Family Bibles and Personal History: A Spiritual Heritage

Open BibleWhen I recently learned that October is National Bible Month, it prompted me to explore the historical relevance of the Bible not only within the United States, but also on a more personal level. The Bible has a long and important history within the United States, particularly within our government and judicial system. The Founding Fathers based the U.S. Constitution on the principles of the Bible. Every U.S. president except one (Theodore Roosevelt, during his first inauguration in 1901 at the home of Mr. Ansley Wilcox following the assassination of President William McKinley) has been sworn into office with a Bible, usually opened to a page containing a meaningful verse. And throughout the history of our country, individuals – prior to testifying in a U.S. court of law – swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth as they raise their right hand and place their left hand on the Holy Bible.

Occasionally, particular Bibles become historically significant. Consider, for example, the Durant Bible at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was recently used as the Bible for the installation ceremony of the new chancellor, but its importance as a historical artifact is also signified by the steps taken to preserve the 414-year-old volume (see http://www.unc.edu/campus-updates/installation-durant-bible/).

In addition to government and higher education, a Bible can also play an important role in personal and/or family history. The scriptures within the Bible provide multiple genealogies, the most important being that of Jesus, and so it can be assumed that is why publishers initiated and maintained the custom of providing family tree charts in the front matter of most Bibles. Old Bibles typically feature several pages of ornate, beautifully drawn charts upon which a beloved family member painstakingly recorded – using flowing, cursive handwriting – the names and dates of births, marriages and deaths within the family. Many individuals possess an ancestor’s Bible, and often treasure it for the genealogical record that it provides, particularly when multiple generations diligently updated the information.  This one-of-a-kind handwritten document is so important to some family members that it can become a point of contention when distributing a deceased relative’s personal effects, and can cause emotional distress when a family Bible becomes lost or damaged. In fact, there is at least one Internet search board that helps reunite individuals with their family Bibles; visit http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?board=155.0

As important as the genealogical record is, I believe that there are other valuable connections between a family’s Bible and personal history. Simply remembering the appearance of the family Bible and how relatives used it can be relevant. For example, my great-grandmother read her Bible daily. It was a small, white, soft-leather Bible with gilt-edged pages and it had her full name monogrammed on the front in gold lettering. Although she kept it on her bedroom dresser, she always took it into the living room to read it in the comfort of her recliner (although I don’t ever remember her reclining while reading). Advanced in years, she often dozed off after awhile, almost always with one of her hands resting on the Bible’s open pages. As a child, I didn’t think much of her devotional time, but as an adult, I now understand that she helped to shape my spiritual journey by showing the importance of daily Bible reading.

I wish that I possessed my great-grandmother’s Bible. I know that she recorded our family tree within its pages, but I don’t recall if she made notes in the margins of scripture. Many people have told me how important their family Bible is to them because of loved ones’ notations regarding a particular passage or verse. Those scribbled marginal notes benefit my friends’ understanding of the scriptures and simultaneously give them insight to the spiritual struggles and victories within the lives of their ancestors.

Whether or not you currently own a family Bible, it is important to recognize that you can begin your own. Not only can you preserve your family’s genealogy, but you can also contribute to your family’s spiritual heritage.

Back-to-School Reality
school building

Source: Creative Commons

Entering into the fourth week of the new school year, I finally have time to return to my blog. The flurry of end-of-summer activities and back-to-school preparations somehow always catch me off guard. This year, I had to double my efforts as my second child officially entered the school system.

As is customary for many children, my kids were filled with both excitement and trepidation on that first day of school. My oldest was excited only for the fact that he would be seeing his friends every day. My youngest was eager to be a “big” kid and see firsthand what “real” school (apparently, preschool did not count) was all about.

I planned to provide them with a great breakfast, get them there before the masses arrived, and take Pinterest-worthy photographs of their big day.  In reality, I overslept, fed them cold cereal, and broke the speed limit only to stand in line with a throng of other highly stressed parents and children as we endured the new security procedures. As for my post-worthy photos, I had to be content with a sour-looking expression from my oldest and a partially blurry image of my youngest as he moved with the crowd into the school.

