Today I’m thankful…
…for the story of God’s mercy, poured out upon my family from generation to generation
…for the heritage of teachers in our family–from Mary Helen Nelson (my great-grandma) to Carol Pierce (my grandma) to Kathy, Alice, Martha, Rachel, Patty, and my mother.
Mary Helen Nelson’s Teaching Certificate, 1918
…for the generations before who compiled family trees or otherwise collected memorabilia (Special thanks to Ernest Clay, who collected the Clay history back to my great, great, great grandfather Claus Nelson aka Charles Nelson Clay born in Sweden in 1822.)
…for the pictures my grandma has collected, including helpful notes whenever possible
Great-Grandpa Frank Ernest Pierce and Great-Grandpa Orval Anthony Cook
Note on back of previous picture
…for the scanner I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my grandma possesses, probably thanks to an aunt (of mine). I spent the last couple of days scanning scads of family documents (not that I’m anywhere close to having them all.) Now I’ve got enough documents to keep me plugging away on my genealogy/family history stuff for another good while.
…for the stories both Grandma and Grandpa shared with me during this recent visit. My notebooks continue to collect the wealth, ready to be shared at some point–and now my new MP3 player contains a segment of one of Grandpa’s stories too.
Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
Which we have heard and known,
And our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,
And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
For He established a testimony in Jacob,
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers,
That they should make them known to their children;
That the generation to come might know them,
The children who would be born,
That they may arise and declare them to their children,
That they may set their hope in God,
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments”
Psalm 78:1-7