Some Of My Roots

I come from a long line of hard working people.  They did what they had to do and somehow survived the horrors of our history books. 

Occasionally they were fortunate enough to get their hands on a camera and take priceless pictures like this one.  That's my granddad hanging out in a box 78 years ago.  I see my babies in this little boy.

This is my great- grandmother.  She died when I was 22.  I wish that I would have taken the time to get to know her.  She's a legend in our family.  She worked harder than I can imagine in a time that was not kind to women on their own.  She raised 6 children and went to college and became an expert in her work.  She also passed on a need to be well educated and a work ethic that makes me want to be better.   

If you were to take a picture of any group of kids on a hot summer day, the only thing different from this one would be their clothes.  There's always a kid who's not looking at the camera, one who's making faces, one who's just tolerating this nonsense so he can get back to playing.  Some things never change.

It's good to know where I came from.  It inspires me to know that if they made it through triumphantly there's hope for me too.  I always think of the scripture in Malachi where he says "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their father".  I don't have any doctrinal insight to offer this morning but I do know I love my family and I'm proud of where I came from. 

Feeling a bit sentimental today,

Kristen