|
Emerson Publications
|
|
|
The Family First
Newsletter In this issue:
History of the U.S. Memorial Day, A
Patriotic Gift
Good morning!
Happy Memorial Day! I recently sat next to a young man on the plane who was going to Iraq within the month. He told me he had come home to "say goodbye" to his family before leaving for Iraq. I couldn't help but wonder if he would be reunited with them after his 15 month tour, or if that would be his final goodbye. He said he had enlisted because he wanted to protect his family. He really touched my heart, and I told him, while choking back the tears, that I appreciated the sacrifice he was making. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked directly into my eyes, and said, "Thank you. That really means a lot."
I truly am so grateful for all those who have made such great sacrifices for the freedoms I enjoy and oftentimes take for granted.
I am grateful for all of the blessings in my life, and I appreciate you! Please forward this issue to someone who may benefit from it!
MOMS MAKE MORE!
History of the U.S. Memorial Day, A Patriotic Gift In the spring of 1866 the United States was recovering from a long and bloody Civil War. Surviving soldiers came home, and all with stories to tell of what they seen, heard, and experienced first hand themselves. A drugstore owner named Henry Welles in Waterloo, New York heard many of these stories, and felt deeply touched by them. He in turn, went to the other shop owners in town and convinced them that they should close for one day in May to honor the soldiers who were killed in the Civil War, and to honor those patriots of the Civil War who were buried in Waterloo cemetery. On May 5th, 1866 the shop owners did not open their stores, and the townspeople gathered together and placed flowers, wreaths and crosses on the graves of the Northern soldiers in their cemetery. At the same time Major General Jonathan A. Logan (retired), a very patriotic man, planned to hold a ceremony for the soldiers that survived the Civil War. He led the veterans through the center of town to the cemetery to decorate their comrades' graves with flags. Every May 30th thereafter the Waterloo townspeople would walk to the cemeteries and hold memorial services. They would decorate the graves with flags and flowers. Then they would walk back to the Waterloo Park in the middle of town and gather in the middle of the park near a monument solely dedicated to soldiers, sailors and marines. After that The Gettysburg address was read, followed by Retired Major General Logan's (Order No.11) designating May 30th as Decoration Day. After the announcement the village choirs would sing patriotic songs. Then that evening the school children would take part in a parade to honor these patriots. One hundred years later in 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed Waterloo the birthplace of Memorial Day, and in 1971 President Richard M. Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday to be observed on the last Monday of May thereafter. Memorial Day is not limited to honor on those American patriots who served or gave their life in a time of war in our armed forces. It is also a day for remembrance of our family and friends that we personally know who have served or died in the name of our freedom, even if it is just done with a silent reflection of tribute from us. Some visit the cemeteries and say a prayer, add flags or flowers on the graves. Many public events are held every year to honor our patriots through parades, celebrations, church services, television movies, and news commentaries to reflect and honor these hero's. We must truly never forget the very high price that was paid by these veterans of service for each of our freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis. Memorial Day is a fitting patriotic way to honor our veterans, and should not be just another three day weekend before the beginning of summer. On Memorial Day I personally pray to our Father in heaven to bless and protect our patriots that are currently in harm's way, and to bless the patriots that have died or suffered in the name of freedom for our great country the United States of America. I also ask the Lord, to continue to bless our country, and protect it against evil from those that would take away the freedoms in this great land of the United States of America. I hope that reading this article will encourage you to show your patriotism this Memorial Day too!
A person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life. Steven E Coffman may be contacted at http://www1.ecxmall.com/stores/familyestore/StoreFront.bok or Family-eStore@hotmail.com
A 15-year study revealed that women who work at
home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside the
home. This has been directly linked to the high concentration of harsh chemicals
in the home. There are other options! www.familyfirst.fourpointwellness.com She’s a Grand Old Flag This will be the first Memorial Day in forty years that my uncle won’t be at the cemetery putting flags on the graves. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 91. He and his brother both served in WWII; two of his cousins died in the war. Placing those flags on the graves was very important to him. Thinking about that led me to think about my own love for this country. I am grateful to be an American and give thanks every day for those who have put their lives at risk to assure our freedoms. I am grateful for parents, wives, husbands and children today who make sacrifices to allow their loved ones to serve. Freedom comes with a price, and too many times we take our freedoms for granted. I grew up loving this country. I remember as a child watching lots of musicals that made me proud to be an American. This week as I’ve had Memorial Day on my mind, I remembered the James Cagney movie, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” My heart swelled with pride for this great land when he performed George M. Cohan’s “She’s a Grand Old Flag.” At one point the words were "You're a Grand Old Flag," but it's still the same song, either way you choose to sing it. She’s a grand old flag This link will take you to a page where you’ll be reminded of some of the great patriotic music written about America, and can even listen to it on your computer. Be sure the volume is turned up so you can have your own singalong. You can even hear Kate Smith sing “God Bless America.” What a great way to get those patriotic emotions flowing! http://www.lilesnet.com/patriotic/music/grand_ol_flag.htm The American flag is truly a great symbol of freedom. We recently bought one with a pole that stands about 15’ high. It is with great pride that I raise it on the flagpole each morning and carefully remove it before dark. Owning a flag pushed me to want to know how to handle it with respect. In doing my own internet research, I’ve learned a lot. On Memorial Day, for instance, the flag should be shown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes. This Veterans Affairs website has wonderful information on the meaning of Memorial Day, our national cemeteries, and treatment of the flag. http://www1.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/index.asp There are rules for displaying the flag, and out of respect for the U.S. flag, you should never:
If you have a flag, display it proudly out of respect for this country and for those who have served and sacrificed so that we may enjoy our freedoms. When the flag is raised, put your right hand over your heart if you're a civilian; salute if you served in the military. Today as you reflect on those heroes who served this country, take time to think about those who are currently serving. During this time when we are involved in war, it is even more important for us to be united as a nation. Do all you can to support our men and women who are serving, whether or not you approve of our president or our involvement in this war. Instead of protesting the war, find ways to promote peace. Ben & Jerry's has a great page on their site, 50 Ways to Promote Peace. http://www.benjerry.com/features/50_ways/50ways.cfm Spend some time reviewing it with your children. The list doesn't just apply to world peace, but teaching children how to resolve disputes peacefully at home, at school, and in the neighborhood. Learning respect for the flag and the United States of America begins at home. I hope you're teaching your children to love this country through your example. It all begins at home. Joyce Moseley Pierce is a freelance author and published in Chicken Soup for the Soul. Visit www.emersonpublications.com to read more of her articles, to subscribe to the Family First ezine, to learn more about turning everyday expenses into an income. Joyce’s latest ebook is “Preparedness Awareness” and will help you through the necessary steps to preserve documents in the event of an evacuation. Yes, even those valuable photos.
