice. Take a moment to count the cost and you will see there is no more worthy and meaningful use of your time.  

 Consider what the Bible has to say about legacy. The Bible is full of letters written 

by men who wanted to preserve the good things they had experienced and the wisdom they received from God so that future generations would benefit. Jesus assembled disciples and friends to walk alongside him, to watch his life, to listen to what he said, and to share it with the world. One of the disciples Jesus chose was Matthew, a tax collector who was naturally talented at noticing the details and keeping written accounts. He went on to write the first of the four Gospels. Likewise we can recruit friends like legacy coaches who are naturally gifted at organizing and logging and collecting information about us that we want to be shared with the world.  

 One of the marks of authenticity and historical reliability of the Bible is the fact that 

you don’t only hear the good news, or the stories of success. You learn about all of the mistakes too. The authors are not just trying to make themselves look good. They’re just giving us the facts, telling it like it is. Consider Moses who worked hard to lay a good foundation for future generations, but didn’t get to enjoy the Promised Land himself. You remember that as they journeyed through the desert, God told Moses to speak to a rock so 

26

Page 29: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

that he would make water come forth for the people to drink, but instead out of anger Moses struck the rock. He made a mistake. He sinned, and because of his sin he was not able to go all the way into the Promised Land, but instead could only see it from afar.   

 Maybe you are like that. Maybe you are just starting to think about living with 

legacy in mind late in life. It might be because of your actions or decisions, you won’t get to enjoy all of the benefits of a life full of careful, calculated, wise financial decisions, or faithful, committed relationships. Perhaps you feel like you’ve made a lot of mistakes, like you’ve messed things up big time, and like there is no recovering from this particular failure in your life. In some ways you might be right. God offers complete forgiveness in Christ for all who ask, but he does not always remove the logical and natural consequences of our decisions in this life. Maybe you have been divorced. Maybe you’ve been divorced four times. Maybe you’ve struggled with drug abuse or addiction. Maybe you hit rock bottom and filed bankruptcy in more ways than one in your journey through the desert. This does not mean you cannot have a lasting legacy that blesses future generations. If you take the time to look, you will see that every person in the Bible whom God used in a mighty way had serious flaws and made big mistakes. Every single one. And yet their stories have radically changed the world. God can still use your story too!  

 Consider the wonderful possibility that your kids and grandkids, your nieces and 

nephews, those you love could all be blessed by learning from your story and avoid the pain that comes from making the same mistakes. Wouldn’t it be great if they didn’t have to learn the exact same lessons the hard way by experience? Not only this, but perhaps they can learn from your example what grit, real courage, and strength it takes to not fall apart when such crises befall them.   

 In his classic book, Mere Christianity, CS Lewis says, “those Christians who do the 

most for this world are thinking the most of the next”. For the Christian, legacy is ultimately not about you or me, it’s about Jesus. We live and breathe for an audience of One. Our greatest goal is to one day hear the divine accolade, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matt 25:23) This is what gives our lives real meaning, true purpose, and a sense of direction.  

 

27

Page 30: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

I want to do my best to leave a legacy of godliness and responsible stewardship of the money, time, and opportunity that God gives me. I want to build on the foundation that has been laid for me and make sure that these experiences and these lessons will bless more people than just me. I want there to be some sort of record of the adventure God has taken me on, the incredible things I’ve seen Him do in my life, the victories we have won together, and the many wonderful things He has taught me, even through the mistakes I have made, so that future generations will be blessed. I want them to know my story, so that they might one day know Christ, and have an easier time following Him. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He that follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of Life.” (John 8:12) And this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, but not like a flickering candle snuffed out by the slightest breeze. No, I want this little light of mine to shine out like a blazing torch! And as I run my race, I’m going to do everything I can to pass on this torch that has been handed down to me from my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, so that this legacy will never be lost or forgotten, but will live on in the hearts and minds of those I love, forever.   

May this guidebook help you to do the same!                  

28

Page 31: q · thoughts, it helps you to slow down and really think things through. These questions are meant to serve as a great start, like a dynamite explosion of memories and ideas that

  

 

Need a Hand?   For most of us, we know what it is we want to do, but often we just don’t follow                                     

through. Instead we yield to the tyranny of the urgent and let the busyness of life get in the                                     way. How many New Year’s resolutions fizzle in February? How many life-changing                       projects never make it past the planning? The truth of the matter is we are all human and                                   need someone to walk alongside us, to pick us up when we fall down, to cheer us onwards,                                   and celebrate with us as we cross the finish line. This is what makes coaching so extremely                                 valuable, and why many of the most successful athletes, movie stars, business executives, and                           world leaders got where they are today because they had a coach in their corner giving                               them encouragement and accountability every step of the way to the top. Just like a good                               sports coach or financial advisor, a legacy coach will be right there to give you helpful tips,                                 encouragement, and accountability with regular reminders of what you need to do to make                           a maximum impact on the next generation. From as often as every hour to every year, a                                 good coach will be there to help you make it happen. If you would like more information                                 on working alongside a legacy coach, visit legacyhelper.com. 

  

 

29


Recommended