By Debra DuPree Williams @DDuPreeWilliams
Sis and I talk
every day, first thing in the morning, which for us is usually somewhere
between eight and nine. I am not an early morning person unless I have to be.
Of course, we always talk about our kids and our grandkids, and in her case,
her soon-to-be eight great-grands. Wow!
Another thing you
know about me is that this November, for the first time, I am participating in
NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, the object of which is to get fifty-thousand
words written—a good start for a novel. I got a bit of a late start, but I’ve
managed to have somewhere around forty-thousand words in book two of my Charlotte
Graves series, when you add my NaNo words to my already-written words.
But, while I’ve
been writing a novel, many of you have been writing about things you are
thankful for. I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts. Among those of you doing
this is my niece, Shelly Foshee. She is my sister’s daughter-in-love. Shelly is
an amazing woman, one whom I wish all of you could know. She is daughter, wife,
mother, and now, Nana. Add to those, student, nurse, teacher, mentor, intercessor,
prayer-warrior. You get the picture. Busy.
Giving Thanks With Spirit Eyes
Each day this
month, Shelly has written beautiful words describing her relationship with one
member of her family and telling about that person as she sees them. During our
conversation this morning, Sis and I marveled at Shelly’s gift of words, how
she described each person in her life as she gives thanks for them. Well, this
writer could not have chosen better words, or words even as good as those
Shelly used. I can tell you this, she doesn’t see them with mere human eyes,
but with Spirit eyes, through Holy Spirit.
As Sis and I
discussed this, she relayed to me the story of her and my brother-in-love’s
courtship and eventual marriage—one that has lasted almost fifty-eight years. You
see, they dated, broke up for a year, then by God-incidence, were brought back
together by a friend. When she said that to me, I responded with Jeremiah 29:11—'For
I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not
for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’ (NASB)
I love those
words. This must be my most-quoted scripture. For years I’ve quoted it to my own
four sons. As I was talking to Sis and taking a moment to reflect on God’s
goodness toward her and her family, I was reminded of this—God knew Sis and
Bub, that’s what I call her husband, before they were born. He knew the paths He
would have them take.
Even though they broke up, thinking it was the end of
their relationship, God knew they would one day be married. He knew about their
children, their children’s spouses, their children’s children, and He even knew
about those great-grands who call Shelly and her husband, Sister’s son, Nana
and PopPop. He even knows the little one, Number Eight, safely tucked inside our hearts, and
his Mama’s body. And, He knows future generations for all time.
Genealogy Defined
This, my friends,
is genealogy. In my Strong’s Concordance, there are about three columns
that speak of generation or generations. In this same book there are at least
three pages under family or families. That tells me this
is an important concept to God. Think about all the begats in the Old Testament.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke give us the genealogy of Jesus.
Luke takes us from Jesus all the way back to Jesus's Father—God (Luke 3:23-38). Genealogy is
important. Family is important. Giving thanks for our families is important.
As we enter the
season in which we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of
Christ, let’s take time this next week to give thanks for our families. For the
generations who came before us. Who shared the love of Christ with us. If you
have family members who haven’t made a decision for Christ, know that I am
praying with you for them.
I'm so thankful
for my family. For all those who came before me, those whose names I know as
well as those I will only know once we meet in Heaven. I’m thankful for my
husband, our four sons, our daughter-in-love, our two wonderfully perfect
granddaughters. I’m thankful for my sisters, Bobbie, Kay, and Sue and their families.
I'm most thankful for being a part of the Family of God, for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I’m thankful for
each of you, and I thank you for allowing me to share my life and my family
with you. May God pour abundant blessings upon each of you.
Have you begun working
on your genealogy? If you need help with that, let me know. I’m not an expert,
but I know a thing or two. And, I have people.
TWEETABLE
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