Keeping Our Priorities Straight

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Using our time wisely is the balance we need
when pursuing our family history.

To everything there is a season!

Thinking about Family History and Genealogy can be overwhelming. The breadth and scope of family history encompasses so much. I like to think about Genealogy as first, gathering important information about your family from those relatives that are still living, then establishing a pedigree chart and family group sheets with proper documentation of your sources of information. As you carefully collect your data and gather your information you begin to establish the foundation for the research that you can now do electronically and through various other means, to begin to create your family tree.

By learning the methodology of research, and finding a way of organizing your files and documents that works for you, that tree of yours will hopefully begin to blossom, eventually dating back many generations. You want to be extremely careful in how you connect someone to their parents. One error there and your family tree will not be accurate. People have spent years barking up the wrong tree, so to speak. So careful research, analysis and documentation of where you get your information is extremely important. A genealogy is only as good as its documented sources. You must be patient and thorough. This takes commitment, dedication and time.

Family History is a broader umbrella that encompasses genealogy but is not limited to it. One question that comes up fairly often is how do we get people motivated to do this important work? It seems that the people that are not motivated cannot see why they should be. I think it is a legitimate concern. Some people wonder how they can possibility concentrate on the dead when the living take up all their time and energy? Also a valid thing to ponder. Some are just so busy getting through the hurdles of each day to even think about it.

Along with prioritizing the importance of Family History in your life's work, the sequencing of the steps to accomplish your goals is important. As an example, you need to download a software program before you can start to store your genealogy electronically. That may necessitate finding a good workspace, getting a computer, Internet service, etc.

It seems that if you have a house full of tiny ones, or you are currently unemployed or dealing with a serious illness, or any number of other big issues, family history can slip to the bottom of your pile pretty easily. But you can do something little to prepare, like getting a username and password for the use of http://new.familysearch.org. We often have that all or nothing kind of a mentality, thinking that it will just have to wait until we can devote ourselves exclusively to it. We all know that day never really comes and quickly the years come and go and little gets accomplished.

To me the most important thing is to realize that even though there is a season in a person's life when this work can be done more easily, there is no reason to put it off totally until that time arrives. Little by little much can be accomplished. Ideally your family history should be something you work on all of your life. It is never done so there is no reason to think that at some point you just stop. Family history is a living growing thing, just like your family life.

As you focus more consistently, even in small doses on this work (see YouTube 5 Minute Genealogy videos), you will truly begin to appreciate the eternal aspect of families and how one generation influences, shapes and contributes so much to the next. The reverse is also true. The descendents of a person also contribute so much. We are so blessed to be able to look in both directions for a wonderful and balanced legacy of family life.

The Lord knows all of this! He has not asked us to do this work just as busy work. He never asks us to do something that doesn't bring glory to his name, bless us and bless others.

Matthew 22:37-40 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

He knows who belongs to which family! The ancestors that become lost to us are not lost to him! He has asked us to do it because of the benefit and understanding it brings into our hearts and minds and to benefit others. It is also a way for us to help build his kingdom and to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (his children), which is God's work and his glory.

This is a fact; we love whom we serve. We will never find the time, we have to make the time. When he asks us to do something he will provide a way for us to accomplish it, if we but ask. The first step of an active faith is to act. We must make the move..get on the road.

Take the first steps...it is a lovely road!

Why do People Do Genealogy Anyway?

Of course there are many reasons but one is the way it connects us to the ages. Knowing about those that went before us, helps us to understand our heritage and ourselves better. As we learn about their lives through searching for their records and stories we learn about how to deal with and handle the things that come up in our own lives. I saw this video this morning and found it so beautiful. Here is one Hawaiian lady's story and what it meant to her.



If you are reading this via a subscription to your email, here is the link.

http://youtu.be/1FNyqX1aAAU

Riding the Wave of Our Legacy

San Francisco,

July 2o11

When I was at the Genealogy Conference this past week one of the speakers said, "We don't have to create the wave we just need to learn how to ride it."

