Our Rich Family Heritage

My friend posted this beautiful photo on her timeline a few days ago. She was in Pocahontas, Illinois. I commented: “I have family roots that go back to John Rolfe and Pocahontas. They were our 10th generation grandparents. Yay! I'm multi-racial! There's a tiny percentage of Native American in me! And I thought I had no famous folks in my family lineage."

That lineage is on my Mom's side of the family. When she was up in years, I realized I knew little of her family history -- stories about her 10 siblings, what it was like living in a large family, how their parents made ends meet, how she met my Dad, their first kiss, their wedding, and what it was like to have us kids. What a shame I waited so long to find out. I realized that I was so "me" focused that I didn't treasure and appreciate where I came from. So, I did something about it. I took my camcorder, set it on a tripod and spent many hours and days (but a few minutes at a time) interviewing her. Her stories were so precious. Fortunately, I stopped to spend quality time with her that resulted in VHS tapes that I gave out to my siblings and their kids when Mom passed away at age 94 in 2004. I was able to pass on our rich (not in money, but in faith and fortitude) family history.

As I type this today, my Holy Lands “bucket list” pilgrimage three years ago comes to my mind. The more we delved into the rich history of Christianity in the tours that explained so many of our “Family of God’s” history, the more I realized how much I need to be living everyday with great appreciation and gratitude for what our fore-fathers and mothers gave us. How can I do that unless I make the effort to know that heritage? Thankfully, I have a dear cousin, just a few years older than me, that kept up so much better than I did with our family. She accentuates all the positives – the blessings – of our rich family history of faith.

Imagine the wisdom that’s stored up in our elderly family members that could give us so much insight to how rich we are today because of the price they paid to get us here. My children are getting the best of me as I archive so many of my personal life experiences as well as all that rich family heritage that I recall to them. Now, take that even further in realizing the rich family history that goes back to our first “mother and father” (Adam and Eve), studying the scriptures to see where they went right…and where they went wrong – lessons they learned that we sure don’t want to repeat. So much wisdom to learn all throughout the Bible that can keep us pointed in the direction of peace, comfort and joy in our lifelong faith journeys.

I assure you that my Christian walk has been so faith-filled because of what I’ve learned in scripture from our “family heritage”. There have been times in my life where I’ve experienced the pain of my poor choices or actions. In those moments, it can be easy to entertain a notion that I have blown it, that God can’t use me and there’s no hope for restoration. I think we all face those feelings when we fail. During these times, I draw strength from God’s Word, where He tells the stories of heroes of the faith who blew it, like King David, Moses, Peter, Saul (Paul), Abraham and even more. In some cases, their failures were so extreme, it would be natural to say that God would have a right to turn His back on them. But that isn’t God’s nature. He is all about redemption. So when we fail, we can be thankful that God loves a good comeback story.

Paul reminds us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) This should give us hope that no matter what we may have done, our adventure isn’t over. God’s at work reclaiming our story. Failure doesn’t disqualify us, even if we’ve been following Jesus for some time. Our story is still being written. The only way that failure can get the last word in our life is if we choose to let it. We serve a God who is able to take our defeats and missteps and still use us to bring glory to his name. Whether we’re walking with Him faithfully or we’ve had a few stumbles along the way, God continues to encourage us to get up, brush ourselves off and build His kingdom.

I started this post with talking about my own family history and how it has affected my life for so much good. But our rich family history of faith is the yesterday, today and forevermore news and if we continue to review it, rehearse it, and make it known to our children and our children's children, we will carry on our rich family history until we all join together in one big, rich family reunion in heaven. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Our Rich Family History

Last Sunday as we sat around the table, we talked about our “first memories” as a child. Larry said: "I was very young and my mom and I lived in a small one-bedroom apartment. The little fold-up bed I slept on had a plastic cover on the mattress and the sound of the plastic when I moved around woke up my mom and me." He’s come a long way. And, thank God, his beginnings with a single mom caused him to be compassionate toward women who are raising their families alone. That’s one of the reasons he champions the EMwomen organization and the women that my daughter is so passionate about rescuing.

