It would have been my Dad's 89th birthday on Saturday. I had been thinking about him during the week and my ancestors. This prompted me to look at the family tree again which I had previously traced to 1798. My maiden name is pretty uncommon so it was relatively easy to do. Anyway, I found a Website from my ancestors' area in Lancashire. On this Website somebody had posted a family tree of a man with the same surname dating back to 1580. Imagine my surprise when I saw my grandparents names on it! I contacted the Website and they are interested in my old photos from both World wars as they contain people from that area. So I scanned 23 photos of my dad and his family plus war photos and emailed them to the Website. The Website is amazing and I was moved and delighted to see photographs that someone had placed on there of about 15 gravestones with details about my ancestors. Not only that but they are in a Baptist Chapel graveyard. My Christian heritage. My grandad was a lovely humble Methodist who worshipped at a Wesleyan Chapel so it is news that ancestors from 100 years before were Baptists.
We went to the leaving party of one of our church leaders on Saturday. Whilst we are really excited about his future we will really miss him, his teaching and preaches. He preached for the last time yesterday and what an amazing sermon it was too. He preached on Joseph and how God has been working for our good before we are born, is working for our good whilst we are alive and also in the future.
Yesterday afternoon was glorious so we went for a long walk across the golf course. Spring has definitely sprung.
The children break up from school on Friday which I'm looking forward to. Worked hard today transcribing interviews and writing field notes and memos.
2 comments:
what a wonderful Christian Heritage :-) Its good to be able to celebrate him.
Sad to see the church leader go. Will you get a new one? Where is he going?
Caroline...just read that amazing post and am in awe of how far back you can trace your family tree!!! Wow and Yay God!
Lately I've been thinking a lot about the time when my parents leave Earth...am asking Jesus to tell me in advance to prepare and to discuss the reality of it with them, particularly mom.
I so appreciate the friendship I have with you and look forward to that day we sit over tea or coffee and hear each other's heart!
I imagine it's a painful thing to remember and not to be able to touch your dad any longer. I am proactively living each moment so as not to have any regrets when my folks pass...sigh...
Praise Jesus for eternity!~
Have a great weekend.
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