Fifty Years ago..John F. Kennedy visited SLC and I was There

When I was ten years old, my mom took me to see President John F. Kennedy. 

 It was September 26th of 1963.  He came to Salt Lake City for a visit. 

 I don't know why she took me, but she and her friend took me and my friend to see the President.  My parents had not voted for President Kennedy. They supported Richard Nixon.  (I guess it was before they realized how "tricky" he really was.) 

Anyway, off we went to see the President.

  He was to speak at the Mormon Tabernacle on Temple Square, right in the middle of all that was Mormon. 

 Thinking back it is amazing to me how many people were there. 

 Downtown Salt Lake City was packed. 

 This was conservative Repulican Utah.  But he was our President, and back then people thought it was cool to see and hear the leader of the nation, even if you didn't vote for him. 

 It was too crowded for us to get into the Tabernacle or even Temple Square.

  It would be a while so we just decided to hang out at the west entrance of what was then Hotel Utah, hoping to get a glimpse of his car as he drove down the street.  The main entrance of the hotel faced south, so we were amazed when his bubble topped car slowed down and stopped right at our entrance and he got out. 

We were within about five feet of the President. 

 (Probably an impossibility today.) 

 I don't even remember any secret service, although I'm sure they were there. 

 He was very tall and handsome with beautiful eyes.

  I remember, even at ten thinking he had gorgeous eyes. 

 He looked straight into my eyes and smiled and waved and was gone into the hotel. 
Of course I didn't know then what would happen in just a few weeks time. 
I have never forgotten that experience.
 

It was just two months later as I sat in the lunch room in my school that the nation heard the horrifying events unfolding in Dallas. 

 The nation came together mourning the loss of this bright young man. 

 

It seems strange to know that its been 50 years. 

 It doesn't seem that long ago. 

 I've always loved history. 

 I guess I'm getting old enough to be one of those people who say "I remember when...."

Lone Peak Liberty Days

Our small neighborhood parade is growing.  Grandkids come back with their parents to the place where they grew up. 

We gather together to celebrate our nation's birth..and this place we call home. 

We honor our veterans and celebrate our "Liberty Lovelies"  These beautiful women who have gracefully taught us how to live our lives.

 

And of course there are the spectators..

Cheering us on!

We love getting together on this special day.  We love seeing kids that have grown up here who come and bring their families.  We love celebrating our heritage, our freedom and this beautiful part of the world that is our home. 

Memorial Day

As I sat outside this evening, enjoying the beautiful night I started thinking. 

 I am so grateful for a few days to reflect on my heritage. 

To be able to think about those who came before and sacrificed so much that I am able to live in such comfortable circumstances. 

 I love history, love learning about ancestors and their lives. 

 I have thought a lot about those people who came across the plains as pioneers and others who crossed the ocean because they believed in the gospel and wanted a better life. 

I am so grateful for parents and grandparents who loved and taught me by their example.

I remember and pay tribute to all these loving family members this day. 

 My life has been blessed because of them.

Each time I go into my garden I think of Maude. 

She loved peonies, lilacs, snowballs..and anything else that grew. 

 My mom and both my grandmothers loved gardening and so I guess I have the dirt under my fingernails naturally. 

What a gift this is, because being outside with my plants gives me a great sense of peace.

Love the tradition of going to the cemetery to honor those who have gone on before. 

 What a beautiful and peaceful day it was yesterday to sit and remember those loved ones. 

To teach the little ones the importance of honoring those who have died for our freedom. 

"On this day for one brief moment, hear the silence fill the air

Think of those who walked beside us, now no longer there,

Then don't cry but hear their laughter, for their spirit lives inside

Let that mystic stream of memory fill our hearts with pride!

 

Make us humble, make us knowing, and accepting what is done

On this day for now, forever, make this nation one..

On this day for all the fallen, make this nation one."

 

~Charles Strouse

Veteran's Day

From way back in the beginning...

I am grateful for those who had a vision and a dream of Freedom.

 

For those who battled to keep us together as a nation.

 

 

And through the years kept fighting to keep us free.

 

 

For these soldiers...

 

and these...

to those currently serving.

What a debt of gratitude I owe, as they serve me and my family.
They continue their watch to keep us safe.

Helping preserve this beautiful land.

Grateful for this Nation

After months of watching, reading and listening to the different political parties present their case, I am grateful the election is finally over.  I am somewhat disappointed by the outcome, but not as upset as many seem to be.  For I am an eternal optimist who loves this country. I know who is in charge, and because of that, I have faith that we will be taken care of.

