Divided We Fall

                If you live in America and do not know about NFL players kneeling during the Star-Spangled Banner, you don’t have TV or a smart phone.   You can have a frame added to your profile picture on Facebook to say, “I stand.”  I love the news, and would consider myself a news junkie.  Yes, I tend to watch one channel over another, but I also love NPR, which would be the opposite of my favorite morning news show, and I am still one of those few people that love the newspaper.  Growing up we had subscriptions to Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report.  My dad wanted me to be informed and I needed all of those for the political cartoons I would use for extemporaneous speeches on the debate team. 

                Growing up we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa Philpot’s home on most holidays.  They lived in a small community and we would walk down the road and across the street to watch the parades on those days, I can remember the Fourth of July, Pioneer Day (my LDS friends will know what that is) and Veteran’s Day parades.  My Grandpa Philpot would remind us that we were to stand when anyone carrying a flag came by.  This was not an option for debate, you stood.  This was to show respect for those that fought for our country.  I never thought to ask if someone he knew died in WWII.  I am sure they did, but I just know he would stand and expect us to follow that example. 

                I love our country, I think anyone that knows me, knows that fact.  I know I learned that from my grandparents and parents.  I truly believe we live in the greatest country in the world.  That it is blessed among all nations.  I believe the most important thing I do every school day is to stand and say, The Pledge of Allegiance.”   I cannot hear those notes of the Star-Spangled Banner play without crying.  What a blessing it has been living in this great nation. 

                This last election I really struggled with who I would vote for.  I honestly felt like either of the two major candidates were not worthy of my vote.  I spent time praying, pondering, and sleepless nights contemplating who I would vote for.  Never, I had spent so much time with a decision in my life, and I have made some tough choices.  I had a friend, who I have later thanked tell me a few weeks before the election that she voted for a write in candidate I thought, I don’t want to do that.  The morning of Election Day, Noelle asked me who I was going to vote for.  I still didn’t know, I really felt like either one was not a choice I wanted to make.  We had to wait in line and I said one more prayer, “Please, help me to know what to do?”  My friend was right, I needed to be able to look myself in the mirror.  I went in a wrote in my first choice.

                I have not felt bad about that decision and yes, I know it was a wasted vote, but I can look myself in the mirror and that was my goal.  I say this so you do not think I am being disingenuous when I say what I am about to say.  It is radical and almost unheard of, this might be a revolutionary idea.  It is an idea we all learned in Kindergarten, why because in Kindergarten you learn everything.  Here is my bold idea…cooperation.   When did this word become something that is dirty, or used only when it is a necessity?  Why is it thought of that if you work with the other side, that you are somehow ignorant, stupid, or uninformed?   

                Somehow if we agree on one issue we agree on all issues or if we disagree on one issue we must disagree on all issues.  Why cannot we come together and say we need to work together?  Long gone are the days of Tipp O’Neill and President Regan, or Newt Gingrich and President Clinton.  Those men worked together for the best for our country.  They put love of country before love of party!   I have more respect for people like that than people that won’t listen to the other side. 

                If NFL players want to kneel that is their right, I do not agree with them.  To me the flag stands for something else.  I do understand that is their right.   However, before one side starts to cheer and the other start typing their comments know this.  If the middle of the country cannot come together the country will fall.  If we do not start coming together when we need to, it will not matter what happens on the football field.  If love of self comes before love of country, love of God, love of your fellowmen, we are doomed! 

                Freedom of speech means freedom of all speech.  You cannot choose which speech is free.  Yes, you cannot yell, “Fire,” in a crowded theatre, but if you are okay with kneeling you then must understand that when President Trump says things you disagree with, it is okay also.  People that disagree are not dumb, stupid, or uninformed, it is just their right to disagree with you.  Loudest is not right, it is just loud.   Tonight, as I get ready to call it a night.  I will pray for our country, our leaders on both sides of the isle, for those people I love, and for those people I need to learn to love and forgive.  I will say a pray of thanks to two sets of grandparents who were wonderful examples of patriotism.  Who taught me to love country more than myself.  God Bless the USA!