Recently, my cousin and I had a long telephone conversation about many precious family moments when we were young. Our grandparents and their fervent prayer life. Our mothers, who were sisters, and their faith that modeled to us the way we should go. One of my earliest memories was visiting her and my sister in their college dorm in Springfield, MO and eating pizza for the first time in my life. I was six years old. Funny – those earliest memories!

Last week, at the memorial service of a loved one, the pianist/vocalist invited us to sing along with him at the beginning of the service. The first song we sang was “The Old Rugged Cross” and at the first note, my tears began to flow. It was an old song I had not heard for many years and it reminded me of my “rich family history” of being in church, worshipping God and hearing all those stories and songs of God’s amazing grace.

When my mother was up in years, I realized I didn't know much about her history -- stories about her 12 siblings, what it was like living in a large family, how their parents were able to support them financially, how she met my dad, etc. What a shame that I waited so long to find out. I had been so "me" focused that I didn't treasure and appreciate where I came from. I did something about it. I set up my camcorder on a tripod and a few minutes and days at a time interviewed her. Her stories were so precious and so enlightening as to how far she had come and how strong she was throughout her years.

Fortunately, I finally stopped long enough to spend quality time with her that resulted in having VHS tapes made that I could give out to my siblings and their kids when mom passed away at age 94 in 2004. (I’m amusing myself as I type this when camcorders and VHS tapes are now just “blasts from the past”! I was able to pass on to my kids and siblings their rich (not in money, but in faith and fortitude) family history.

I own up to being nostalgic. I guess that comes with being on the other side of raising children, working and caring for a home and family with more time on my hands now to be thankful for my rich family history. I am one of those “older” family members who has a wealth of knowledge and stories just waiting to be shared. Thank you, Facebook, and social media for the ability to do just that. We spend so much time scrolling incessantly on our cell phones instead of one-on-one conversations with those who are filled with treasures that we are missing out on. We don’t talk and ask questions about their life and their past and what makes them who they are today. Maybe this little blog today gives you some inspiration to inquire about your family history – what it looked like “back in their day”, who were their heroes, what helped them conquer – especially in the days without so many conveniences and so much technology that we have today. You just may come to appreciate your rich family history, too!

I am so thankful that the richest family history we have was documented in God’s Holy Word – the Bible. The more I delve into the rich family history of Christianity, the more I know I need to be living every day with great appreciation and gratitude for what our forefathers and foremothers gave us. How can I do that unless I make the effort to know that heritage? Daily, I read or listen to a "Read-the-Bible-Through" in a one-year Bible app with scriptures and commentary. The scriptures come alive, especially as I hear some of the hair-brained mistakes made and the victories that were won by so many heroes of our faith. The history of our faith isn't OLD NEWS. It is the yesterday, today and forevermore news and if we continue to review it, rehearse it, and make it known to our children and our children's children, we will all be living in the plans and purposes of God's great love for His rich family.

Cornish Hens, A Street Sign and Noticing and Pondering

Lately, I've seemed to be more of a noticer AND a ponderer than ever before. Both words seem to be encased in the traditions of Christmas. I'm in good company. The shepherds were noticers of the angels who broke the news of their Savior's birth. The Wise Men were noticers of the star that led them to the Christ Child. And, Mary was a ponderer. Luke 2:19 says (after the shepherds departed): "And Mary pondered these things in her heart." I like that -- and I sure desire to follow Mary's lead, as well as the shepherds and Wise Men -- pondering and noticing.

