Lineage

The Tenth Day of Christmas: The Evangelist Matthew begins his biblical account of Jesus' life with his ancestry.  All Jesus' paternal fathers were listed, in an unbroken line.  "Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations" (Matthew 1: 17).  Why is this important? To prove that Jesus is descended from King David, that he was the promised redeemer, The only major religious leader who was "pre-announced."  All the others announced that they had the words to save people for their version of heaven.  Jesus alone claimed to BE God. Jesus IS the Word.

The Evangelist John gives Jesus' ancestry in a different manner: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).  How totally profound is this!

As a child and teen, I remember being bored out of my mind when these and other long lists of ancestors were read in church.  Now I fully realize the importance of our heritage.

One of my plans in 2014 is to research my ancestors.  I know my mother's folks back to my great-great   grandparents but only back to my grandmother on my father's side.  Armed with a few birth dates, death dates, cities of birth, I hope to go much farther in my quest.  Mother's mother told me, "our people came from the Black Forest of Germany."  I hope to find out if this is true, and the town.

This year, my brother, Don, and I have plans to go to our dad's hometown and see what we can find.  Before that, though, I'll research online through cemeteries and censuses.  Have you ever heard of Cerro Gordo or Saltillo or Savannah, all in Tennessee?  We should have fun!  Perhaps one day, Don and I will venture to Germany.

Family connections are vastly important, for many reasons.  Ten or so years ago, I thought I should make a Family Medical History for my children and grandchildren.  I found a list of forty genetic diseases and listed  any of the conditions in the medical history of all relatives I knew.  As a whole, we are a sturdy and healthy family.  Many of our deceased relatives suffered from high blood pressure.  We are also 'lithogenic,' produce lots of kidney stones and gallstones.  Other conditions such as asthma and Alzheimer's disease are found in only several people.  Remember how you're always asked your family medical history at your doctors' offices?  This is important information to know.  It gives physicians a starting point to focus on your health.

Then I recalled all the many questions I wish I would have asked my parents and grandparents when they were alive.  I wondered if any of my children or grandchildren would want to know the answers to these questions about me.  So my "Family Medical History" morphed into "Your Heritage: The Personal History of Janice M. Jurgensen and Family Ties."  Every year, I review it and add new things I remember.  There are now twenty-three chapters on 136 pages.  The topics range from "Places I've Lived" to Careers I've Had" to How I Learned to Cook" and "What I Like to Collect." Gradually, I've been able to photograph most of the houses I've lived in.  It's been fun!

What about your family?  Is this important to you?

God, we know you wanted us to live in this particular time and in this particular family, for our good, and our family's good, because you cared so much for us.  Help us love all our relatives and friends this year, even more than we ever have before!