The marriage certificate hanging on the wall in my bedroom is from the marriage of my great grandparents. It’s romantic, which is perfect for a bedroom. It has a beautiful illustration. And it’s a reminder of who I came from which connects me to my past.

Romantic

Your bedroom is your personal space. Everything in it should feel like it belongs with you and reflects who you are. This is the space that no outsider needs to see, a retreat from the world. Your bedroom walls are the perfect place to display something you feel passionate about.

Marriage is important to me. My own marriage is the center of my life. I couldn’t image not having my incredible and supportive husband beside me each day. So, the marriage certificate on my wall celebrates both the institution of marriage and my own union.

This certificate is also especially personal to me because it belonged to my namesake, Rebecca Jane, the grandmother after whom I was named. Coincidentally, her wedding anniversary, written on the certificate, is only 3 days after my own wedding anniversary.

Beautiful

This is not the official county certificate. That wouldn’t nice enough to display. This is a beautifully illustrated commemorative certificate, probably given to the couple by their paster when he married them. The decorative drawing also reminds me of the faith of my grandparents, which is a heritage they passed down to me through the generations.

You can see that the paper is an antique with creases and age lines. Because the paper is old and brittle, it was important that I have it professionally framed to preserve it. This was not a DIY project.

Family History

Having this artistic certificate on my wall connects me to my past each time I look at it. Who my ancestors were, the lives they lived, and the goals they pursued help define who I am today. I hope they would be proud of who I have become.

I love learning about my ancestors. Finding out where they came from, what they did with their lives, and what struggles they faced makes them more real to me and makes my own struggles more bearable.

You can learn so much about your ancestors online now. The best website I have found to start my research is FamilySearch.org because it connects to so many other resources and people. It’s like social media for family history. You sign up for a free account and start connecting to your own ancestors and to distant living relatives who can help you learn more about the ancestors you share.

This post was shared at some of my favorite link parties.