Soon it will be July 4th, a time to celebrate the birthday of our country AND in my opinion, another day to remember those who have died to keep it FREE! A friend recently sent me an email containing some interesting facts about the guards who watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and I thought I'd share it. BTW, I've seen the changing of the guard at Arlington Cemetery a couple of times, and it is awe inspiring!
But first, here's a very good description of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from Wikipedia:
Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified. In modern times, nations have developed the practice of having a symbolic Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that represents the war grave of those unidentified soldiers. They usually contain the remains of a dead soldier who is unidentified (or "known but to God" as the stone is sometimes inscribed) and thought to be impossible ever to identify, so that he might serve as a symbol for all of the unknown dead wherever they fell. The anonymity of the entombed soldier is key to the symbolism of the monument: since his or her identity is unknown, it could theoretically be the tomb of anyone who fell in service of the nation in question, and therefore serves as a monument to all of their sacrifices. Much work goes into trying to find a certain soldier, and to verify that it is indeed one of the relevant nation's soldiers.
The Email:
ARLINGTON CEMETERY - Jeopardy Question
On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns ---- All three missed it -- This is really an awesome sight to watch if you've never had the chance, Very fascinating.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.
2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1
3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path,he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' an d 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.' Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery .. A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.
There's the mother at the doorway, and the children at the gate, And the little parlor windows with the curtains white and straight. There are shaggy asters blooming in the bed that lines the fence, And the simplest of the blossoms seems of mighty consequence. Oh, there isn't any mansion underneath God's starry dome That can rest a weary pilgrim like the little place called home.
Men have sought for gold and silver; men have dreamed at night of fame; In the heat of youth they've struggled for achievement's honored name; But the selfish crowns are tinsel, and their shining jewels paste, And the wine of pomp and glory soon grows bitter to the taste. For there's never any laughter, howsoever far you roam, Like the laughter of the loved ones in the happiness of home.
There is nothing so important as the mother's lullabies, Filled with peace and sweet contentment, when the moon begins to rise— Nothing real except the beauty and the calm upon her face And the shouting of the children as they scamper round the place. For the greatest of man's duties is to keep his loved ones glad And to have his children glory in the father they have had.
So where'er a man may wander, and whatever be his care, You'll find his soul still stretching to the home he left somewhere. You'll find his dreams all tangled up with hollyhocks in bloom, And the feet of little children that go racing through a room, With the happy mother smiling as she watches them at play— These are all in life that matter, when you've stripped the rest away. ~By Edgar A. Guest
If you look closely, I think you'll catch a theme to the beautiful artwork I am posting! All of these paintings are by Judy Gibson....aren't they gorgeous...and don't they just make you feel all warm and toasty down inside??
Time for Reading
Time For Tea
New Challenges
You guessed it! I'm COLD! And these paintings with the cheery fire in the background make me feel all warm and cozy! Now I just can't resist a couple more...
Old Books II
Horizons Past
Anyone up for a good book while sitting by that warm fire?? Now that's *my* idea of a great afternoon! Oh, but one more thing...
Mmmmm, a good cup of coffee...now that's more like it!
No wait...I think I'll throw a little knitting into the mix!
Ahhh....bliss!
Now if I can just get my sickie chickies feeling better! Well, hope you have a warm and cozy kind of day!
Last Painting: Morning Coffee by Wouter Roelofs. All artwork found at art.com
These days, I don't spend nearly as much time at the kitchen sink doing dishes as I once did. Now that I have older children, they do most of the washing and/or loading and unloading the dishwasher and cleaning up the kitchen after meals. But I have done my time...standing at the kitchen sink, that is.
Many, many hours during the last 19 years have I scoured, scrubbed, washed and rinsed. Was that time wasted? Oh, no. For one thing, I was doing a service for my family, and in turn I was doing a service for the Lord. We have to be faithful in the little things as well as the big things--and most moms I know would consider cleaning up the kitchen 3x a day/ 7x a week a BIG thing!
But I also decided to use that time to pray for my family whenever possible. So what did I do? I put favorite pictures of my husband and children on the window sill above the sink to remind me of the most important and precious people in my life...and that I need to lift them up in prayer daily. I also put a framed teapot print with the words "You Are Special" that was a gift from my husband there, along with a wire-bound "flip" book that contains Bible verses and special messages for mothers. Then there are also three small ornamental teacups on matching hankies that were gifts to my three daughters from a dear relative.
