This and That

Cork, Ireland
As we did our dinner dishes this afternoon, my daughter and I got to thinking about what might have led our family to leave their home in Cork, Ireland to immigrate to America.  My Great Great Grandfather Thomas O'Harra (This is how the family spelled the name) was born in Cork.  The stories I heard from my Grandmother was that they came over sometime either before or during the Irish Potato Famine.  Ireland had been a quite a struggle with Great Britain, before this as well, and apparently, Cork suffered severely. It was time of great poverty.  Perhaps that is why the family left.  I heard from my Grandmother that the O'Harra family had suffered a great deal in Ireland and sacrificed a great deal to come to this country.  I don't know all the truth to her stories, because all they passed down was the spoken record not a written record, and they are difficult to trace.  I don't have the time to spend on "endless genealogies", but I am sure they did suffer and it cost a great deal not only in money but leaving behind relatives and loved ones to come to land filled with strangers.

I told my daughter, imagine if they had not come, we would not be standing here having this discussion.  So many events had to take place to get them here, and to get my Grandfather and Grandmother together, to say nothing of the great grandparents to form a union.  It boggled my mind. But I told my daughter that believed God arranged it all out of His great love for us.  He didn't just plop us here, and say okay hope it all works out for you.  He had a plan.  In order to fulfill His great plan just for this family, many had to endure hardship.  If life had gone along easily, would Thomas O'Harra have left it all to come here?  Out of hardship, came triumph.  I told my daughter, all things do indeed work for good to those that love the Lord.

The greatest thing that our Heavenly Father did for us was to send Jesus to die for us on the cross.  We have the hope of heaven because of His great love for us.   

When things bother and trouble us, the best thing to do is flee to the Word.

My ramblings are done. Hope you have had a wonderful day.

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