As I was growing up, things seemed rather simple to me. Everyone started school in September, which was also my birthday month. It was a special time, even if our Air Force family had to move and we then went to a new school. As a little girl, certain things were common place – we wore dresses to school, recited the Pledge of Allegiance each day, and respected our teachers. I think I was in the fourth grade when we started wearing slacks to school. I was from the Brady Bunch era, so whatever Cindy Brady wore, I did too, because we were around the same age. So yes, we had that pastel stretch material, with a blouse to match the slacks. Our family decorated our houses with similar “modern” colors: Brick Red, Mustard Yellow, Dirt Brown, and some kind of Greenish color. It was what was popular at the time, so no one thought anything of it, any more than having to stand at the wall to talk on the phone. I was so excited when I was given a “Princess phone” in my room, where I could actually lay down on my bed to talk. The funny thing was, I was only eleven years old, and since most kids didn’t have their own phone, I hardly ever used it, but it was a fun thing to have, even so.
As I grew older, I started noticing that some people thought that freedom meant having nothing to do with God. Though I didn’t have a closer relationship with him until I was older, because I didn’t really know how to, it seemed kind of sad that he was being given a bad rap. At some point it became illegal for the pledge to be recited in school, and I remember wondering how one person who hated God could hold so much power over the millions who respected and loved him.
When I turned eighteen, I was so excited to be able to finally vote. Ronald Reagan was the first president I voted for, and I was thankful for his conservative way of thinking. I was only beginning to feel a passion for political matters. I tend to think emotionally, so if someone is related to my world – what I think, what I believe, what matters to me – then it becomes even more important to me in my life.
I got married and became a mother. The children grew up knowing and loving God, because at this point, I had developed a closer walk with him. When my oldest was in the third grade, he came home crying one day because his friend, who was black, was bullied. I remember my son saying, “Mom, they teased him just because he’s black!” He was heartbroken.
I had to explain to my child what prejudice was, and I told him that when I was a little girl, a friend of mine experienced a similar thing. I lived in Montgomery Alabama at the time, having moved there from Maryland, and I had never experienced such a thing. I asked a little girl if she would like to be my friend, and she said, “Why would you want to do that?” I remember feeling confused and saying, “Why wouldn’t why?” She said, “Because I’m black.” I must have given her a blank look because she said, “Around here white folks don’t like people who are black.” I remember feeling indignant, and I said, “Well, that’s just dumb.” She and I became friends after that, and I never realized until I was older that this was probably why my teachers became unkind to me – because they had deep seated prejudice, most likely because of how they were raised. My son was proactive with his grief, and brought home a paper written in honor of Martin Luther Kind. He wrote, “I have a dream, that someday my friend won’t be teased because of the color of his skin.”
It angers me how the Left purposely incites anger by accusing anyone who doesn’t agree with their agenda of being racists. Everything Martin Luther King stood for has been ignored in an effort to cause tension and hatred. Division is their goal – they have no interest in true unity. They promise to help black communities, but between allowing their cities to crumble and decoy, aborting tiny black babies, and keeping people in poverty, so that they are forced to rely on them, their true disdain for African Americans is clear.
The son I spoke of was now in the fifth grade, and he complained to me one day about how God is the center of our lives, but he’s not allowed in school. Thankfully my kids went to a very nice school with wonderful teachers and so I said, “Maybe you can tell your teacher how you feel. She isn’t the one who made up that rule, but maybe she can make a suggestion, if you speak with her honestly about it.” And so, he did. She listened to his concern and said, “How about if you pick any character in history – even if it’s a biblical one, and then you can write about them and act out what you would like to say.” My son chose Moses, and spoke in his essay about his love for God and his devotion to him. Later, when I read what he had wrote, I saw that he wrote about the numerous artifacts that the Israelis collected. I laughed when I noticed that he had added, “And if you think they had a lot of stuff, you should see my mom. She keeps a lot of the school papers that my sister and brother and I bring home…”
I lost my son when he died in a rollover accident, when he was nineteen years old, and I am so thankful that I kept the things that I did.
Many of you are probably younger than me, and so you may not relate to some of the things I’ve shared, though hopefully it was interesting. Others may have smiled and said, “Yes, I remember that.” Things have changed so much in my lifetime, but one thing I have always been thankful for is the freedom I have had to worship as I want to, to respect our flag and what it stands for, and to honor the president whom I voted for.