Each time I stand at the sink, I am greeted with happy smiles from days gone by, as well as newer and more current photos. I, too, smile and I remember! Such precious, precious memories. Not only do I pray, but I also realize that the days are passing quickly. Before I know it, my children will be grown and gone...and I will be back at the kitchen sink full-time. So, I am reminded to take each day and make the most of it. As I've heard before--the days are long, but the years are short! I pray I'll keep that in mind, even on those long, hectic days when it seems as though my sink runneth over!
A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry,
And see a fine picture every day of his life,
In order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of beautiful
Which God has implanted in the human soul.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
If you treat a man as he is,
He'll stay as he is,
But if you treat him as if he were
What he ought to be, and could be,
He will become the bigger and better man.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be
seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.
~Helen Keller
God's best gifts put man's best dreams to shame.
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
May I a small house and large garden have;
And a few friends, and many books, both true,
Both wise, and both delightful too!
~Abraham Cowley
One year ago today, I jumped 'finger-first' into the blogosphere, and it's been an awesome experience! My very first post contained my ideas on what I thought made a good blogger. At that time, I mentioned some of the bloggers that I visited and admired. And you know? I still feel that same way! But I've also met new people, found more great and inspiring blogs to read and learn from...and most importantly, I've made some wonderful, wonderful friends...some of whom I most definitely consider to be kindred spirits! And even though most of us haven't met face to face, we've met heart to heart--and for that I'm blessed! Of course, I did have the opportunity to meet Marybeth (who I talked about in my first post)...and she was just as sweet and gracious in person as she is on her blog! Who knows...maybe one day I'll have the opportunity to meet some more of my blogging friends in person! And I've also been blessed to have some of my 'real-life' friends and even my mama venture into the blogging world as well. It's been fun to read what they have to say and exchange comments! I've even learned things about my mama by reading her blog that I didn't know before! LOL
We were not supposed to be home today (or this weekend for that matter), so I didn't plan any special kind of give-away to mark this auspicious (!) occasion. But alas, four of my six children have been running high temps for the last couple of days, and one of them has been vomiting as well--so here we are--just as much at home today as we were yesterday! As I told one long-distance friend, when you have a large family, what goes around, comes around--again, and again, and again! LOL But Lord willing, this will pass, and we will be back on track by Monday for a full week of school. So anyway...even though I don't have any big 'do-ins' going on, I do have something to say...
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to come visit me, to read what I have to say (when I actually have something to say, that is), encouraging me, lifting me and my family up in prayer in time of need or sickness, inspiring me, making me laugh, making me cry, sending sweet emails and even gifts and notes via snail mail, giving good advice and ideas, making me think, making me re-examine myself and my priorities from time to time, and most of all...thank you for being my friends! I thank the Lord for each of you and for allowing our paths (and blogs) to cross in this huge, huge cyberworld! Hugs and prayers to you all!
Love,
Amy
PS...To those who've tagged me lately, don't give up on me...I am going to get those done! Thanks!
My mother, Betty at Country-Charm, forwarded this to me in an email. It really touched my heart! Also, it reminded me of the early days when Erin and Elisabeth were preemie newborns. They had to stay in the hospital for some time, and the nurses put them in the same incubator. Erin put her arm around Elisabeth just like the baby in the photo below put her arm around her sister! What a sweet comfort! It just goes to prove...again...that a little huggin' goes a long way!
I won't be posting for the next few days, so I wanted to go ahead and wish my dear blogging friends a...HAPPY JULY 4TH! I hope your day is filled with great picnics, plenty of sparkle, lots of fireworks, loads of fun...and watermelon! God bless you all...and may God bless America!
Note: The following entry was first posted back on September 30, 2006. But since the post I did yesterday was definitely one about a 'Jonah' day...I thought it might be encouraging to revisit this little piece of writing to keep things in perspective. Even though 'Jonah' days come upon everyone from time to time, thank the Lord that He provides the 'Julie' days as well! Sometimes I just need to be reminded~
Jonah Days vs. Julie Days...And Happiness Bubbles In Your Heart
I think Anne of Green Gables coined it aptly when she referred to those days when nothing goes right as "Jonah" days! We've all had them at times--some more than others--but "bad" days, all the same. You know, the days when you'd rather pull the covers over your head instead of getting up out of bed. The laundry and dishes are piled high, the pipe under the kitchen sink is leaking, the house needs a good cleaning, the baby is running a temperature, you need to buy groceries, you're out of toilet paper (!), and you ESPECIALLY don't feel like teaching any school lessons today!