Letter to our President Elect

Dear President Elect Trump,

                As you are getting sworn in tomorrow, I wanted to write you a letter.  First, I did not vote for you or your opponent.  I did vote, as I was taught many years ago voting was one of the most important duties we have as Americans.  I felt like the presidency of the United States was above both of you.  Like most of America, I was shocked that you were elected.   Now, that you are going to be President of the United States I need to tell you what I need.

                I need a leader, I need a Lincoln, either Roosevelt, a Kennedy, a Reagan, or most importantly a Washington.  I need someone that will bring the country together like President Lincoln did during his time.  I need you to speak to the entire country like Kennedy, Reagan, and Franklin Roosevelt, during their times.  I need you to be like Teddy strong enough to handle any problems even when you are feeling down or shot like he was.  I need you to be like Washington and understand that country is more important the office and more important than you. 

                I want you to know I will support you just like I have with all presidents before you.  I might not have always agreed with the past US Presidents, but I have always supported them.  I do think that no matter what the President of the United States deserves respect and support.  I pray that you will be successful.  I pray that our country will become more together than farther apart.  I will pray that God will continue to bless our great nation. 

Sincerely,

Florence Fallis 

An Open Letter

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      October 27, 2016

    Dear President Obama, Senator Clinton, Mr. Trump, and all members of Congress,

                I was blessed to be born in the greatest country on Earth.  My family came across on the Mayflower to seek the American dream, long before our nation was founded.  My family was part of the great western expansion and settled in the Utah territory.   My story is like many other American’s stories.    My parents were taught by their parents’ who where taught by parents before, them the importance of work.  My siblings and I were taught the same, work hard and you will get ahead in life We were taught to work hard and save our money for not only a rainy day but for things like houses, cars, and most importantly getting an education.  This is the American dream, buy your own home, car, and get an education.  You can be anything you want to be if you work hard, including being President of the United States of America. 

                 However, you must help those in need.  My grandparents would talk about Matthew 24:40 “In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”  The scripture was quoted and requoted at my parents and grandparents home, I love this scripture and have been blessed to help when I could and to be on the other end of the help.  It is not easy to be the receiver, but when you need the help, it is important to have those that will help.  As a single mom, I sometimes need help.  Friends, coworkers, and members of my wonderful community, including bartering for violin lessons for my daughter, have blessed me.  

                I would like to thank you for wanting to help the less fortunate with the Affordable Health Care Act.  I saw friends that worked for nothing so they could have insurance through their company just because of a pre-existing condition.  That is the most important part of the law. 

                I am concerned that a law was passed that people did not read.  How can this happen?  Did I miss something?  I hear lawyers say, “Never sign anything until you have read it.” Yet, the United States Congress can pass a law without reading it.   The reason that this happened was it had to be passed to know what was in it.  I teach third grade and one of the things we talk about is getting information to answer questions.  To me this is like taking a test and never reading the information before hand and getting a low grade.  However, if that happens it effects only one person.  This has effected millions. Yet, it does not affect those people that passed and wrote the law.  Members of congress and the president are exempt. 

                 

                I live in small community in Arizona.  I have been blessed to have a job that I love!  Being a teacher I feel is my calling, I make a difference in the lives of those students around me.  I love seeing the light bulb moment, as they understand a concept.  Opening their eyes to a whole world of learning is an awesome experience.   This truly is one of the biggest reasons teachers love their jobs.  Like many other teachers, I have a second source of income.  I run the after school program at my school.  I am glad I was born in a family that taught us to work because I work 55 hours a week outside the home.  This does not include the papers that have to be graded, lesson plans, or planning any fun activities, but that is okay.  It is all part of the job.  

                My insurance has continually gone up.  I moved to the Affordable Health Care Act because of this reason.  Next year my insurance will cost more than my rent and my car payment combined, more than all of my other bills combined, I am not sure I understand how this can happen. 

                My idea of the American dream is now just to be able to afford insurance.  I will never be able to buy a home at this rate.  I hope my car runs smoothly for forty years, and I will never be able to afford my master’s degree.  I will hope to be able to just pay my insurance and my other necessities of life.  If we get sick or need to use the insurance we will be in trouble because I will not have money for copays or deductibles.