Years ago, when we lived in Canada, our daughter, a high school student at the time, had some Winnipeg Jets Hockey player friends, and one young man became very close to our family. Along with the friendship that Staci had with this young man, my husband and I enjoyed friendship with his parents. I know it was, in part, because of both families having German backgrounds. They were fluent in speaking German. We were not, but Staci and I took some German classes at the University of Manitoba to help us understand and speak some of the language. I'd like to say we became fluent but NOT, but I can tell you that we enjoyed sailing with them on their sail boat and visiting them at their lake home. What still stays with us today, is one of the meals that Renata (that's the young man's mom) made for us. Grilled cornish hens that were seasoned with Spike. We loved it so much that it became a meal I duplicated and to this day, Staci asks me to make that meal for her -- it's become a family tradition. Grilled, "Spiked" Cornish Hens and Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta. In fact she asked me to make it for her birthday dinner. I did. Every time I have made that meal, I think about Renata and how precious she was and how much she loved my Staci. Pondering.

I was running here in Frisco the day after I made that meal for Staci a couple of days ago, and I NOTICED a street sign with the name Reata Drive. I PONDERED Renata and that delicious cornish hen meal and quietly thanked God for that memory, but then when I pondered, I prayed a little prayer for Renata. Silly thought? Or divine thought where I was led to pray for a friend that it's been well over 30 years since we were together. I took it so seriously that I found the young man (now, mature man) on Facebook and recalled some of our great times together, along with asking for his Mom's phone number. He responded with it and expressed his gratitude for our "history" together. Though I still haven't been able to get in touch with his Mom, I left her a message of gratitude for the memories and I let her know I was praying for her.

I like to think that just maybe.....noticing and pondering are part of seeing, hearing and sensing God WITH US. Remember Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel (God with us)? The more I've thought about those cornish hens and the brief encounter with a street sign called Reata, the more I realized we should all think of ourselves as “God with us.” When we understand that Emmanuel is with us, then even the thoughts we think just might be exactly what and who He's wanting us to pray for and reach out to. Maybe they are just not random thoughts but bullseye target thoughts where we are to be God’s representative to our world. We can live to purposely be aware of God with us and in us to be His "light" representative which means to express the reality of His attitudes, actions, and character in and through our lives.

Our History Leaves Clues to our Destiny

I was finally able to watch my daughter’s Warrior's Mindset Training that she provided Sunday night from Jackson, Mississippi. I had a ring-side seat on the motorcoach -- watching her put together that training. We were enroute back to Texas from Georgia, and it was time for her usual Sunday night LIVE time on FB for her mindset training.

Earlier in the afternoon, we had stopped at beautiful Dunns Falls to have a little breather and enjoy nature. The 65-foot waterfall was once used as a power source for a gristmill AND the manufacture of Stetson hats.

Stetson hats? At Dunns Falls? I thought "nice detour". Oh, but Staci was on purpose -- beyond the adventure. I saw her and Denise -- researching all that. Denise was reading James Stetson’s story to Staci. I had no idea what they were doing. It didn’t click with me. I was focused on my own blog for the day.

As I watched her mindset training, the reason for these stopovers and studying the history of that area, became abundantly clear. This girl was on a mission. I got it. I got what all that strategic planning and orchestration of the stopovers was all about. She was on purpose with a message, and she wanted to pour her heart out to us so that we would get it.

The underlying message was “Don’t let your history define you. Only use your history to propel you to where God has destined you and wants you to be." She talked about how she had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby and how we didn’t let that disease define her. We opposed it with everything we had in us and gave it to God and let Him take over. Today, she’s a spokesperson, leader, trainer, singer – completely the opposite of what the enemy wanted to do in her. Then she told James B. Stetson’s story.

"If there was one thing John B. Stetson hated, it was the patter of raindrops on his head. He knew the rain and East coast cold weather would make his tuberculosis worse. In 1859, on doctor’s advice, the 24 year-old John B. moved out West.

By the 1860’s, John B. was panning for gold in Colorado but found the rugged life made him sicker. When he was trapped in the mountains and threatened by sudden rainstorms and howling winds, ordinary clothing didn't keep him warm and dry. He knew he had to act fast to protect himself or die " so he hurled himself into the task. He noticed how beavers’ pelts repelled water in streams, so he trapped a few and created a thick fur felt that he used to make a tent, which kept him warm and dry.

