2019 November
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
In honor of Veteran’s Day, I
thought you might like to know about the flag given to the family when a
veteran is laid to eternal rest. I have
2--- my Daddy’s who served in the Navy during WWII as a captain on a ship at
fought at Iwo Jima; and my Beloved’s who served in the Army.
Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to
so many widows and widowers: Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun
salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed that the honor guard
pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America
Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13
colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life. The 3rd
fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks
who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain
peace throughout the world. The 4th fold represents the weaker nature,
for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of
peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance. The 5th
fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our
Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is
still our country, right or wrong. The 6th fold is for where people's hearts
lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation
under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. The 7th
fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces
that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether
they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic. The 8th
fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of
death, that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to
womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love,
loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this
country great has been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father,
for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country
since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion
of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes,
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The
12th fold represents an emblem of
eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and
Holy Spirit. The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are
uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.' After the flag is completely folded and
tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the
soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines
who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades
and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the
rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. -Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel laureate About the silence: I have found silence to be a formidable weapon against a foe. Silence can be powerful making the opponent wonder and possibly be cautious. I think about a yapping dog and one which just watches you in silence. I am very cautious with the silent one------you aren't real sure what they are going to do.
I’ve been taught, “Out of sight, out of mind”. I believed it until these things happened: my 2 year old crawled into the kitchen and removed all the labels off the canned goods; my 3 year old got the tube of CLOSE UP toothpaste and smeared all over her little brother telling me, “He smells good now, Mommy!; I saw a spider in my bedroom…..it disappeared……sleep was put on hold for the night.
Recently a person who didn’t know me very well, started criticizing my way of doing something and what I’d said. Refer the silence statement above, please. I waited until she was finished, gave some thought, then delivered my line----------“I’d have to value what you say and you to have your words offend me.” With that, I quietly walked away. Formidable weapon hit it’s mark.
In the first part of October where I live, central Illinois, the temperature went from high 80s and low 90s with high humidity and the air conditioner going full-blast, to barely 60s and a light jacket worn. It was like the temperatures were doing speed trials at Indy 500.
My son and I were at Lowe’s hardware store shopping for a chain saw. We looked at them all as we waited for some help; none came. After waiting for about 10 minutes, my son tried to start a few of them. Amazingly, 3 customer assistants quickly came to help us. Interesting.
Well, tis the season for chili. I really enjoy making and eating this dish. Mine is
rather mild compared to others, especially my girlfriend Tessa. She is an interesting person who also has a
very unusual accent. She, also, has a
lot of trouble with spelling. So,
joining the accent and spelling challenge, you have a mystery when reading
something she’s written. I asked her for
her recipe of chili which is delicious.
What a reading adventure that was.
Here it is just as she wrote it:
1 pund park; 1 pund
beuff. Bran this in some lite wait
erl. Take aut and set acside. Putt in 10 clooves of smushed gaelic, 1
rally bigg ornyun chapped up all lattle and fri it real good. Sturr it all the time til its all good. Then add some selt, perppa, oraygoneo,
coumadin, and chili species. Stir this
all up. Add some maters and smush them
up in the pan. Add 1 big can a chikken
breath. Stir this all up. Putt in 2 big cans a daak rayud beans. Stir this all up. Putt a lid on the pot and slow cook it oil
day. Muck some kern brad with sharp
yeller cheese in it. Pour this on the
top a the chili in the pot. Putt the lid
on and wait til the brad is done. DO NOT
STIR THIS ET ALL!!! Serve in a warm bawl
with a lip on it. Enjoy.
I hope you all can read this and get as much a chuckle out
of it as I did. It is real tasty, too.
The coumadin left me reeling with laughter.
I remember when Daddy had to start taking that drug. Being the chemist he was, coupled with his
character, his sense of humor shined through.
Mother was all concerned about the correct amount he was to take. He ran out of the pills one day; she got very
concerned. His reply to her fretting
was, “Oh, Mamie, just sprinkle 1 teaspoon of DeCon on my oatmeal and that will
take care of it. Make the measurement level; no heaping, that’s too much.”
Mother was horrified and Daddy couldn’t stop laughing.
When my two youngest children were little, we had been
teaching them about being cautious when using a public restroom when we are not
able to accompany them. We quizzed them
frequently so they would be prepared should something occur. After you read Stephen’s reply to my
questions, he appears to be the most prepared.
Me: “Stephen, if
you go into a restroom and there is someone else in there, what do you do?”
S: “I go to the thing on the wall far away from
them.”
Me: “Good.
What do you do if they start talking to you?”
S: “I tell them I don’t know them and can’t
talk to them.”
Me: “Good.
What do you do if they come close to you and try to touch you?”
S: “I start yelling---'You are not my Dad, you
are not my uncle. Get away from me!' Then I yell, 'FIRE!!' When they turn their
head, I kick ‘em in the nuts.” Somehow I
think he’s going to be o.k. in a public restroom. We have taught the children to yell FIRE,
because often yelling HELP doesn’t bring help.
FIRE definitely will get some action of investigation.
News flash: Queen Elizabeth of England doesn’t like the
smell of hamburgers cooking. Well! Right there tells me she could never be an
American.
During a moment of intense fellowship (alright an argument),
with Guy, my Beloved, I discovered the only thing this volley of words showed
us was----we two people were present. ‘Nuf said about that.
PEACE TO YOU: Trudy :)
