"Undiscovered Treasures" in our own backyard

On Sunday, Ken and I had a chance to visit the Volo Bog.  For those who might not be familiar with a bog, here is the Webster definition:  area of marshy ground: an area of wet marshy ground, largely consisting of accumulated decomposing plant material. It supports vegetation such as cranberries and moss and may ultimately turn into peat.   This is a simply amazing place, but I suggest that you make sure and wear  good shoes (it is a long, long walk to cover most of the blog) and also bring a hat and sunscreen!  There are these really interesting "floating" walkways that sway and move as you walk on them.  So, you feel as if you are going to sink into the bog as you walk along.  We saw so many really neat things, including two Sandhill Cranes that were walking slowly through the reeds. 

This kind of fuzzy picture is still really pretty cool!  The best part of this bog is that it is only about 5 minutes from Gwen's house!  So we can go back many, many times.  It was a really great reminder for me, that often there are many "undiscovered treasures" right in our own back yard.  I think that this really hit me with all the vacation planning I have been doing over the last week.  While it is so wonderful to travel and visit new places, we should not overlook the wonders in our own area.   I remember being so surprised when I found out that there are many people who live in the Chicago area that have never been to Brookfield Zoo, or the Museum of Science and Industry, or the Art Institute!  So Ken and I decided that we would visit all the different attractions in Chicago and make sure that our kids also got to experience them.  And Ken and I keep discovering new things! 

As we were walking out of the bog, I saw this old tree stump.

 It was really interesting.  Most of it had been just slowly dissolving, as the elements and the animals wore it away.  I stood there and imagined the very large tree that once stood in that spot.   There was something about the fact that nothing had been disturbed by human hands. With the light streaming through the trees, it was easy to look up and "see" in my minds eye, the tree that had been.  All that was left was this crumbling, broken hunk of tree stump. 

I've been thinking about this tree.  I love that even now, it is useful.  It provides potential homes for many various small animals and birds.  Additionally, it has become part of the ecosystem of the bog. Now, look at the forefront of the picture.  There are many new plants growing up around this stump.  I am sure that there is a new tree, that will soon stand in the place of that one.  A new tree, springing up from the roots of the old one. 

I love that picture!   It is such a great reminder that our family tree continues to grow and grow.  I remember my mom sadly realizing that she was the last of her generation on the family tree.  It was so easy to remind her that the tree had lots of new sprouts with her 9 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.  This made her smile and then laugh.  She told me that she would never have imagined that her family tree would be SOOOOOOO big!  

I love that Jesus planned families and generations.  And then there are examples all throughout nature that remind us that even as we lose those loved ones off of our family tree, everything that they are contributed to our family, continues on.  The prayers, the declarations, the vows, all of that continues.  The Bible says in Luke 1:50  "His (God's) mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  What a great gift.  As I have blogged before, it is just further incentive to me and spurs me on to pray into my FUTURE generations.  I remember when I really began to understand that PRAYERS ARE ETERNAL!  It is such a powerful thing and one that each person had to grab.  God's time is not our time.  When we speak a word through a prayer or declaration, it is spoken into eternity.  If this seems beyond what you can grasp, just take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this truth into your spirit. 

Jesus, thank you for using nature to speak truth into my spirit.  Thank you for revealing your amazing qualities to us when we ask.  Holy Spirit, remind us each day to see things from your ETERNAL perspective.   Give us all courage to ask for more revelation and give us the willingness to be still so that we can hear your answer.   Amen

Another part of my story.... Eternal Prayers!

 Johann Conrad Tonsing (1801-1869) and Anna Clara Welcher (1806-1876)

(My great-great grandparents)

 

Clara Marie (Weingartner) Toensing (1838-1889)  and Ernst Fredrich Toensing (1834-1912)

(my great grandparents)

 

Last night, one of the artists actually asked me to talk about something I had mentioned in passing in my talk.  It was about my great grandparents and my great-great grandparents.  I shared that one of the first times I really realized how connected I was to my ancestors was when I stepped off the airplane in Kenya, Africa.  The Lord brought me revelation that my Africa trip was a fulfillment of years and years of prayers that were prayed by my great grandparents and my great-great grandparents and it helped me to understand the plan and destiny that Jesus had for me!  Somewhere in the late 1860's, in Germany, my ancestors were preparing to bring Jesus into all the world.  Johann and Anna were sending two sons, with their wives and children, to the United States.  They were also sending one daughter and her husband to Africa, into the unknown.  Ernst, (my great grandfather) and his brother were their two sons.  My great grandfather, Ernst and his wife Clara had been married for about 8 years and they had 4 children (an infant, 3, 5 and 6 year old).  They traveled from Germany by boat and unfortunately, their infant died at some point during the trip.  My mom always talked about how tragic this must have been for her grandmother.   After settling in St. Paul, Minnesota, my great grandparents went on to have five more children including my grandfather, Henry Arnold Toensing.   Although my mom never knew Clara and Ernst, she was told often that they had prayed for their cousins in Africa.  And she was told that they also prayed that someone in their family would go to Africa - not just to VISIT those cousins, but to share Jesus.   For me, that "AH HA" moment was the understanding that PRAYERS ARE ETERNAL! What we pray about may not find fulfillment until long after our earthly life is over, but OUR PRAYERS EFFECT THE SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE  AND THOSE THAT COME AFTER US! 

 

I am so grateful that Johann and Anna knew, at some level, that their family - their future family, had a destiny to share Jesus in Africa.  And I am grateful that they were brave and courageous and sent their children all over the world.  Johann died in Germany.  Anna came to the United States and died on her grandson's farm near Atwater, Minnesota.  She is buried (as is  my great grandfather Ernst) in the church graveyard near Atwater.  Clara died in St. Paul and is buried in our family plot

 

So, after that really long and drawn out story (and thanks for staying with me), THAT is why those name frames for Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna are so important.  Because those words will not be lost or forgotten.  They will be prayed and talked about as the kids grow up.  I have been praying those words and I will continue to pray them - making the declaration into the Spiritual realms that are eternal.  I am convinced that one day.... who knows how long from now..... there will be a deeper understanding of the Prophet, Warrior, Priest and King expressed in those frames.  

 

Today, I encourage all of you to pray and seek understanding, not only of the present, but of the past.  You will be blessed as you begin to see a clearer picture of the destiny that Jesus has for your family.   Ask for revelation of the destiny for your future generations.   Pray and declare all that you receive.  It will effect those that come after you! 

 

Jesus, thank you for the faith and trust my ancestors had in you and the Gospel message.   Holy Spirit, thank you for the revelations that you have given me.  Help all of us to take in this message and meditate on all that you bring to us.   Thank you for reminding us that prayers DO change things!    Amen

 

PS -  Just a little added note.... when looking at these old pictures and confirming dates, I noticed that there are 66 Anna's on my Toensing family tree!  Yep, Anna is a family name for sure!