He was speaking of the rapid advancements in technology and the digitization of the world's genealogical records that are being made available to all.

It just made me think of this photo I took a few weeks ago and how this surfer was struggling to ride that wave against tremendous counter forces. The surfer was making a gigantic effort to stay on top of it, he had a great passion for his sport, but that wave was like a bucking bronco. But he managed through sheer grit, determination and practice to stay upright.

It is how I have often felt about genealogy. I love it and I know I am supposed to be doing it but that bucking bronco wave has been a challenge. Not because I didn't have the passion...well, qualifying that, it was budding, shall we say? It is a perennial flower in my garden and has been popping up in one way or another all my life. Who else do you know that completed their own baby book at age 7 because their mom was too busy taking care of her family?

Working 8 hours one day a week at a Regional Genealogical Center requires that you know something. Well, I think I do know a lot about it having been at it periodically for about 30 years. I have always had the desire. Problem was, it was more off than on, when it came to actually DOING it while raising kids, working full time, taking care of my mom and, doing my church callings, etc. etc.

So the last 8 months have been like starting over in many ways. Genealogy is a living, ever-changing, huge beast, in spite of its preoccupation with the deceased. They may be resting in peace but we who are searching for them are not. At least not those of us who only have an inkling about HOW to do the research.

This conference was my piece de resistance, it was the thing that changed my paradigm from thinking I will never get this to...yes, I will. In a play on words, it was what brought the peace to my resistance. It helped me visualize the big picture and helped me fill in some of the holes in my Swiss cheese conception of the whole thing.

The Dashing of My Resistance Upon the Rocks!

At the Family History Conference I was able to spend a whole week with people that enlightened me and inspired me, and taught how things that seem impossible can be achieved one step at a time. I got a glimpse from their brilliance of what is possible. I love each of those teachers for what they have given me. The generosity in sharing what they have was incomparable. I want to be able to help people in that way someday.

Well, I am no genealogical surfer yet and that wave is huge and frightening and moving lots faster than I am. But I am finally standing up on the board, metaphorically speaking, and I love it. I am excited and determined to learn as much as I possibly can while I continue on with my family history through blogging and researching our family tree.

Jim and I are both going to learn this stuff and share it! We want to pay it forward! We are not retired ~ we are just rewired! The blessing of discretionary time is the option of choices. Now to determine the way I am going to accomplish this work little by little, precept upon precept. I have already made a to do list that is several pages long.

Some of Aunt Jean's flowers from
her recent memorial service.

A very special thank you to Dan Lynch, D. Josh Taylor, Ransom Love, Barry Ewell and most especially, Stephen Ehat. You are my heroes! Wild Horses couldn't keep me (and hopefully us) away from this conference next year. And it will take me at least that long to learn and begin to practice the information in the syllabus from this year!

"You are not dead and gone until you are forgotten."
Another quote from the Conference.

Genealogy's Evolution~An Overview

July 2011

August 5, 2011

Each morning at the Family History and Genealogy Conference held at Brigham Young University there was a keynote speaker. One morning that speaker was D. Josh Taylor. I found Josh to be a very interesting young man. He became interested in genealogy when he was ten and has been researching and actively involved ever since. He has an MA in history and now an MLS (Masters of Library Science) as well. I think he is 26. He is nationally known for his genealogical expertise and is a dynamic speaker.

Here is what interested me so much about him. He is a guy that has never known the world without technology. It is almost like the technology is a part of his brain and how it functions in a way an older person can barely imagine. He thinks fast, talks fast and thinks in versions. As in software and hardware updates and versions! It is quite remarkable really. He left a lot of boomers in the dust for sure. Me included. He speaks in staccato phrases with nano second pauses. Part of it is his obvious innate intelligence, part of it his overwhelming enthusiasm and part of it simply his generation!

It was a very stimulating experience to listen to him and it made me want to go back to school and learn, learn, learn! Can I also say it made me want to be 20 again so I could grow up in this era. This is the only experience I have had that made me wish for that incidentally. I am quite contented being the age I am otherwise. But this time is a very exciting era and things are changing at warp speed. Somehow I am hopeful that jumping on the bandwagon, no matter how late, is an antidote for Alzheimer's. Wouldn't that be awesome?

