Remembering Our Freedom

Valerie J. Steimle

With our Independence Day landing on Sunday this year, there is some time to ponder the freedoms we have been allowed since the formation of our country. As it’s been a difficult year with all the political turmoil, we especially need a positive reminder of where it all came from and how it all started. We must never forget how our freedoms have been guarded all these years and who is responsible. Those courageous men and women should be given the credit of what freedoms we have today of which we should be eternally grateful. Here is a writing I was sent last week to share with others about our freedoms: (The author is unknown)

I watched the flag pass by one day, it fluttered in the breeze
A young Marine saluted it, and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform, so young, so tall, so proud, with hair cut square and eyes alert he'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil? How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.
I heard the sound of Taps one night, when everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play and felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times that Taps had meant 'Amen,'
When a flag had draped a coffin of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children, of the mothers and the wives, of fathers, sons and
husbands with interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard at the bottom of the sea, of unmarked graves in Arlington,
No, freedom isn't free.

A story I was told since a child was recorded by Constitution signer James McHenry in a diary entry: “Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended, a women by the name of Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin a question. “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Benjamin Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

If we can keep it!!!! Very profound and insightful. We all need to work towards keeping our country a republic. From every walk of life up to the White House, we should be guarding our freedoms to the very end. We are the greatest country in the world and all eyes are watching our nation to keep the free world free. So whether it’s voting for the right person representing our Constitution or writing a letter to Congress in standing up for our beliefs, we need to keep our freedoms and appreciate all those who helped us along the way.

Hope For The Future

Valerie J. Steimle

Last week, my sweet mother-in-law sent this quote to me and I find great comfort in these words. Harold B. Lee, the eleventh president and our prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said these words back some time in the 70’s. Presently, we are experiencing such trial and tribulation in our country, this message gives me great hope. We will get through these troubled times where men want to destroy our Constitution and our great nation. It pains me to hear the news of what our so-called legislative leaders want to force through the infrastructure of our country all in the name of improving our welfare, when we know it will do no good at all. We feel so helpless. We do what we can in letter writing and phone calling but to no avail: our freedoms are slowly being reduced to almost nothing. Relish in these words and know that our nation will never fail.

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges. I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through. (Harold B. Lee, "Ye Are the Light of the World", pp. 350-51)

Fathers are Important Too

Valerie J. Steimle

For the past few Mother’s days, I have been writing about the importance of Mothers. This is only slightly unfair as I have not said a thing about Fathers so with Father’s day coming this Sunday, I thought it only right to present my feeling in the importance of Fathers.

What most people don’t know is that to understand how the circle of a family really works you need the presence of the father. Imagine two sons living in two separate families. Two parents raise the one son and only the mother raises the other. All are good people and do the best that they can. The son with both parents have the example of a father who loves his mother and treats her well as well as the example of taking care of his own children, where as the other son has no example of what fathers do at all and grows up lacking something he never really had.

Tom Wolfe said it well from The Bonfire of the Vanities when he wrote this about fatherhood: “Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.”

Children need protection and Fathers are the protectors. With great protectors comes the feeling of security. With this security, there is great comfort in being able to communicate what you are feeling with your father, which builds a lasting relationship. Not everyone can do this even with his or her father still here but there are opportunities of bridging the gap of a relationship when Dad sticks around for the duration of a child’s life.

Teenagers might not appreciate what they have now, but wisdom comes with age and appreciation of a father’s sacrifice will surface eventually. Mark Twain said it perfectly: “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”

So let’s honor our fathers this Sunday with a card or phone call or both. If your father isn’t here then honor the one who is a father to you and be a great Dad to those in your circle of friends.

The Importance of Senior Citizens

Valerie Steimle

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to visit with my husband’s family in Andalusia, Alabama. They were such great people: very sweet and friendly. Almost everyone was over 55 and it was a pleasure to sit down and visit with them. Many entertaining stories were exchanged and five hours just flew by. This got me thinking about our senior citizens and how blessed we are to have these friends and family who have come before us in our life.

Thanks to the marvels of medical science , our parents, aunts, and uncles are living longer than ever before. Adults over the age of 80 are the fastest growing people of our population in the United States. Those in the retirement age are many times dependent on others for their basic needs and most times, it falls to their children. We don’t always remember how important it is to take care for those who lived before us but they are a great blessing to the baby boomer generation. Listening to the great lessons and experiences they have to share, those over 50 are of great value and they need to know we care for them and appreciate what they know.

Many people over the age of 60 are finding that life can be very rewarding and those dreams of long ago are now a reality. There are many news reports of retirees biking across Europe, writing that long awaited book rolling around in their heads or visiting with family far away. It can be a very exciting time and keeping healthy is the key.

It has been found that simple walking 3 to 4 days a week can be very helpful in keeping healthy. Learning something new keeps our brains active and can be a blessing in disguise. For example, learning your way around a computer and the internet can bridge friendships and family members who are far away. Joining community groups, which feature senior citizen clubs, are a great way to spend some time with others and you might even find you have hidden talents you never knew before.

