The Beauty of Fatherhood

This is one popular video and for good reason- it's wonderful!

The video is slightly too big to fit the entire screen here on the page, so you can watch it fully at:
Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

Fascinating Ancestors

My  2nd great-grandfather, Diogenes John Mallory- Civil War

I'm a family history buff.   It can't be helped; I was raised on stories of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly from ages past, listened with one ear to my mother and grandmother's tales as I played with my siblings and cousins, and came away with an awesome sense of history and how our family lines played their own parts, whether great or seemingly insignificant.

Whether we want it or not, we are always connected to those who came before us, paving the way for our own chance at humanity.   We can learn from their mistakes, take courage from their bravery and use it to better our own lives and families.  

Today, I am inspired by my grandmother's paternal heritage- the Mallory line.  Theirs is a long and colorful history, but I am most intrigued with those who lived here in America.  The first, Peter Mallory, came to this country around 1635 and settled in Connecticut.  He signed the Planter's Covenant in the New Haven Colony in 1644 and became a successful land owner with ten children.  We are descendants of his oldest son, Peter.

Many of the Mallorys emigrated to Canada in the late 1700's.  They settled on land along the St Lawrence River and founded what is now Mallorytown there. They also settled in New Brunswick as well.

Coming down through the family line, we meet up with my great-great Grandfather, Diogenes John Mallory or 'Gene'.  I had only seen a photograph of  him as an old man until recently. 
His Civil War photo is captivating.  He looks to me like a teenage boy, and not unlike many boys today.   I see some of my younger brother in him and a few cousins, as well.  I would like to have known him.

He was born in Michigan, but later moved to Kansas, where he raised a family of eight children. His wife, Sarah Emily De Reemer, my great-great Grandmother and another fascinating ancestor, has a line through her father that goes back seven generations to the Mohawk Indian tribe, part of the Iroquois confederation. 
She died at the young age of 56.  The family loss caused my great-grandfather, just 18, to strike out on his own.

Sarah De Reemer Mallory and Diogenes Mallory

My great-grandfather, Jesse Eugene Mallory-
A handsome man who was a jack-of-all-trades, he was an avid gardener and tree grafter, kept an aviary and raised a family in Oregon.  For a while, he had a barber shop in Oakland, California.  My grandmother, his second daughter, was born in a back room.
I am proud to be his namesake.

Jess Mallory with granddaughter

 Learning about and connecting with my ancestors gives me the sense that they know they are not forgotten.  I know they too, experienced joy and struggled with hardship, laughed, cried, loved and, perhaps most importantly- lived.

 Content copyright © 2013 by Jessa at Graceful Landing

Two Wolves

http://www.all-about-wolves.com

 From a Cherokee legend:

There is a story of an old Cherokee teaching his grandson about life.  "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.
"It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves.  One is evil: he is anger, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

 He continued, "The other is good: he is joy, peace, love,  hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.  The same fight is going on inside you- and inside every other person too."

 The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"  
  The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed." 

On Setting Goals

A new year is upon us and the usual thing to do is set goals to improve your life.
If, this year, you're finding it a little more difficult, I encourage you to read the following article by Jenny Penton  from Planner Perfect. I couldn't have written it better!

When You Don't Feel Like Setting Goals

Here's an excerpt:

.....But what if you don't feel like setting goals; if your season in life has you, well, less than inspired? When those happy goal-setter people almost make you mad!

There is no doubt that in order to live by your dreams and goals, you need to be inspired; to dream. 

I have been in these kinds of seasons. Whether pregnancy sickness, hard relationship issues, health issues with our loved ones, or just a time where I'm off, I don't feel like being a dreamer, writing and scripting my dreams and goals. 

Let's face it. We need to be inspired, feeling good; happy.

I'm here to encourage you to understand it is a season; and to keep it a season. Your goals in this time should be to allow yourself to feel this way and then move into scripting your steps to move forward into the land of goal-setting and dreaming again. 

God can use this time for us to show us we need him. It's these times when I've learned the most for allowing myself to completely depend on God and the importance for forever surrendering to Him; giving up my control. To never depend on my natural-self again..... 

May this new year be one filled with Hope, Faith and Charity towards all.

New Year