John B., who came from a family of Hat makers, then decided to try using the fur felt for a Hat. His father, who taught John B. how to make felt in the first place, also taught him that a big air pocket between the top of the head and the Hat s crown created a cushion of warm air that kept the head warm. Outdoor western living taught him that a Hat had to have a wide brim to keep out the elements. It also taught him that hauling water was vital on the frontier, so he made the inside lining of his Hat waterproof. This meant it could double as a water bucket if needed. (That’s how Stetson Hats got nicknamed the "10 gallon" Hats.) John B. pulled all these elements together in his design. The finished product had an unusual 6-inch high crown and a 7-inch brim. The first famous Stetson Hat had been born.

By 1886, Stetson owned the world’s largest Hat factory in Philadelphia and employed nearly 4,000 workers. The factory was putting out about 2 million Hats a year by 1906. He was also among the first U.S. tycoons to offer benefits to reward workers for hard work. He dispensed free health care to employees and gave shares in his company to valued workers. As a philanthropist, he founded Stetson University in Deland, Florida, and built a Philadelphia hospital.

In Staci's story and in Stetson's story -- they had to overcome incredible obstacles and adversities, but those were what propelled them to their places of destiny and purpose. Where the enemy tries to steal, kill and destroy, God is already moving heaven and earth -- setting us up for huge comebacks. As I said earlier, history doesn't define us, but it can be the driving force that propels us to people, places and opportunities that can only come because of the setbacks.

Maybe this post today is to remind you where you came from and encourage you to pull from that past and use it to bring about those dreams and visions you have for your life. In the words of Paul Harvey....."and now you know the rest of the story."

Check out Staci's full Warrior Mindset Training video here:
https://www.facebook.com/staciwallaceofficial/

How BIG is Easter?

Tomorrow is Easter! And, of course, the reason Easter is the most important day on the Christian calendar is because of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from the dead. It is the most important event in the history of this world and the entire universe. True HOPE was established by the resurrection and it wasn't just some hocus-pocus magic trick or exercise in wishful thinking. If it were, then the whole thing would have fizzled out, but here we are 2,000+ years later celebrating that incredible day of all days. The resurrection of Christ is so big that it's the answer to everything that was, and is and is to come. I can vouch for it -- it is MY EVERYTHING. I'm already getting giddy about tomorrow morning -- for it's not just about another sunrise, but it's about the rising of the LIGHT of all LIGHTS, and that LIGHT brings with Him, mercies and hope and love EVERY morning -- not just Easter morning! So how BIG is Easter? Oh, it's only the answer to EVERYTHING!

What's Your Family Medical History?

A few weeks ago, I had surgery, and thanks be to God, I feel like a new woman now. But in preparation for that surgery, I had to consult with several doctors, and with each one, I had to complete a lot of medical forms that included questions like "What is your medical history -- have you or your family members had heart disease? diabetes? cancer? arthritis? etc." And, as a matter of fact....there were cases of those diseases in our family.

And I started thinking, as I encouraged myself with God's Word and faith, trust and hope, I thought, "What if there were a question on that form that said, "Have you or your family members had a history of notable miracles?" And, again, as a matter of fact....there were cases of those in our family.

For example: our daughter, Staci, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis -- diagnosis completely reversed (is a recording artist with a 5-1/2 octave range and public speaker today); my son, Ryan, had almost irreparable club feet -- completely healed (in fact runs 26.2 marathons regularly). Then, there's my father-in-law, who at age 62, had Lymphoma Cancer. After surgery, was told he would live, at best, six months, but, with his trust and faith in God, lived another 15 years. I was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis, but with God's guidance to natural health solutions -- I'm completely healed. How's that for "FAMILY HISTORY" facts? And how's that for "good genes"? I think we'll stake our claim on those genetics. I Chronicles 16:12 "Remember the miracles He performed, the amazing things He did and the judgments He pronounced!" No matter where you're at today....God is STILL a God of miracles -- REALLY....with Him, all things are possible!