There is a downside of reaching the golden age and that is living in a nursing home. That is where the younger generation should jump in and plan monthly trips to visit with family and friends who are cared for in a home where the residents are wheel chair bound. Youth groups should remember the importance of visiting these special people because after all, we will eventually find ourselves in the same position someday.

So let us remember those who came before us in our life and show them the respect they deserve in our day-to-day living. We will not regret it.

Staying Positive

Valerie Steimle

I have been reading and listening to a lot of motivational talks to help improve my attitude. For humans, it is difficult to plod along the path for our work, in whatever we do, without getting discouraged. We try to attain the goals that we make but the burden gets heavy at times and we need an uplifting word to keep us going.

Here are a few suggested actions for us to stay positive in 2010.
1. Finish what you start!! When you get into something, finish it. Don’t let it go. Whether it’s playing soccer or taking a class, finish what you have started and it will give you the feeling of accomplishment.
2. Get a Vision: Find the vision of what you want to accomplish. Stay motivated by reading or listening every day to whatever it is you want to do.
3. Persevere: When the going gets tough the tough get going!!! Get up and do something to contribute to your vision of what you want to accomplish.
4. Be Courageous: It takes courage to have the convictions in accomplishing what you deem very important. Whether it’s raising children or finishing a book, work on it everyday and remember your convictions in what you want to do.
5. Be a good example: There are so many people who are lost and looking for something. Be a good example to those around you and it will help them and you to be better people.

Through all the tragic news we hear every day, keeping a positive attitude becomes a chore. Think of these five helpful suggestions and your attitude will improve over time.

Spring Cleaning

Valerie Steimle

Spring has officially arrived which means many people turn their focus to spring cleaning. All the clutter that builds up over the last year with unnecessary items inside your home and around the yard need to be sent to the trash can or given away to someone in need. Reorganizing closets can give you more space than you realize. Deep cleaning all the dirt off the walls and floors will help everyone in your house feel better. Besides removing dirt and unwanted items from your home there are other spring cleaning jobs which need to be considered.

Consider cleaning your life habits. A reevaluation of how you spend your time and what you are doing for most of the day can help you get back on track in what is really important in your life. Time wasters and addictions can be tossed out of your life as life is too short to miss out on the good stuff of spending time with family and friends. Relationships can be developed which are much more fulfilling than time spent with electronic machines.

Another aspect of spring cleaning you might not have considered is within your own person. As most health care providers will tell you, your body is a temple and should be a priority in the utmost care. Cleaning your system with detoxification of lots of water and wholesome foods can make a big difference in how you feel every day. According to Psychology Today, “detoxification is not for everyone (pregnant women and people with serious medical conditions) but for those who are able to improve their diet with more clean liquid intake and unprocessed foods such as brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, can thoroughly clean out your system.” Bodies need to be cleaned inside as well as out, as waste is built up inside and can cause a body to not function properly.

Election time will be arriving soon and we have the task of electing the right person to do the right job. Spring cleaning can be applied to this task as well. We need to remove all the dirt and unwanted items from all areas of the state and country to get our government running back on track again. Take a good look at where the country is headed and realize that our future is in our own hands. We need to carefully consider all candidates and make the right choice as we want to retain our liberties living in this free land.

Spring cleaning is a useful task in all aspects of our life. By cleaning out our homes, our lives, our bodies and our government, we can improve the quality of our life ten-fold.

Olympian Courage

Valerie Steimle


As the Olympics came to a close, I have reflected on the example of one athlete. The courage of Joanie Rochette from Quebec , Canada was amazing. Two days before Joanie was to compete in the woman’s figure skating, her mother (Theresa Rochette-age 55) had a massive heart attack and passed away after arriving in Vancouver to watch her daughter perform.

Almost anyone experiencing tragedy like that would have pulled out of the competition. In such a competitive sport, each participant has to have full body and mind concentration to do well. Joanie Rochette did above and beyond what any 24 year-old figure skating athlete would have done under the circumstances. She stepped out on the ice with grace and great composure and skated her best performances to win the bronze medal taking third place behind two excellent skaters from South Korea and Japan . Canada hadn’t won any medals for women’s singles skating since Elizabeth Manley won the silver in Calgary in 1988.

It was an amazing experience to watch Joanie, knowing what her heart was feeling for the death of her mother, as she performed her skating routines. She carried on with great courage and became an Olympic favorite because of her remarkable character. How many of us would be able carry on so well after losing a loved one so close to us? She was even given the distinguished honor of carrying her country’s flag in the closing exercises on Sunday night. She didn’t think she deserved the honor because her performance on ice was awarded third place but after talking with many of her own country’s athletes she changed her mind. They explained to her how her determination and character had greatly helped them get through their own performances and she was absolutely the right person to carry their flag.

It is so refreshing to see how the life of one athlete could have such a positive affect on so many people. We all have trials to overcome but how many of us would continue on as Joanie did? We have become a world of only thinking of ourselves. We think what is best for us instead of what would be best for everyone around us. Joanie could have walked away from the competition and we would have all understood why but she chose the better path to complete what she started.

As Robert Frost so eloquently wrote in his poem The Road Not Taken, “I took the one less traveled by and that made all the difference”. Joanie Rochette took the road less traveled by. She did her best and that made all the difference.