Give your kids more! Married for a Hundred Years?
Someday the cover of Time magazine will have a picture of the first couple to be married 100 years. Reporters will flock to them to ask their secret. But you don’t have to wait to learn their secret. Research has already given us a good idea of what helps marriages last.
By the way the current record, according to the Guinness Book of World Records is 86 years and is held by two couples. One was a Maine couple who were both born in 1725 and married from 1743 until the wife died. The other was an Indian couple who married when both were five years old and were married until the husband died in 1940.
While much of the literature on marriage is just opinion, there is one researcher whose work is outstanding–psychologist John Gottman, Ph.D. For over three decades Gottman has carefully observed, videotaped, and studied social and physiological responses (e.g. heart rate) of more than 2,000 of couples. His research has found several principles that distinguish marriages that work. After all, marriages may be made in heaven, but a lot of the details have to be worked out on earth.
One principle is that successful couples know a lot about each other. For example, do you know your spouse’s (or paramour’s) favorite movie, book, flower, dessert, or perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon? If not, ask. Another principle is that they have fond memories about their relationship. Every marriage has its difficult times and challenges. In successful marriages, people savor and fondly remember the good times and let the bad memories wither or see the humor in them.
Another principle is that the couples have at least five times as many positive interactions as negative interactions. This is simple conditioning and common sense. If many of the interactions were negative, who would want to stay in the marriage? Yet another principle is that couples have fond feeling for each other, admire each other, and let their partners influence them. Have you told your partner lately how much you admire him or her?
One of the most interesting contemporary marriages is James Carville and Mary Matalin’s marriage. He was President Clinton’s campaign manager and is a frequent television commentator. She was deputy campaign manager for George Bush Sr. and has her own television and radio program. They have coauthored a book and a baby. Do they have nothing in common because they are passionate spokespeople for opposing parties, or do they have a lot in common because of their passion for politics? Whether couples have much in common has more to do with what they perceive than objective measures. Couples who stay together look for commonalities and respect and tolerate differences.
Each of these is in your control. If you don’t believe me, ask your spouse if you could do better. If you are going to stay married, it is certainly worth making your marriage an enjoyable and rewarding marriage. As Gottman put it, “A romantic night out really turns up the heat only when a couple has kept the pilot light burning by staying in touch in the little ways.” Gottman’s books can be very helpful and would be good to read and discuss with your spouse. His books include: Why Marriages Succeed or Fail and The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Gottman’s and other marital principles are also covered in the chapter on marriage in Defy Aging.
Unfortunately, most Americans don’t place a high enough priority on our marriages and martial skills to make a marriage last even a few decades. And even if we do, we may have to deal with a spouse dying. Consequently, we need to become very skilled at beginning and ending relationships. If every time a relationship doesn’t work out our lives sound like a country and western song, we will wear ourselves out. Rather we want to be able to say something like: I’m glad we had the relationship. We both grew a lot and learned a lot and became better persons. I hope we can remain friends. What do I need to do now?
Benjamin Franklin’s advice to a person starting a new relationship would be, “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterward.”
Dr. Michael Brickey, The Anti-Aging Psychologist, teaches people to think, feel, look and be more youthful. He is an inspiring keynote speaker and the Oprah-featured author of Defy Aging and 52 baby steps to Grow Young. Visit www.NotAging.com for a free report on secrets for being more youthful and a free newsletter with practical anti-aging tips.
Michael Brickey, Ph.D. may be contacted at
Don't leave your loved ones guessing...record
your information now. Support Family First - visit our
sponsors and friends To view past issues:
http://www.emersonpublications.com/famfirst.htm
| ||||||||||
Send mail to
joyce@emersonpublications.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
Send mail to
joyce@emersonpublications.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|