Family Trees

Although I have had friends and relatives who have done extensive research on their family trees, I have not been as interested as I should have been - until now.

My interest started a few years ago when I realized the stories my father was telling me about World War II would be lost unless I had him write them down. Thankfully, before he died, he prepared a notebook for me of his war experiences which included his honorable discharge papers, pictures and a few memorabilia. (Picture is of my father in England during WWII).

Then my father-in-law passed away. He was our last living parent. He, too, served in WWII. I am extremely proud of both of these men and the contribution they made to my life, their Christian influence and their service to our country.

I have been helping my husband with settling Pop's affairs by going through his house, sorting through pictures, cards and newspaper clippings and putting them in four separate piles - one for each of the four sons that he had.

Unfortunately, I did not do with Pop what I did with my dad. I don't have a notebook or a written record of his war experiences. There is some hope, though, of piecing it all together.

Although it took me a very long time, I was glad that he and Mom - or his mother (photo is of his mother and his father in his WWI uniform) - never threw any picture or card away. Some of the things we discovered in his collection of pictures, etc. were surprises. We are having to dig to find out who some people in pictures are and are discovering connections we didn't know we had.

There is still much research to be done to answer some of the questions that have developed, but if we don't do it now, that information will be lost for the next generation and the next.

This experience has put a new light on some biblical passages that I used to read through hurriedly or sometimes pass over altogether. God evidently thinks family connections are important. I will never again read through the genealogies in His word the same way. What is important to Him should be important to me - and it is.

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob - the sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin (Genesis 35:22b-24). Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (Genesis 36:1). The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).