Genealogy Revelations Project

Company - Genealogy Revelations

Hostess - Anna Rae

Anna graciously gave me a research package for review purposes.   I have always been curious about my extended family history.  I have seen all kinds of places online to do one's own research, but just don't have the time or the interest in doing all that work!  Anna had me fill out a questionnaire.  I answered easy questions including names of parents and grandparents. I also told her any dates of marriage, birth and death that I was aware of.   I told her the names of states and cities where our family has lived.  I chose to only have her search for my side of the family because my husband didn't want to "play." (gentle smiles)

 I have my parents nearby and they were able to confirm much of Anna's findings.  For example, my mother didn't know her grandmother's name.  But when I read the report, she immediately remembered that, yes, her name was "Maggie."  I was delighted!  My father didn't remember his grandparent's names or the names of his father's siblings. Anna found those for us and we were just thrilled. 

It was great to see the neatly organized report, in a beautiful binder.  The report included:

1. Introduction, which was a letter from Anna explaining how the report works.

2.  A Pedigree Chart (This looks like a neatly organized family tree.)

3.  Ahnentafel Report  (This listed the generations with more detailed information.  My report included 12 generations!)

4. Outline Descendant Report (This was a short version of both my father's side of the family and my mother's side of the family.)

5.  Family Group Sheets (This was one person's family per page.  Mine was 7 pages long.  It started with me, and listed husband wife and children, as well as birthdays, name of parents, etc.) 

6. Sources - Anna listed where her information came from, including census records.

I took this report to my parents and as we talked about it, I heard many stories about my extended family. I wrote notes inside my report, which made the book even more valuable to my family. For example:  My mother talked about visiting her aunts and uncle in a 3 story house in Massachusetts. In those days, unmarried adult children remained in the family home.  They often worked and took care of the home.  Mom remembered walking up to the house, as a child, and seeing one of her aunts standing on the porch.  She then told me where they worked and what they were like.  I had never heard any of this before!  Anna's report jarred her memory and greatly added to the recording of our own history.

Anna did an incredible job.  She loves her work, and her customer service skills are excellent.  She worked right with me, through email, to verify information, and ask questions.  She found census records that told me where part of my family was living at one point in history, with a date, and the type of occupation family members had.  It was wonderful to learn this through Anna, who became a sort of assistant to help me find information about my family. She really cares about people and loves finding information for her customers.

A General Research Package is listed as $175. Anna also works by the hour as needed. 
For more information, please visit her site at "Genealogy Revelations."

To see more reviews, please visit the Bow of Bronze page.

Historic Summer Lessons at the Estate

[1936 Home Schooling in PA: Carl Mydens: Library of Congress]

With political upheaval happening all over America, our religious heritage must be taught repeatedly to the next generation.  Starting today, and during the entire month of July, I will be reading and teaching my last Home Schooled Student from Marilyn Boyer's Book, For You They Signed.  I bought this a few years ago, at a great discount from the Boyers, when I had money. It is an incredible investment.

Last Independence day, John (15) and I read The Declaration of Independence (1776) and studied all the signatures (in the beginning of Marilyn's Book).  We also read about the life of one of the signers.  It was thrilling, sad, and convicting.  This year, we will spend the month reading the entire book. This will become a tradition in our family - to remember, and to apply it to our  lives.

In this culture of endless entertainment - video games, computers, cell phones and movies, it is often hard to get students to sit still, to reflect, to concentrate and to think.  It is essential that we provide a routine of quiet study time, even if there are distractions happening all around us.  To be quiet and read despite the culture around us, is one of the greatest needs of our time.  We Home Schooling Mothers have to find a way to make it happen.

To Teach children to focus, we can play games of mental math drills, spelling drills and Bible trivia.  Many years ago, I had a group of children I was tutoring.  I also had an adjoining room full of preschoolers who were loudly playing.  The students sat in a row and had to listen to my random questions and answer as quickly as possible.  One of the children (around age 12) kept laughing and was distracted by the noise of the other children. We had fun, but I kept encouraging him and practicing with him, how to "tune out" the noise, and focus on the drills.   It was a wonderfully, productive afternoon.  We must teach our children to tune out the distractions around us, so they can learn and study essential truths.

John and I will spend a little time in the late morning, reading Marilyn's book.  We will find time in the twilight hours, and we will find time in the parlour, sitting in our antique chairs while supper is cooking. We will find the time and the concentration  to read the entire book and to reflect on the amazing Christian History of our nation.  I am sure we will be talking about it with guests and family members. It will spread, and it will infect us with courage and bravery to live God's way, even if no one else in this Country seems to.

Blessings
Mrs. White




For More information about Marilyn's book, visit her store: "For You They Signed"


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The Church Yard

Seventeen years ago, I visited Cades Cove  in rural Tennessee. I have often thought of that place. There were small, rustic old cabins. This is the type of housing the frontiers-people lived in during the 1800's.  As we walked along, looking at the beautiful, quiet surroundings of the woods and simple structures, I was in awe.

Soon we came across a Church yard.   The simple building spoke of a time when ornate designs, or furnishings, were impossible for the pioneer families who resided there. Their life revolved around the most basic and essential things - Bible, Food, Shelter, Survival, Family and the Church.  I didn't see a single store.  But what keeps drawing me back to the memory of Cades Cove is the gravestones. 

We read the names of so many people. There were small children, babies, elderly, and husbands with their wives. The dates were in the 1800's and it was just amazing to realize that these godly people lived in that very spot.

There were also sayings on the graves.  Sweet words of comfort to onlookers, like Something from the Bible.  The wives also had the most precious words:  "Beloved Wife and Mother." Because that was the focus of those women's lives.  That was what mattered more than anything else in the world.

