Tablet of your Heart

Did you know that in 1922 you could send a postcard to a loved one in another state with a One Cent stamp?  See the postcard above.  My Grandpa John Volkema lived in Doon, Iowa at the time.  You didn’t even have to have a street address either.  In case you can’t read it:  It’s a postcard to my Grandfather, John Volkema, from his brother Henry in Denver Colorado, postmarked July 11, 2:30 p.m., 1922.  It reads, “Dear bro. John- Congratulations on your birthday.  May the Lord grant you many more.  Give Nancy my best regards.  With love from your brother Henry.”  (Nancy was his first wife)  Just amazing what you find when you start searching.

This is a page of my mom’s diary, Tues. Sept. 5, 1950.  My oldest brother Ron, was five years old, and going to the rural school for his very first day.  Towards the bottom you can see that it says, “We had to laugh because Johnnie (my next younger brother) cried about Ron going”.  So precious! She took “snaps”, because her first child went to school!  Oh the days of old!  My mom wrote in her diary every day for 30 or more years.  She was such a busy farmer’s wife and mother and would write every night no matter how late it got, or how tired she was.  They are so treasured now.

Today I spent the whole afternoon with my sister.  She recently found a lot of information on our family history.  It is amazing how our ancestors who came across on the ship had such faith in God.  My Great Great Grandfather brought his wife and seven children from the Netherlands, in February of 1889.  That’s right, February!  They left with all their children and the clothes on their backs and just a few belongings. The youngest of the children was only two months old.  My Great Great Grandfather was an educated man, and was not foolish.  He had faith in God.  He believed that God was calling him to come to America, the land of the free, and the home of the brave.  Do I have faith like that?  Do I listen to God’s voice?  We looked through papers, documents, and diaries today.  We think we found out where the point in our family history changed.  We think we may know the time when the gene of LongQT entered into our family line.  We will continue to study.  It may help to find out.  There may be a way to dig our family back out of this hole of this terrible heart defect.  It’s a start.  Do you have a story to tell about where your family is in this journey?  Do you know about “Faith of our Fathers”?

I have started this new blog for several reasons.  I have felt a passion for writing since I was a teenager.  Also, since I have lost family members to the heart defect, Long QT syndrome, I want to help and support others who have this and have family members who have it.  Another reason is because I have also been genetically diagnosed as having the gene of Long QT syndrome type 3.  I am a Christian and believe it is important to know Jesus Christ as your Savior.  So, I’m trying a new venture today.  Would you like to discuss, share and support others?  Do you have a story to tell?  I believe everyone does….