 

  I love what The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wrote today.

 

" We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

 

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together.  It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations.  We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times.  May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgement as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

 

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process, which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service,  We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors."

 

 

As I  travel through this beautiful country and read the words of our Founding Fathers I have come to appreciate this nation.  There have been many times through our history when there has been division among its people.  But we come through and become stronger and better. 

 

 

 

 

I just read Washington's Earnest Prayer.  It seems as applicable today as it might have been all those many years ago.

 

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humilty and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation."

 

George Washington

"God Governs the Affairs of Men

I love this picture by Andy Thomas

 of these guys just hanging out, laughing and telling jokes...

And this one..having a grand old time!

Look at Ronald Reagan's face,

and President Lincoln. 

Wouldn't it be fun to be there with them..

listening to them joke and tell all the stories that they know!

I wish the artist would paint one big picture with all of them, democrat and republican, sitting around joking and laughing. That would be one occasion I'd like to sit in on!

They probably all have enough perspective and appreciation of what it takes to run the country that they could sit down and really visit.  There would most likely be disagreements, and some "I would have done this or that," comments.  But I'll bet for the most part there would be respect for each other, regardless of their party. 

painting by Andy Thomas

I often wonder what past President's would think of us today.   Abraham Lincoln said,

"We have forgotten God.  We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.  Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."

On Doug Wright's radio show the other day, he was talking about

some people organizing a prayer and fast day for Mitt Romney, so he( Mitt) will win the election. Doug's view on this was that he would feel more comfortable praying for God to watch out for our country as a whole.   Not us telling Him what we think is best.  I am voting for Mitt Romney, yet I agree with Doug Wright.  I have always felt that we should pray to God to lead us and direct us as a people, having faith that He will.  I always pray for and respect our country's leaders, whether I vote for them or not.  They all need our prayers.  As Abraham Lincoln said, "do we think we have a superior wisdom of our own?"  It is God who has preserved us, strengthened us and enriched us, and He will continue to do so..if we are humble. 

"God governs the affairs of men. 

And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,

is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"

Benjamin Franklin

Independence Day in my Neighborhood

Because of the courage and bravery of our Founding Fathers, we today are celebrating the birth of our Nation.  How blessed to be living in such a beautiful country.  To have the opportunities and freedoms that sometimes we take for granted.  Because of their (our Founding Fathers) foresight we are able to enjoy activities like we do in our neighborhood. 

We gather as neighbors for a breakfast where we celebrate the birth of our nation, our friendship and our blessings.  We are grateful to the Jorgensen's who have hosted this for about 33 years.  The neighbors participate in setting up, preparing the food, and clean up.  Hundreds show up, many who have grown up here bring their children back for the fun.

There's a mix of old times and new comers.  Everyone is welcome and feels it.   

After the breakfast we get ready for the parade!  You can't have the 4th of July without a parade and a popcycle!

We've got our Grand Marshall, we've got our Royalty, we've got children on decorated bikes, we've got our spectators!  Who could ask for more?

Happy Independence Day!

We are the United States of America

When I was ten years old, my mom took me to see President John F. Kennedy.  It was September of 1963.  He came to Salt Lake City for a visit.  I don't know why she took me, but she and her friend took me and my friend to see the President.  My parents had not voted for President Kennedy. They supported Richard Nixon.  (I guess it was before they realized how "tricky" he really was.)  Anyway, off we went to see the President.  He was to speak at the Mormon Tabernacle on Temple Square, right in the middle of all that was Mormon.  Thinking back it is amazing to me how may people were there.  Downtown Salt Lake City was packed.  This was conservative Repulican Utah.  But he was our President, and back then people thought it was cool to see and hear the leader of the nation, even if you didn't vote for him.  It was too crowded for us to get into the Tabernacle or even Temple Square.  It would be a while so we just decided to hang out at the west entrance of what was then Hotel Utah, hoping to get a glimpse of his car as he drove down the street.  The main entrance of the hotel faced south, so we were amazed when his bubble topped car slowed down and stopped right at our entrance and he got out.  We were within about five feet of the President.  (Probably today an impossibility.)  I don't even remember any secret service, although I'm sure they were there.  He was very tall and handsome with beautiful eyes.  I remember, even at ten thinking he had gorgeous eyes.  He looked straight into my eyes and smiled and waved and was gone into the hotel. 
It was just two months later as I sat in the lunch room in my school that the nation heard the horrifying events unfolding in Dallas.  The nation came together mourning the loss of this bright young man.  Of course we were innocent back then and didn't know his whole story. Maybe that is when we started coming out of some of the innocence.  Sadly.  Knowledge is always good, but knowledge can lead to judgement and judgement is not good.  My point in relaying all this is that I was brought up in a gentler time.  I was brought up to love my country, to respect leaders, to exercise my right to vote.  If the leader isn't doing what they should, vote him or her out and start over again.  That love of country that was instilled in me by my parents and grandparents.  The heritage that was given to me, the history that I studied and so admired in our countries founders gave me a foundation as I grew up in a new unsettled society.  A society where people burned the flag I loved and scoffed at leaders, where leaders eventually felt as if they could do and say anything and get away with it.  The dream the founding fathers had, the dream my ancestors, my grandparents, and parents carried always with them seemed to be eroding.  In many cases leaders seemed to become arrogant rather than humble, people seemed to think things were owed to them.  The younger generation could be heard saying that things were better elsewhere!  How could this be?

