Great-grandfather? "We had none...the line failing before it had reached so far back."

In a Mark Twain novel*, the protagonist is trying to gather data for forming armies, one of them specifically for the nobility (to keep them out of other people's hair.)  He asks each candidate about his forbears. "Father?"  Then "grandfather?"...then "great-grandfather?"  When he gets to that question with one guy, the fellow explains, "We had none...the line failing before it had reached so far back".  (The interviewer gave up!)
                            ***************************

It's interesting how genealogies can start at either end, depending on the situation and culture.  In the Bible, the "begats" always start with the founder of the clan or tribe and work downward.  The sequence of ancestors gets named and placed as they appeared on the vertical  family timeline.  It finally ends up with the person whose line is being reported.

Nowadays, when we want to explore our lineage, we begin with ourselves and work backwards.  It's close to impossible for us to do it the historic way, since there are few records that go back so far, and there are no bards around to recite the lengthy generation-after-generation records they had memorized.
                               *********************************

It's fun to know what kinds of ancestors we had and where they came from,  but there's something that's much  more important to me.  That is my spiritual lineage.  As long as I know who my Father is, I have an identity.  I am part of His history, I am a member of His family.

"But You are our Father...You, O Lord, are our Father..."  (Isaiah 62:16)

"Have we not all one Father?  Did not God create us all?"  (Malachi 2:10)

""For in Him we live and move and have our being.  As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'.  There is one body and one Spirit...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."  (Ephesians 4:4-6)
                 ****************************************************************

Tomorrow I will travel with my husband to have a much-looked-forward-to visit with our descendants.  Our two children, their spouses and their offspring are precious to us.  They "belong".  We all "belong" to our family.  But even better, we all belong to God's family...we all call Him Father!
                                            
                                        ****************************




*A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Things that leap...and some that should (but don't always!)

Melbourne, Australia, early 1974.  Yeah, wallabies and their cousin kangaroos just amble down the streets of the city...friendly guys...HA!  Actually, we took this picture at the Melbourne Zoo, where they DO walk around, but within the confines of the zoo - which still gives them a lot of room to ramble and mingle with the visitors. 

Wallabies and kangaroos leap and hop because that's how they get to wherever they're going.  They can't do it any other way...and there's no reason to try, since their mode of locomotion works to perfection.  They were made to leap...
                       *******************************************

and so we were!  Not in the same way, of course, or for the same reason! We can do it literally, as the lame beggar who was healed in front of the temple. "He jumped to his feet, and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God."  (Acts 3:8)

But we can also do it with our soul and spirit, our inner being. Don't you sometimes feel that your heart "leaps" inside you when you hear some good news or are given a wonderful surprise?  We were made that way!  We were made to express our happiness and joy. Even when things don't seem to be going so well, there is always the Good News of what we are and can and will be through our Savior Jesus.  It can counterbalance the difficulties and draw us to the truths that make our spirits soar.  Jesus said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,  for yours is the Kingdom of God.  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven."  (Luke 6:20-23)

I imagine that when Jesus comes back, we will be so thrilled, so bursting with wonder and supreme happiness when we see Him, that we won't be able to keep ourselves from leaping for joy! And we may find that even that just isn't enough to fully express our gratitude and amazement!

"Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  Then will the lame leap like deer, and the tongue of the dumb shout for joy."  (Isaiah 35:5-6)  It is going to be unfathomably awesome!
                                *******************************************

             Let your heart leap for joy...let your soul turn somersaults in grateful praise!
                                              Let your spirit dance!

              "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: rejoice!"  (Philippians 4:4)

"I WAS BORN MODEST; NOT ALL OVER, BUT IN SPOTS."

In his humorous, satirical novel A Connecticut Yankee in Sir Arthur's Court,  Mark Twain puts these words into the mouth of his protagonist.  I think that they might be true of everybody, to a greater or lesser extent!

This photo of me (in late 1972) was taken in the house of my Aunt Marcia, Uncle Bob and six Gould cousins, down in their basement.  You might think that I was a great pool player, but...alas, the photograph gives a false impression!  You only see  what the picture seems to convey...and I could take advantage of that and let people think I was a pro...until they actually played with me, of course!  Then my lack of expertise would become obvious!  So why even try to make people think I'm something I'm not?  Yet, we all do it...maybe not "all over", but "in spots"!
                          ******************************************************************

The reason is that we're all human beings.  We may not actively strive for compliments, but when they come, we certainly don't complain, do we?  Human beings like to be admired and considered "good" at what we do or are.  But at times, our lives (like this picture) give a wrong impression. As someone said, "Some people think they've hit a triple when actually they were born on third base."  It's not at all bad to be valued and admired, but we need to keep modesty as a measuring stick, and not overdo things - either way. Romans 12:3 says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment with the measure of faith God has given you."  Be realistic.  Thank God for the talents and gifts He has given you, for the things He's helped you accomplish...but remember from Whom they came and Who's behind them!

A story was told of King George III of England, who prohibited the clergy to compliment him in their preaching when he was present.  When one of them went against this injunction, the king reprimanded him, saying that he came to the chapel to hear the praise of God, and not his own.

The psalmist said something similar:  "Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness."  (Psalm 115:1)

                          *****************************************

It is amazing to see the variety of talents and abilities, innate and acquired, that God has distributed among all his creatures.  But He didn't give them to us for the purpose of gaining us fame and renown! We should use them for  encouraging others, giving enjoyment, entertaining, helping those who need our particular gift...etc.  And, as we do so, let's try to "think of ourselves with sober judgment", knowing that when we put ourselves and our abilities in God's hands, He has the expertise needed to bring the most good from them, and wring the most mileage out of them!

I don't always find this easy.  Being restricted in my activities, due to my illnesses, at times it seems like I'm stuck in a corner, having to watch others go by (without me) with all their impressive doings!  I should, instead, thank God for those "impressive doings" when He uses them for His glory...and for the chance to watch Him as He weaves His tapestry of blessings.  (But I'm working on it!)

                             **********************************************

Lord, thank You for channeling your creativity through us all...yes, ALL,  for You have given every single one of us something of value to contribute!  May we use it wisely, modestly and gratefully.