Here is a thumbnail sketch of what he presented during that hour. Josh spoke of the history of genealogy in versions, like I said, as if it was soft or hardware new releases.

It is an act of service and love to remember
our ancestors and preserve their memories!

Gen 1.0 He talked about genealogy in early America. Remember in the day when the Mayflower Society was first emerging in the late 1800s? Then as now, there were societies basing their membership on proven lineage to an ancestor who came across the ocean on the Mayflower. Did you know there are only 29 men from the Mayflower with proven descendants? I didn't until I did a little investigation of this society. And look at all the descendants now. To hear the banter in genealogical circles, in my naivete, I was imagining the ship had to be the size of Noah's Arc, but no... just 29 men are responsible. Amazingly prolific is all I can think! Other prestigious social societies were being formed and people wanted in so they searched their heritage as a means to an end.

The DAR (Daughters of The American Revolution) also cropped up in that era. They now have chapters in every state and around the world as well. All of the members must also prove a bloodline back to the the revolutionary war participants. There are the SARs as well and others. People's interest in their genealogy was stirring. Little did they know then of the sleeping giant that was about to awakened not only in the U.S. but worldwide.

Gen 2.0 Generation 2 came when microfilming became the way to record and store vital records and other pertinent information. In Salt Lake several immense granite vaults store worldwide genealogical microfilmed and other records. In this generation you could order films and search endless records on old film readers and microfiche readers. We still have them but they are not used like they use to be. Just last week the ordering of these films was computerized so patrons of the library can order them online from Salt Lake City, Utah instead of having library personnel do it for them. In Gen 2 nothing was digitized.

Gen 3.0 This was the generation of "Roots" by Alex Haley. On the Best Seller List for over 100 weeks this book revolutionized the way people thought about their heritage. Everyone pondered about their ancestors in a difference way, and some for the first time ever. The sleeping giant was awakened. This was also the era of the personal computer's emergence into our culture. Still primitive, but definitely catching the attention of the every day man and woman. I remember Jim and I talking about one and were wondering what in the world people would actually do with them. We thought maybe store recipes and make to do lists. Ha! If only we had had the vision of where it could go then. If only we did now!!

Gen 4.0 This is where we find ourselves today. There are thousands of genealogy websites on the internet, everything is being digitized at a rate of millions of records going up on line for our use monthly. It is truly mind boggling. Last time I checked on this, genealogy was the second most popular hobby in the United States but since then I have heard it is #1 in the world. I may have heard that from a genealogist though so I am not sure! Sources, we need source..for everything, right? Technology is moving at the speed of light and it's a full time job to even begin to keep up. The sleeping giant is fully awake now and a breathing, living entity. It's always changing and growing into something bigger and better.

So what is Josh's vision of...

Gen 5.0 One thing he sees is a whole new generation of technology experts emerging in our youth. He envisions the fever of genealogy will be sweeping the earth and this generation of youth will become very involved in mass numbers. Genealogy will not just be for the older crowd anymore. (Well, that is a load off as we definitely could use some help!!)

He sees the social networks like Google+, Facebook, and Twitter becoming an integral part of sharing information with people all over the world. He even mentioned that people will write their family histories 140 characters at a time on Twitter. I thought that was hilarious and also very possible. One lady at the conference stated in her presentation that she had her young teens buy into genealogy work by letting them play a "video game" called indexing for 30 minutes a day. I loved that! Even more hilarious ....don't you think?

So Josh made me think and made me appreciate how far we have come and what the future might look like for the genealogist. One thing I know for sure...the Lord's hand is in all of it and He is giving us all the help we could possibly need for now. Are you in? I am!

A record I found online of a family marriage last week.
In the "olden days" it would have taken forever,
now five minutes. So exciting!
Wouldn't it be nice if all the records were
so beautifully written and completely legible?