At times like this, it's tempting to lock ourselves in the bathroom or better yet, go back to bed! But we can't, and we don't. We pray for grace, grace, and more grace, and we move forward...even if it's at half-speed. We do what needs to be done, because it's what we've been called to do...even when we don't feel like it....and even when we do it out of 'duty' instead of joy! The Lord picks us up and carries us through the "Jonah" day (or days)...for in our weakness are we made strong...apart from Him we can do nothing! We have to look up, and eventually we do feel that joy again.
Then there are days that I will refer to as "Julie" days. These are the days when we feel like twirling around with arms outstretched (ala Julie Andrews as Maria in 'The Sound of Music") and belting out..."The hills are alive with the sound of music..." Everything is going right. We love everybody, and they love us back! Life is good, and we are just happy to be alive! Now granted, we don't have many 'hills' down here in south Georgia, but I'm sure you get the general idea! And I think that the Lord does give us "Julie" days just when we need them most...sort of like a good rain after a drought!
This morning I got up early and went for a long walk. I'm not much of a morning person by nature (especially on Saturdays), but when I do make the effort to get up and take my 'daily constitutional' early in the day, I find it's always worth it! I started down the farm road towards the pond...praying and meditating on scripture. The air was cool and crisp (how did these cold mornings sneak up on me?), and the atmosphere was calm and peaceful. The cows eyed me suspiciously for a moment--then ignored me. I moved along at a brisk pace, just enjoying the beautiful morning. All was well.
As the pond came into view, I just stopped and took in the lovely scene before me. As misty clouds surround majestic mountain tops, so did the will o' the wisp whiteness hover above the water's surface, like steam swirling above hot coffee. It was breathtaking, and I was in awe of God's creation and His greatness! It was definitely a "Julie" moment! But I contained myself, as I didn't want to disturb the cows! ~LOL~ I "drank it in" (to steal another quote from Anne), then I started home.
One of my daughters described it best not long ago. As she looked at her baby brother, she said, "I can hardly stand it; it feels just like "love bubbles" welling up in my heart." I knew just what she meant, and I couldn't have said it better myself. That's real joy, and as I got close enough to home to see the top of the barn and the roof of the house, I felt it too. I guess you could say I felt "happiness bubbles" in my heart. I felt so blessed and content with my life and my family. Now, I'm no Pollyanna....just ask my husband and children...especially before I've had my first cup of coffee. But, at that moment, all I could feel was absolute joy. My heart headed home, and my feet quickly followed! I felt the Lord's presence in a mighty way, and it was a special moment. I knew my husband and children were there at home, waiting on me...well, okay, most of the children were still asleep, but they were still there...safe, happy, and healthy. And in today's world, that's saying a lot! I'm very undeserving, yet so richly blessed! God is good!
I'm glad that amid the "Jonah" days, there will also be "Julie" days to refresh us and remind us that no matter what, God is there...during the good days and the bad, the happy and the sad. He will never leave us nor forsake us! I pray that your weekend will be blessed, and may "happiness bubbles" find their way into your heart today!
"But housekeeping is fun, and I think the women who hate it lack imagination. It is one job where you enjoy the results right along as you work. You may work all day washing and ironing, but at night you have the delicious feeling of sunny clean sheets and airy pillows to lie on. If you clean, you sit down at nightfall with the house shining and faintly smelling of wax, all yours to enjoy right then and there. And if you cook--ah, if you cook--that creation you lift from the oven goes right to the table." ~Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Seasons
I'm a very happily married pastor's wife, former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six wonderful blessings, and freelance writer--and we live in the great state of Georgia! I'm a southern girl through and through...but most importantly, I'm a child of the King! We have just finished up our twelfth year of homeschooling, and our two oldest have now graduated! This is my place to record thoughts about homemaking, Classical-Charlotte Mason based homeschooling, writing around the fringes of family life, and more...so welcome to my little corner of the world!
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Image from...ME! The 'old homeplace'!
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Image from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com)
Time for Reading
Time For Tea
New Challenges
Old Books II
Horizons Past
Ahhh....bliss!
