Lately I have become a bit of a genealogy buff... by genealogy buff I mean I've taken a huge interest in my ancestors. When I was writing my personal history for a class I realized I didn't base my past on a sequence of events; I based a lot of what I wrote on people who came into my life and changed it and made me a better person. I measure my life in love and I love people because they are truly what matters. Sure, places and events can make a lasting impact but things always happen, people can enter into your heart and lead you to beliefs and strength you never knew you had.
I want to know my ancestors, starting with my grandpa Lynn. I never knew this man but what I do know I cannot even begin to understand what kind of person he was. My grandma never talked about him much. In fact, I can only recall about three times that he was even mentioned in her stories. I've found so many things about him on the internet that I feel closer to him somehow. I believe we were both the intellectual type, which is unusual because my family is primarily semi-educated rednecks. (Which is not a bad thing by the way... they have more common sense and skills than most people.) I've never blended in with my family much because I was always the one who was studying some exotic subject or attempting to learn a language or instrument. My grandpa seemed to be a lover of knowledge and I really cannot wait to meet him sometime after this life. I found ticket information of his travels on a ship called the "Gripsholm" from when he traveled back to Denmark and Sweden.
In the Bible it tells the story of Elijah going up against the 450 priests to see who's God would set the sacrifice on fire and when the Lord burned it it consumed the whole alter and all of the water that Elijah had put upon it. The people were amazed and turned their hearts to the Lord. This is symbolic to me because the Lord will pour out blessings like fire to us if we just allow him to and do what we are told. We are advised to learn of our ancestors and to do genealogy. My heart is set on fire for these people whom I have never met but will someday meet.
It has been such a blessing to research these people using the miracle that is the internet! I wish I could encourage everyone to do it!
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