When my son was going through his roughest times, sometimes he would just be too ill emotionally to carry on.  He just couldn't go on one more day.  I would suggest that he go to bed, as if he had the flu, for two maybe three days, no longer.  He needed to rest his body and mind and allow himself to heal without feeling guilty.  But on the third day he had to get up and get going.  The "flu" would be gone and he just had to get on with his life with renewed enthusiasm.  I think everyone goes through times like this in their lives.  At different times we all need to have a touch of "the flu."  We need to rest, meditate, take inventory, we need "to pause".  To find our footing again, to be sure of where we are going and then have the enthusiasm to move toward the goal.  Maybe right now our Country has a bit of "the flu."  Maybe she has been laying down for her two days, resting, trying to figure out what her next step is.  But the next part is to really pause, to take inventory and evaluate.  What direction do we want to take?  Where do we want to go?  There are so many possibilities, there are so many problems.  But haven't there always been problems?  What makes America great?  Oh, thats right; we have smart young people who solve problems, who are just waiting to be heard.  America has gone through dark hours before, but has always emerged like a roaring lion letting the world know we are here.  But the lion must learn to lay down with the lamb as well.  To be great, one must be humble and I feel that is one of America's biggest problems.  She's become too arrogant and prideful.  The founding fathers may have had their personal issues, but their love of country was bigger than themselves.  It had to be or they couldn't have accomplished what they did.  When they served the country, they served for the country.  How many of our leaders really serve the country?  How many of us really serve our country, really love and cherish our country the way my grandparents and your grandparents did?  America has the flu, and I certainly don't know how to make her well.  I'm just a middle aged, baby boomer, wife, mother, grandmother.  But as I have learned in my life and seen in others, as I have studied history and read in the scriptures, when people get too full of themselves, too prideful, when everybody has too much of everything and they can't go without anything then things start going wrong.  For some reason we always have to be pulled back in and taught a lesson.  Maybe America's lesson is that our leaders need to be more honest and love America better than they do themselves.  Maybe America's citizens all need to learn to sacrifice a little bit and teach their children that it is ok to not have everything handed to them and to actually let them go work those minimum wage jobs to help pay for things like cars and school.   Maybe then those children would grow to appreciate those things and not take them for granted.  Maybe then those jobs would stay in America.  Maybe it is time for Americans to start loving America again.  To appreciate her beauty, her intelligence, her welcoming arms.  Maybe it is time for those who come to America to embrace America, to bring their beautiful culture and integrate it into America, but to become Americans by learning the language and abiding by the laws of this amazing country.  Maybe it is time for all to become humble, to be grateful for what has been given to us. To realize the great sacrifice that has gone before to get us where we are.  Maybe it is time for America to stuff pride in the garbage can and stop blaming everybody else, and start working together as a people who love their country and want more than anything to leave a legacy like our forbearers left us.  Maybe it is time to remember who we are and where we came from.  We are the United States of America.  We should be united in making this country great whatever direction that takes. The leaders that stand out in my mind weren't great because of their politics or their political party.  Their party didn't matter.  They were great because they had the power to unite the country.  They had a cause that was good and just.  That's what makes America the great nation that it is.  Being united in a cause that is good and just.  So America, it is time to get up, you've rested long enough.  You've talked about, mulled over, thought about the problems until everybody has "the flu." America needs a leader who will unite her and America needs to stand united behind her leader ready to go forward into the future stronger, better, brighter, with more humility, with gratitude for blessings pouring over her mountains, valleys, rivers and streams. 
And above all her people.