Every now and then, we need to look back at different times and places in American History, so that we may understand what is happening to our culture. We cannot allow ourselves to be so "Americanized" that we lose our heritage and our traditions.  Modernism and changes will always come quickly.  . . Just like the wind, which we can feel but not see.  If we are strong and stable in our historic roots, nothing will be able to shake us.

Blessings
Mrs. White

Life during hard times - When There Isn't Much.

Taking Pride in One's Work - When Mother is the Maid.

The Way it Was before Feminism - The Old Time Housewife.


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A Great Thanksgiving Resource from Hal and Melanie Young

Book - We Gather Together - Sanity and Celebration at Thanksgiving. (66 page E - book)

Authors - Hal and Melanie Young


Price - $7.50

This helpful book contains the Young's Thanksgiving menu, recipes, fabulous cooking tips, forms and ideas to make your Thanksgiving go smoothly. You'll also find history lessons and encouragement to help your family make the most of the Spiritual opportunities available on this special Holiday.

I printed out their menu, some of their recipes and their suggested "Order of Events."  I also printed out the history lessons. I plan to read some of these to the children during the morning of Thanksgiving, while we we are preparing food, enjoying snacks and waiting for the main meal.  I also love the idea of Thanksgiving songs and never even realized this was possible. The Youngs have included some wonderful songs, including "We Gather Together," which has a clickable link so you can hear the song for yourself.

I was inspired by Melanie's menu because it added a simple, loving touch to the festivities. The entire book reminded me of a detailed program for an important event. I loved it!

Here is what I am going to do today, as a homeschooling project with my teenager (currently my only student):

1. We will decorate and design a Thanksgiving Menu.
2. We will create place settings for all of our guests.
3. We will start baking and preparing some of the foods.
4. We will begin reading some of the stories from the Young's book.

The book has inspired a few ideas of my own:

5.  I might create a small program booklet for each guest to take home with them.
6.  I am seriously considering having everyone sign a guestbook.

As for tomorrow, I plan to use the book as a guide to help make the day extra special.  I will read Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation of Thanksgiving (from page 24) and several other selections from the book.

Overall I have never come across such a wonderful resource, and am thankful for the Youngs dedication in putting this book together.

Blessings
Mrs. White


*Disclosure - I received this book for review purposes.*

To find out more about my commercial breaks, please see my disclosure page.

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Outstanding Book - The Sword of the Lord

Book - The Sword of the Lord - The Roots of Fundamentalism in an American Family.

(A Kindle Edition is available for $2.99)

Author - Andrew Himes

Publisher - ChiaraPress

Publication Date - May 2011

Paperback, over 300 pages




There are many different reasons I recommend this book. But if you are not familiar with the author's family, it will be hard to describe how important this is.   Have you heard of Dr. John R. Rice? He was the founder of The Sword of the Lord newspaper and authored over 200 books.  That simple sentence is an understatement. But first, let me tell you that Andrew Himes is his grandson.

I have been searching for an update from the family for many years. I wanted to know how they were doing? Were their religious convictions still as strong, after all this time? How were they living in these "modern" days? How were the children and grandchildren in this family turning out and working for God?

I was thrilled to find a book written by someone from this family. Not only is Andrew the grandson of Dr. Rice, he is also the nephew of the well-known author (of Me? Obey Him?)  - Elizabeth Rice Handford!

Dr. Rice and his wife, Lloys, who I adore, had 6 daughters, including Elizabeth, and Mary Lloys, who is the mother of Andrew Himes.  Each one of these girls married preachers!

I grew up listening to the sermons of Dr. Rice on cassette tape. I entered my early married years reading books published by The Sword of the Lord  (including Me? Obey Him? - which was originally a small pamphlet called "How To Win Your Unsaved Husband."). These publications and sermons sustained me in my religious life and gave me tremendous peace!

I cannot even describe how precious Dr. Rice's sermons were to me. His faith, his conviction, his values, his wisdom coming through his words could make me cry and straighten up my act very quickly. To this day, I love hearing him preach on those old tapes! (He passed away in 1980, at the age of 85.)

Yet, in later years, there were hard times around me. I didn't understand the breaking apart of good churches. I could not fathom judgments and coldness in many congregations. The beauty of Christianity, as I knew it, was falling apart. I went in search of answers.

Just recently, I came across old issues of the Rice daughters' newsletters, dated back in the 1970's and 1980's. I loved the sweet simplicity of their religious faith and encouragement for Christian Mothers. But the girls stopped publishing. They are in their 70's and 80's now.  I am sure they are tired!  But I needed help.

Thank God for Andrew's book! Inside you'll find pictures of the Rice family. You'll hear stories of his growing up years. You'll also get a tremendous look at American History, Religious History and the History of his family.  You will begin to understand the civil war and how religion played a part in it. You'll understand the firm stance of religious zeal and how it can divide people. You will also start to soften, in your heart, for the lost, and greatly appreciate a pure Christian faith.


From the book:

- Page 219  Billy Graham "was inspired by Rice's citywide revival campaigns and became an avid reader of The Sword of the Lord." [newspaper]

- Some of Billy Graham's first sermons were published in The Sword of the Lord newspaper. Billy was 23 years younger than Dr. John R. Rice.

- Page 204 "John R. Rice displayed a dramatic, emotional, and personable pulpit style. He was an old-fashioned, pulpit-pounding, sin-condemning, story-telling, hymn-singing evangelist."

This is a well researched book and is highly recommended for those who are interested in the Rice Family. I also want to strongly urge Christian  homeschoolers to get a copy of this book as well.  The History of our country, from the viewpoint of the Rice family, is priceless.


*Disclosure - Even though I received a copy of this book for review purposes, I would have gladly bought this book and written this review on my own. I am a longtime subscriber of The Sword of the Lord newspaper and am very grateful for its ongoing publication.*



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