Despite my failures and the chaotic start to their school year, they are enjoying it, making new friends, and they are creating memories. That realization got me to thinking about my own school memories. I do not vividly recall my very first day of school (not until college, anyway), but I do remember many other things. My education began with half-day kindergarten where making cottage cheese and playing instruments in music class come to mind. Elementary school was filled with wall-mounted pencil sharpeners, cleaning chalkboard erasers, cherry-bumping kids on the teeter-totter, spelling bees, learning multiplication facts in fourth grade, learning to play the clarinet, and being startled by the sudden THWAK of a serving spoon (wielded by the cafeteria monitor) hitting a lunch table to subdue the din caused by all six grades of students at one time in a combined gymnasium and cafeteria.

As for high school, I loved it. There are so many memories, I could write an entire book about them. Thus, when my personal history clients are having a difficult time knowing where to start or what to talk about, I often recommend discussing their school memories. No matter what their experiences – whether good or bad – they remember a great deal about their school years. That one topic includes a variety of categories (i.e., friends, teachers, rules, transportation, meals, discipline, sports, and classes) that can then lead to deeper discussions about the society and events of that particular era.

What about you? What are some of your school memories? Share them here in the Comments section, and be sure to document them privately for your family as well.

Top 5 Reasons to Preserve Family Stories
  1. Love Letter - iStockphotoNo one else can write a story about your life as accurately as you can. You know yourself better than anyone else. For example, family members probably know when you were born and married, and where you lived and worked.  But unless they directly ask you, they will have no idea what your childhood was like or what you were thinking during your first job interview.
  2. Reflection often brings better understanding of past experiences. Celebrate your accomplishments, but discuss the difficult aspects of your life as well. When we are in the middle of a difficult situation, we’re often in survival mode – focusing on how to get through the ordeal. It’s only afterward, sometimes years later, that we come to understand the meaning of the situation and how we grew from the experience. In addition, reminiscence is a growing trend that in some cases can improve cognitive functioning, reduce depression and increase self-esteem.
  3. It’s a way to impart your morals, values, hopes and dreams to future generations. Facts are important and serve a purpose, but being willing to go beyond the basics to share your advice and beliefs will impact others in a much more meaningful way. Be honest – wouldn’t it be nice to know that future generations will get to know you as a person, rather than just another name on the family tree or some face in a photo album?
  4. You have a unique connection to the past. Social norms, geographical locations and popular trends helped to shape your life. This is where photos, letters, memorabilia, recipes, awards and more turn your story into a one-of-a-kind historical artifact.
  5. You can become the link to the past for family members who are now deceased. Even though it may be too late to obtain a first-person interview with your great-grandmother, you can document your own memories of her and ask other family members to share their recollections of what she was like.
Avoid A Tragedy – Share Your Life Story
man with head in hands

Source: Creative Commons

Let’s face it: Life is chaotic and seems to move at warp speed. Every day we’re faced with myriad decisions, countless things to check off our to-do lists, work and family responsibilities … the list goes on. We fill our days to overflowing in a perpetual cycle. Rarely do we take the time to document our discoveries, joys, and challenges.

Although there are some who manage to carve out time to maintain a daily journal, and some who write about their travels, few sift through their volumes of notebooks to pinpoint strategic moments that helped to shape their lives and write about the lessons that they have learned. Yet this is what enables us to not only build our own character, but to also mentor and encourage those closest to us – even after we’re gone.

As a personal historian, I am privileged to gain access to the precious memories of my clients. One client in particular recognized the importance of documenting his story. He contacted me during the end stages of his battle with cancer. As with all of my clients, I met with him in the comfort of his home. As we sat in his office – he reclining in his La-Z-Boy and I seated in his leather armchair – he recounted his childhood in vivid detail. All I had to do was attentively listen and ask an occasional question for clarification. Remembering certain events and speaking of beloved people brought occasional tears to his eyes, and many times he would stop and say, “You know? I’ve never told my children about that.”

In fact, he had never told his children much at all about his life before their births. His adult life had revolved around providing for his family, and although he had been a very active father figure – coaching the children’s soccer teams and taking family vacations – he had never shared the lessons from his past. When he contacted me, he realized the importance of documenting his childhood and young adult life for his children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, he passed away before he was able to share all that he had intended to document. But his children are very grateful to now possess a book that contains a part of their father that they never knew before.

Don’t let the same tragedy happen to your personal history. Beginning your life story is as simple as selecting one major life event and writing about it. No matter how small or large the end result, your loved ones will cherish it.