Thoughts on Legacy

On August 21, 2021, during my wedding celebration in Illinois, I presented the It’s My Reward Album to my family and friends. The following is the speech I made explaining some of the details in the album’s design and my hope for future generations to be inspired by the songs and stories that are shared on this site.

It’s My Reward Speech by Briana Kay Mittan (Stodden)

This album was over ten years in the making and I’m so excited to finally be able to share it with you. I want to thank you all for entrusting me and helping me fund producing mom’s music. I’m extremely honored and humbled that I get to help her songwriting legacy continue on to the next generation and I couldn’t have done this without you. 

During the pandemic when life slowed down it gave me time to think about mom and us recording these tracks together. You should know that making an album from these tracks was not the original plan. She recorded these with me because I needed something to help me learn how to edit audio and like so many times before like with my photography or in studying journalism, she wanted to support my education. When we were recording these songs we weren’t trying to get the perfect take we were just having fun and I think you will hear that in this album. Unknown to both of us at the time, the tracks we recorded for fun turned into the greatest comfort for me during my darkest times of grief.

While I’m embarrassed it took me a decade to complete this album I don’t think I could have done it any other way. Over that time, I continued to learn about audio production which gave me the confidence to make creative mixing decisions that would let mom’s songwriting and musical talent shine. Most importantly, over this time, I continued to process my grief.

But this album isn’t just for me, this is for all of you here today. For me, hearing mom’s voice can still be quite emotional so I’m going to let you explore these songs in your own time. But there are a few details that I want to share with you today. 

From my research I discovered, mom wrote 5 of these songs. You can see those original songs noted with an asterisk near the song name. Back in the 70s, the first album mom released with Aunt Patty was called “His Name is Jesus” named after one of her originals. The second album she released as the Stephen’s Trio was titled after her song “Won’t You Let Him Help You.”  So naturally, releasing this album, it made sense to name it after her song, “It’s My Reward.” 

You will notice on the front of the album is a verse from this song. 

When my labor here is finished and I’ve run my race.

I’ll lay down this life and receive my reward.

I have fought a good fight and I’ve kept the faith.

Now there’s a reward up in heaven and It’s all mine.

These letters were taken directly off of the text from her songbook which she typed by hand on a typewriter. The kiddos here today probably have no idea what that is. I want to point out how she made the word “It’s” in capital letters. She was very particular about this song being called “It’s My Reward” and she always corrected me when I would sometimes shorten the title to “My Reward” It was important to her that people knew that heaven was the reward.

I designed the album this way to showcase the words that came from her soul which are all the more meaningful because she wrote them with her own hands. More than anything, this verse captures her spirit. She is no longer laboring or worrying. Through life’s ups and downs, her faith carried her and she has her reward.  

Now it is up to all of us who knew her to keep her legacy burning bright to inspire the next generation with what she gave us. In a lot of ways, each of you are already doing this. We honor her every day through hard work at the mill, raising kids, or through scrapbooking like Bianca, or taking care of the sick like Naomi, or in teaching the next generation to love gardening like Cynthia. 

But what I want to do today is start a new way to honor Mom’s legacy and that is through the power of storytelling. Some of you may have noticed by now, on the backside of the album at the very bottom is a web address, itsmyreward.com.

This is an easy-to-use online space where we can share mom’s music, post photos, and most importantly share memories and life lessons about mom. I will let you all explore this website in your own time and there is no pressure to post anything. 

However, this is made as a space for future generations, for all the kiddos sitting here today. Some of them knew Nina and sadly some of them didn’t get that chance, but with our stories, they can know her and be inspired by her and the legacy she left with us. 

In working on preparing these things for you all I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy and here are some things that I’ve come to realize. I especially want the young kids to think about these things… 

1. Like Nina recording these songs with me, you don’t always know what your legacy will be to those you leave behind but working in the service of others is a good place to start. 

2. Nina always celebrated the diversity in our family and often told us kids that God made us unique. Likewise, your legacy is your own to discover. Perhaps you are a songwriter like Nina but God may have given you other gifts and it’s your job to discover what that is and use it to inspire others. 

3. Finally, you may have many gifts to share and you will discover them over your whole lifetime. The things Nina gave to us all changed over time. She was a songwriter, she was a faithful wife and mother, she was an award-winning businesswoman and helped Pawpa build CTI to what it is today, she was a talented gardener, she was a school teacher, and she helped run the church for several years. 

What do all of these things have in common? She did all these things in service of her family and friends. These are the things we are all still talking about long after she is gone. In the songs and stories that we share on this website that I made for you I hope you will see yourself reflected. You come from a long line of faith, creative artistry, and service for others. So with this in mind, go forth and discover your legacy. 

In Psalms 78:4 it says “Show the generations to come the praises of the Lord and His strength, and the wonderful works that He hath done.” I know that each one of you will find your unique way to do that.