I will admit that he wasn’t my first choice. I had never watched the shows he was on, and he seemed to have a brash character. One by one, however, the other candidates dropped out and I thought, “Well… I’m certainly not going to vote for Hillary!” Now we’ve had a chance to see that he doesn’t make promises he doesn’t intend to keep. He says what he means and he means what he says. In the past few months, perhaps realizing that the future presidency isn’t promised to him, he seems to become impassioned about his position and role as the leader of our country. I simply can’t keep up with the man, and the changes he has made. And now, with the sad passing of Justice Ruther Bader Ginsburg, Republicans have a chance to have the Supreme Court become even more Conservative than it has been.
It is comical to see the almost desperate measures the Democrats are using in order to try to stop President Trump from choosing the next candidate for the Supreme Court. They realize they probably have a Snowball’s chance in Hades to put the ball back in their court, and so they are of course threatening impeachment, once again.
I’m not sure about the rest of you, but I have prayed for our President – for his health and stamina (when does he ever sleep?), for God given direction and guidance, and for his safety. I am probably not the only one who has realized the danger he is in, as the Left allows looting and riots and destruction to try to bully Republicans. I have prayed that their strategy will end up “shooting themselves in the foot”, and that whatever pit they are digging for those of us who love our country, that they themselves will fall into it. It’s obvious that many Democrats could care less about the people in their districts, their cities, or their state. Thankfully there are some who are sick of their antics and actions, and are now determined to vote for President Trump.
As the violence and mayhem has increased, so has my passion increased for political situations. As my respect for President Trump grows, so does my disappointment with those who have used their positions for political gain, not caring who is hurt in the process. The disrespect for the police is terrible, and the way Democrats have purposely put their lives in danger is disgraceful and I believe, criminal.
Today the Governor of Florida announced changes designed to protect law enforcement and to make sure that any rioters and looters are harshly dealt with. I’m hoping that every Republican leader will follow their lead, along with any Democratic leaders who are sick and tired of the violence.
My prayer for our nation is that we may continue to live as a free country; to live in safety with the help and support from our law enforcement. This chaos has to end. I suspect that new and harsher laws will be made once these decisions will not hurt President Trump’s chances for re-election. He must maintain a careful balance in what he decides, as the Left uses anything and everything against him. Once he wins (and I pray that he does), there may be more violence, but I believe that it will be met swiftly and surely by our president, using any means necessary to keep us safe.
Those of us who love are country are tired of watching people tear down our cities, harassing innocent people, and putting first responders and police in danger. The bible says that there is a time for everything. I believe that it’s time for a change, and for the hateful, screaming, foul mouthed bullies to realize that they need to back down. I have noticed the efforts of those who are willing to meet the “protesters” face to face, and to run them out of town, if necessary. If people want to hate our country, they are free to leave. I would love to see any kind of Federal assistance taken away from these thugs who have even been willing to pick on little old ladies and small children. They have no conscience, willing to be bought off in order to harass and frighten those who are simply going about their day.
I’m looking forward to election night. I am starting to feel a sense of amusement when people on the Left melt so easily, crying and moaning and screaming about life. I think it’s time for them to grow up. I saw a meme today that said that the “time-out” generation hasn’t turned out half as well as those of us who occasionally got our bottoms spanked. It’s true.
I was working one day when I saw a little girl laughing and kicking an Easter display of stuffed animals, as her mother smiled and laughed. After she knocked over a display of chocolates her mother was asked to take her and leave. My children knew that I loved them, but they would have never dared to act like that in a store. Neither did my siblings or me – we knew better. These are the kinds of people who are willing to terrorize the public so that they can have their “whatever goes – I identify as a Unicorn – I will scream if I don’t get my way” ideology.
On election night, I plan to make some popcorn, get comfortable and watch the fireworks begin, while remembering to pray for the man who has the hardest job in our land, and who thus far has met every challenge with courage, conviction, and determination. God bless our president. God bless our country. And may God bless us, everyone (as Tiny Tim once said) as we endeavor to fight for the freedoms that some would like to take away. …. Thoughts?? Drop a Comment Below.
Written by Robin Johnson
Great article. I’m older than you so, although I remember a lot of the situations you brought up, I didn’t have the same first hand perspective. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences.
What a wonderful open love letter to your country in memorium of your son and the patriotic life. I am so sorry to hear of the loss. I have three sons and I save everything as well. Your experiences and worldview help bring the humanity and what’s important back into the public conversation and gives me hope that we have not lost all civility.