Is Family History of Value?

It is a wintery cold today...the difference from winter is that the sun is beaming over a landscape laden with green and blossom. The temperature forces me to wear clothes unfit for the season. Thirty five degrees on April 29th is a cold day by anyone's standard. I can only hope the cold succumbs to the power of the sun and we return to spring quickly.

The flowering trees are bursting with pride presently. Lilacs are getting close to full bloom. It all lasts such a short time that one feels as if one should just stand and gaze and like a sponge, soak it all up so that one can endure the lack thereof for another year. Lilacs have such poignant aroma. I love them but know that many of my friends are highly sensitive to their strong smell. A large freshly picked bouquet of lilacs on my kitchen table is about as good as it gets. Their beautiful shade of purple with their fluffy fullness hang over the edges of a vase better than most flowers. Yesterday, I read that lilac bushes can live hundreds of years. The oldest lilac bushes in the United States date back to 1750. I don't recall knowing that before. Saturday night while my uncles and aunts were our guests, we were going through family pictures of the l930s. As my aunt, whom lives on my grandparent's farm viewed a picture, she said, "Look!, they are standing in front of the lilac bushes!" Those bushes are standing yet today and each year faithfully share their beauty. I don't have any large bushes so I will have to beg a bouquet off someone else.

Today, I'm going to Merrillville to meet the Montana cousin and one of her sisters for lunch. While visiting with us on Saturday evening, Ken and I shared that we had a map of the "Holland Settlement" where our grandparents and great grandparents tried their hand at homesteading in Montana. She was very interested in seeing the map and try as we may, we could not find the map. Yesterday, I found the map without much effort at all. I called the cousin and asked if she would like to meet me in Merrillville to get the map as it would be better to hand deliver as to mail. I will go a bit early and make a few more copies to have on hand for other relatives who may be interested.

As I muse over all the reminiscing we have done in regard to family history the last few days, I wonder what all the fuss is about. It isn't really a big deal....or is it? I have cousins that don't get into our family history at all......why do I count it so important? Then my mind is brought to the history of the family of God in the Old Testament. Why is it kept for us in such a grand historic document? To see God, of course. Yes, when I learn more about my family history, I see God. The Word tells us that God is faithful, one generation to another. As I sit and dine with my second cousins today, we will talk about many things that will reflect God's faithfulness to us, and to our parents, grandparents and great grandparents. It will be a good thing to recount His goodness to us. It has made us the people we are.........reminiscing makes us note the sins of the past, God's forgiveness and His grace that has always lifted us above our failings. I praise Him today for holding us in the family of God.