Memorial Day

We all have ancestors, since none of us are self generating!  Though, that would be an interesting movie idea ....

This morning I was thinking about how if you dig back through your family history, all of us have someone or something that is memorable.  Perhaps someone in your past did something famous or infamous, perhaps even history shattering.  It is with no real delight that I am a direct descendent of Frederick the Great, he was not a very nice man, highly desiring of Jesus Salvation but too worldly hungry to ever find it.  Nor is it a delight to be a direct descendent of Ivan the Impaler, yeah he could and would slaughter Turk and Christian alike.  Sigh, my father's family is just riddled with less than astonishing men.  My mother's family? Henry Morgan stands out like a beacon, English privateer for the English Crown, but unable to control his personal problems in any manner.  And outside of the Ivan connection, always on the wrong side of the sheets.  Gees!

And probably like you, a whole host of potato farmers of no memory - just a name, all history lost.

There are others in my genealogy of lessor note, as I glace above, but almost nothing is known of them - other than then perhaps the manner in which they died and whom they were related to.

The earliest mention of a Plattner was in the 16th Century in Canton Basle.  A humble man, a root vegetable grower, a family man with several daughters, a poor man.  The only reason even he is known is because he took his hoe to a group of Roman Catholic Priests whom were hungry and felt it their right to take what he was growing.  So the letter to the Pope reads.  Well, it won him a place in history!  But, silence on the Plattner front until just over a century ago.

So what do I think on this Memorial Day?

The recently departed grandmother, great-aunt or even my father?  Nothing above to really celebrate.  No one fought in any wars - they may have been great thinkers and strategists, but none of them actual drew a sword other than Ivan and well, he was a bit touched.

And then I got to thinking about my spiritual heritage.  That long line of believers stretching back to whom?  One of the disciples? Paul? Or someone whom figured it out, putting all of those pieces together (with God's help of course!) in order to find Jesus for salvation?  And remembering those whom have played a part in my own salvation has brought a smile.

But, then again, perhaps to remember those whom I was a player in their finding their faith in Jesus.  Some long gone from this life, some still around and some still struggling.  And that brought a smile as well.

I think I will take the day and pray for those whom were instrumental in bringing me into the faith - directly or indirectly, as well as, for those whom follow me in this faith.  Hey, maybe even for me too - I have many struggles.