Two Days Behind

I've got to get better at this blogging thing! I have not done a "real" post, except for a quick prayer request, in three weeks. This has been a really busy month for me. Going back to public school has been a tremendous adjustment--- to say the least. For the past several years, I was home by 3:30 every day. So far, this year, I don't think I've left my classroom before 4:00 and then it takes 30 minutes, at least, to get home. There is just SO much more preparation time with 19 kids. And I'm learning a whole new curriculum. I had the other one down pat and could have just continued it forever. Anyway, I come home and read everyone else's posts and then I'm too tired to write on mine.

The main topic this week has been 9/11, of course. I am not usually a very political person, opinionated, just not political. That is slowly changing. However, one thing has remained the same since I was a little girl. I am VERY patriotic! I love my country, my troops, and leaders that I believe have our best interests at heart. Like many other bloggers, September 11 has been on my mind, too. I do remember where I was--- in my second grade classroom, when my principal went door to door telling us that the Trade Center had been bombed. (That is what the news people reported at first.) I'm almost embarrassed to admit I didn't even know where the Trade Center was located. Wish I still didn't. Now, unfortunately, I am quite familiar with Ground Zero. Anyway, in keeping with the name of my blog, I thought I'd put my two cents in.

I try hard each year to instill patriotism in my students. It is sadly lacking in our schools today. Shockingly, sometimes the opposite is being taught to our children. How can we expect them to love and defend our country if we don't teach them to? If we don't set the example?

Two years ago, I talked about that fateful day as part of my kindergarten graduation program. Below is part of what I shared with the parents that day.

OUR HOPE

When I starting thinking about a graduation theme, the pictures I took of a patriotic mural came to mind. It was painted on a church wall as a memorial to 9/11. I thought about that day in our country’s recent history. All six of your children were infants that day. Two of my grandchildren were also born that year. When I look at this generation I don’t see the helplessness and hopelessness we felt that day. I see the hope of this nation, and our future in their faces.

Every morning we said our pledge and we stood straight and tall like soldiers and placed our hands on our hearts because “we love our country.” I hope they’re always proud to be Americans. I hope they never take our freedom for granted. I hope they are always grateful for the sacrifice of others that guarantees our right to the pursuit of happiness. I hope they never grow weary in well-doing and that they’ll fight to preserve our freedom of worship. I hope they realize they can make a difference and that they can change this world. I believe we’ll be in good hands.

We know they can be anything they want when they grow up, because we live in the greatest nation in the world--- the United States of America.

This is what we should be teaching our children, not by mere words, but by our actions. God first, then family, and then our country. Well, that's my opinion and on my blog, my opinion rules.

I hope I gave you something to think about, especially now, when some leaders in our country want to "play nice" with suspected terrorists. In the words of John Stossel, "Give me a break."

My sweet friend, Casey, did a great post on that! You can read her insightful words HERE. I loved it and agreed wholeheartedly.