Memorial Day Celebration

John 15:13 Greater a love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Today is Memorial Day – a day of celebrating the spirited lives of those we remember and honor for serving in our armed forces.  The holiday is celebrated on the last Monday of May.  It was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Confederate and Union soldiers.  During the 20^th century the holiday was extended to honor all Americans who died in military service.

On this holiday weekend many people visit remote cemeteries and memorials of their ancestors and rekindle relationships with kinfolk.  Oftentimes Memorial Day is considered the beginning of summer, as picnics and cookouts abound to celebrate the memory of our loved ones. 

I am thankful for the service of my family – grandfather, uncles, husband and members of my extended family.  Their dedication to our country through their service has protected the freedoms that our ancestors fought for and we continue to enjoy to this day.

THANK YOU!  WE LOVE AND HONOR YOU ALWAYS!!!!

 

Graduation Ceremony

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure to witness my gorgeous daughter’s achievement of a personal goal – graduation from college!!!  It was the culmination of years of hard work, advocating for herself with professors/counselors, working part-time, being responsible for herself – cooking, cleaning, living with other girls in a dorm/apartment – she is an only child, problem solving – car trouble in route to job interview and fun times with friends/classmates.

Tech-Savvy: My daughter’s generation, Millennials or Generation Y, faces technological and economic challenges that my generation, the Baby Boomers, didn’t face.  Generation Y grew up with technology (laptops, cellphones and other gadgets) and tend to rely on it – being plugged in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Thus, her college courses were filled with Google Groups, e-black board, on-line bulletin board, web-based grade books and email/text/twitter messages to professors.  Gone are the days of attending class to obtain the printed syllabus, receiving the printed test with score and scheduling an appointment to meet with the professor.
Achievement-Oriented:  Generation Y is confident, ambitious and achievement-oriented due, in part, to the nurturing and pampering parents wanting to avoid the mistakes of past generations.  They have high expectations of their employers and themselves.  Baby Boomers were raised to be loyal and devoted to employers; do a good job and the next job will be waiting for you.  Generation Y is willing to trade higher pay for flexible schedules and a better work/life balance, providing a position is available in their chosen field in today’s economic job market.

Team-Oriented:  My daughter, like so many Generation Y children, was involved in group activities such as Girl Scouts, CAR and AWANAS, team sports that included softball, cheerleading and dance; and play groups with friends and neighbors.  This fostered teamwork and the desire to be included and involved.

Attention-Craving:  Generation Y craves feedback and guidance.  My daughter values my viewpoint and life experiences - the early morning phone call while she was on vacation seeking my opinion about her summer class.  They also seek out new challenges - white water rafting, snow skiing, jumping off a cliff at the lake; and are not afraid to question authority. 

I see all of the above qualities in the young woman that I am blessed to call my daughter and friend, and the workforce is privileged to have her skills, knowledge, energy and personality to propel our society into the future.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is celebrated annually on the second Sunday of May.  It is a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.  Many people give gifts, cards, flowers, candy, and a meal in a restaurant or other treats to their mothers and mother figures in appreciation.

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.  Festivals were held in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele.  The early Christian festival known as “Mother Sunday” was celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent when the faithful would return to their “mother church”.  Over time, Mothering Sunday shifted into a more secular holiday where children presented their mothers with tokens of appreciation.  This custom faded and merged with the American Mother’s Day celebration dating back to the 19^th Century.

I was blessed to have a loving and caring mother who believed in instilling values and hope in her children.  Sometimes as a teenager I felt the required church attendance to be too exceedingly rigid as in ‘miss the Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan Show!!!’, however it has been my faith that has sustained me on my life’s journey.  Now as my mother is elderly I am keenly aware of the missing in-depth conversations, advice and laughter.  She now dredges up the vivid situational details I have long ago suppressed, as opposed to remembering what day this week I am coming to visit.

I am aware that not everyone has a loving remembrance on this holiday.  For some it is a painful reminder of what was abhorrently absent in their lives.  I would encourage those wounded spirits that their Mother is the Universe – full of beauty, shining light, and fragrant flowers.  Open your heart and allow the spirit of a mother image to touch your soul.   I have, and it has proven to be extremely exhilarating!! My life today maybe lacking my own maternal nurturing, but it now contains a myriad of awesome loving and caring women.