Ancestors

My husband's cousin started putting together a family tree. That made me want to see what I could find out about my side of the family. My folks didn't spend a lot of time with relatives. Mom was an only child and her mother passed away when mom was still a teenager. I started out on Ancestry.com. I found out I didn't know much about how to start.

I am amazed at the availability of information on the web. I stumbled across a tree that included my father and his maternal side. That tree had a few guesses and blanks that I could help fill in. Now to try to find out about his paternal side and both of my mother's ancestors.

What it made me realize is that almost all of the people with stories and knowledge about my history are either gone or lost in our big mobile world. So I'm trying to make sure what I know - the tales and stories as well as relationships - is available if our descendants want to know about us.

Somehow it didn't seem important when I was younger, but as I age the desire to know increased. Maybe it really is to leave a trail behind or mark my time for those who come after. Maybe it really comes down to wondering who will meet me when I cross the river. Wouldn't be awkward to have these heavenly hosts waiting to take me in and have no idea who they are!

It's a good thing to tell your family's stories, but it is much better to record those stories either on paper or tape. None of us know when our time is up. I hope to leave a message behind.

b

Father's Day

Today is the 100th anniversary of the first celebration of Father's Day (according to Sunday Morning on CBS).

Father's Day brings many memories, whether you are a father or a son or daughter. For me, Dad has been gone for almost two decades. Yet it seems like he was here just yesterday. I hear his voice every day. I see his influence every time I see or talk with his grandson.

I learned how to tell time while riding around with Dad. I was in first grade and just couldn't get the time thing - remember analog clocks? The big hand is on the one and the little hand is on the 6. But counting by 5's to get the minutes was beyond me. I don't remember how he taught me but by the time we got home, I knew how to count by 5's and how to tell time. It was so easy once he made me understand.

I remember the look of pride when I graduated from high school, the emotion in his eyes just before he took me down the aisle of the church to join my soon-to-be husband.

I also remember that he felt strongly you should give back. He gave countless hours to energize and vitalize Amarillo, TX. Long hours working to ensure young men would have a Golden Gloves opportunity. Young men that were at a crossroads - needing a "fatherly" influence in his life. The Lions Clubs International benefitted from his devotion to his community.

My dad never made a lot of money and he seemed to never have any time, but he was rich beyond belief. His life made him happy and helped others along the way.

His death after a very long bout with diabetes and its side effects - blindness, dialysis, kidney transplant, two leg amputations - was a double edged sword. I hated to see him go. But I knew he would no longer be in pain.

The real lesson for me is that you just don't realize what you have until it's gone. But the memories you make with even every day things - that's what stays with you.

Now his grandson is about to be a father. I know he will be making his own memories and this new life is a continuation of fathers and children.

Remember sometimes the mundane becomes the biggest memory. Thank you Dad for making memories with me.

b

"THE SHACK" by William P Young

Sometimes the best things come by accident or happenstance. So often, the timing is serendipitous. That's what happened for me and THE SHACK.

I had read everything on my Kindle and was looking through some recommended reading from Amazon. Somehow this book caught my attention. I read the free sample (another great thing about the Amazon Kindle) and decided to buy and read the full book. It's not often that I can say something I read has changed the way I think about something, but this book really has changed (and challenged) my personal picture of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

The novel is also a page turning mystery. I'm not going to give away the message or the plot. I will highly recommend this book for an exciting read and re-read and re-read. I think it will change the way you picture your God or Higher Power. Be sure to have a big box of tissues. It will bring tears and laughter.

You can find more information at www.theshackbook.com. Feel free to leave comments about your experience with THE SHACK.

I wish you good reading.

b

Cincinnati OH in June

It was an uneventful trip up to Cincinnati except for hitting downtown Cincinnati at the 5:00 pm rush. Even so, we made it to Wilmington Thousand Trails and got set up before dark.

So far, we have had rain, cold, heat, humidity, hail, tornado warnings, and wind. I think snow may be the only weather event we missed.

I was ready for a visit with David, Jessica and Lindsey. I felt like it had been a really long time. It does my heart good to see how happy they all are. Lindsey is quite a young lady at 15. She's been busy with drama, choir, and studies. We got to watch her in a freshman play and in concert. Very nice.

Lindsey and I even made it to the Newport Aquarium together one Sunday afternoon. We got to pet the sharks and watch penguins play in the cold water.

The big news is that we are going to be grandparents a second time. Lindsey will be getting a sibling sometime in January 2010. Of course, it's way too early to know gender but everyone seems healthy so far.

I have had so many things going on that I neglected the blog. More to follow.