                This is a sad state our nation is in, no longer are we helping those in need.  Instead, we are hurting the middle class.  Not the upper middle class or the rich, but the lower middle class.  Most people are in my same situation, they were brought up to work hard and do your best and now are being hurt by a law that people could not read.  It breaks my heart that the generation that that survived the Great Depression, fought to keep the world safe from tyrants in World War II watch this. 

                I love my country, anyone that knows me will agree with that.  However, I am not pleased with the state of my government. 

I Love Grandparents

           I love grandparents!  The woman that made the biggest impact on my life was my Grandma Philpot.  Growing up there was not a moment in my life that she was not present.  She was my confidant, friend, and biggest cheerleader.  Grandma Philpot was the one constant in my life.  She saw something that no one else saw.

                Yesterday I had to finish a paper for a class yesterday on my reading experiences growing up; it turned into a love of my Grandma Philpot.  From stories, I have been told my she would have me on her bed “reading” the phonebook.  I do remember reading the Little House on the Prairie books with her.  I still have my paperback books that she gave me along with my hardbound copies of my favorite pioneer series. 

                My children do not live close to their grandparents and unfortunately never have.  Sometimes families cannot live close to each other to make a living.  I was blessed three months after moving to Lake Havasu to become Visiting Teaching partners with Kim Fronek.  This choice made by a Relief Society President change my life forever.  Kim and Sunnie wanted to have some grandkids live closer and really wanted a granddaughter.  They adopted us and we gladly were adopted.   When my Grandma Philpot died, Kim was the first person in Lake Havasu I called.  She spend hours making sure I was okay.

                Kim and Sunnie have been able to be the Grandparents my parents cannot be due to location.  They live here and make sure things are taken care of in Havasu.  The last four and a half years they have been my rock and more importantly been there for Tyler, Katie, and Noelle.  They have been able to be at most activities and this has made a huge impact on my children’s lives.  Last night, Kim knew I was not feeling well and she took my place at a mother daughter date.  How lucky my little girl was. 

                Grandparent’s matter, rather it is a text, phone call, Facebook message, or more importantly a prayer.  There are things that teenagers might not tell their parents because they are dumb, but somehow grandparents are much smarter than parents are.  There is not a day I have not thought of my grandparents.  I daily wish I could pick up the phone and call Grandma Philpot to talk to her and get her advice or just have her tell me everything would be okay.  

                Thank you to all of the grandparents out there.  You are awesome and what you do, do matter to those that love you.  You might not think you matter but you do.  I hope in many years when I become a grandma that I will be one like Grandma Philpot.  Sometimes I can hear her say, “I love you Floriepot, you are a Daughter of God.”

Red, White, and Blue

           As teachers there are those areas, we love.   Everyone at my school knows that America is what I love most.  Students will say, “She loves it more than her own kids.”  This is not quite true but close.  I love my country and I do teach love of country in my class.  Students that have passed through my doors know that standing and saying The Pledge of Allegiance is the most important thing we do all day.  If you ask of my students past or present what my favorite color is they will say, “red, white, and blue.” 

                Tomorrow we are wearing red, white, and blue in honor of those that lost their lives in the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.   The reason I think it is important to wear the colors is so that conversations will be had.  We have a generation of students that might not know what happened that fateful day.  They might never have had a conversation with their parents, or even noticed why grownups take time out of their day to shed a tear. 

                Tomorrow as you get up please take time to stop and think about our fellow citizens that willingly gave up their lives.  Yes, I know those on the earlier flights did not know what was happening, but the later two they did.  Think of the emergency workers like firefighters, paramedics, and police officers.  What about those regular citizens that just helped others leave buildings or get out of harm’s way.   The lines that were we stood in to gladly give blood and the churches that were full so that prayers could be heard. 

                Think about how you felt that you were an American.   Were you proud of how our country came together?   Can you remember what it was like to see the Congress and Senate stand together on the steps of the Capital Building?  How about that night hugging your children tighter, calling your family, and checking on your neighbor?

