Family Lines

Pedigree

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt. 

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I’ve always wondered where this word came from, never looked it up.  So imagine my surprise when I discovered today that it comes from pé de grue ‘crane’s foot,’ a mark used to denote succession in pedigrees.

Do you see a crane’s foot anywhere in there?  I suppose, if you have a good imagination.  Here’s what a real crane’s foot looks like:

Anyway, the purpose is to prove the lineage of a person or an animal, typically horses and dogs.  Or kings and queens. Or American “nobility,” which of course is determined by the size of one’s bank account or whether one is connected to anyone who came over on the Mayflower or is related to some famous person in our nation’s history.

Here’s one family tree that is simply amazing to me: 

 

https://www.ywam-fmi.org/news/multigenerational-legacies-the-story-of-jonathan-edwards/

You should read it. It’s short, and compares Edwards’ legacy to one of Max Jukes, a criminal.  Moral:  The life you live determines the legacy you leave.

Addendum:  Because I was curious about such a dramatic comparison, and because of a comment I read on the Jukes article, I did some further research.  Seems the Juke story has become something of an  urban legend over the years, not completely verifiable.  It pays to check your “facts.”  The Edwards story, however, stands as written. 

The really good news is that even if you inherited a legacy of alcoholism and criminal behavior, it is within your power, and God’s, to change that legacy for those who follow you.

One of my grandfathers was  a bit more than a rascal;  but my grandmother came to know the Lord while her children were small, and that one  change in her life changed the legacy of the entire family. It’s a wonderful story, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/pedigree/

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