                Tomorrow when I put on my red, white, and blue there will be a tear in my eyes.  I will sob during The Pledge of Allegiance.  However, I will take time to have a conversation not only with students at school but with my kids, my neighbors, and everyone I see. 

                Tonight like all other nights I will pray for my country.  God bless America!  

Blessed Honored Pioneer

 

                Today for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a big day.  Today is Pioneer Day, this is the day that Brigham Young said, “This is the place.”  This statement meant that the Mormons that had been driven out of New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois would finally have a place where they would be on their own.  There would be no neighbors that could or would cause them home.  Yes, there were Native Americans, but that was it and Brigham had made it very clear that the Saints were to be kind to them.

                My whole life have heard this story, going to parades, watching fireworks, and listening to people talk about their heritage.  My mother’s side of the family knew the Prophet Joseph and were some of the first members of the church.  They heard the Joseph’s story and knew it was true.  They never once thought he wasn’t telling the truth.  If you talk to church historians they will say that the Knight family was faithful to not only Joseph but to the church.  My dad’s side came from Scotland, after hearing the missionaries came by boat and headed out west.  I cannot imagine the faith it must have taken. 

 Two days ago I found that my 12t^h great grandfather Thomas Rodgers came across on the Mayflower.  This had me astounded.  Even before this country was the USA, I had ancestors that knew it was a blessed country.  Again, this is my heritage.

My whole life I have felt like and said, “I am just plain Flo.”  I do not mean that in a bad way, only to say I am never going to be a famous person.  I am just a regular person.  However, when my faith has tested and I have gone to our Father in Heaven, I have looked to my pioneer heritage and their test.  I have often thought that if they could leave what they loved and come to an unknown place I certainly could deal with my own trials. 

                 I am blessed to have a strong legacy of faith and I know that more than anyone.  This does not mean I haven’t had to gain my own testimony.  I am blessed that I have gained my own testimony through trials.  More than anything I am grateful for those who worked hard and had their trials so that their posterity could look back at their example. 

                You might not think what you do now will help your posterity, but I am a witness that you will.  Your trials might make it easier for others to cope with theirs.  On this day more than others I am say, “Blessed, honored Pioneer.”

                               

Why I Love America

     I have always loved America.  Growing up I don’t remember an event my Grandma and Grandpa Philpot missed.  This is not to underplay my parents, but Grandma and Grandpa were always there.  Fourth of July were spent at my Grandparent’s Hunter or Grantsville house.  Aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and family Grandma and Grandpa’s house would be filled with love of family and country.

                We would start off the Fourth of July at our local parade.  We would sit on the grass at the edge of the curb.  We would be reminded to stand whenever an American Flag came by.   Grandma would let us go the park after the parade and then the BBQ would start.  We would then start with making the homemade ice cream.  Grandma had a hand crank machine and then she upgraded to an electric one.  We would then play with sparklers and then watch fireworks. 

                During the day we would talk as a family.  America was always the subject.  I thought growing up my Grandma and Grandpa were history professors they seemed to know everything.  Grandpa would talk about the Founding Fathers and why they mattered.  He talked about how God preserved this land for us and how it is the greatest country of all.  Grandpa talked about how with hard work and perseverance anyone could succeed in America. 

                Grandma would talk about her family and how they had crossed the Atlantic Ocean and then crossed the plains to come to Utah live their religion.     She loved her pioneer heritage, she was proud that her family wanted to live in this nation. 

                Today as I went to our annual pancake breakfast the Star Spangled Banner was played, I watched as men who fought in WWII stood trying to balance themselves to stand for this song.  Women who cried as they listened to the words and children stopped playing so they could put their hands over their heart.  I thought of the countless times my Grandpa and Grandma told me to stand as the American Flag came by.  How America was truly the country of God.   How if you work hard and persevere you could succeed here. 

                I know that the last sentence is not how many Americans feel anymore.  Too many feel like what JFK said is not true, too many people what the government to do all and they should do nothing.  This is not going to work.  We need to do for our country and feel proud to be Americans.  I am so glad I could live in the greatest country on Earth.  Thank you to Grandparents that loved God, country, and family.  I hope that I have raised my children to keep up the Philpot traditions.