Happy Birthday Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was a great president.  I feel privileged that I lived during his presidency.  Happy Birthday to a great man! 

I hope you will teach your children about this great man and that you will dig around for the truth about his life and his beliefs.  The left is trying to discredit the fact that through his beliefs, this country excelled.  The more we abandon his beliefs, the more we slip into socialism.  The following includes many quotes from President Reagan.  If you look in the left sidebar, you'll find more.

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A graduate of Eureka College, IL, 1932, he announced for radio stations in Iowa. He married Jane Wyman and had children Maureen and Michael.  He was a Captain in the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II, then became an actor, appearing in over 50 films. He was President of the Screen Actors Guild, switched from Democrat to Republican, and became Governor of California.

His second marriage, to Nancy Davis, 1952, had children Patti and Ron.

His name was Ronald Reagan, born FEBRUARY 6, 1911, and died June 5, 2004.

At age sixty-nine, he was the oldest person elected U.S. President, and sixty-nine days after his inauguration, he survived an assassination attempt.  Ronald Reagan stated at St. John's University in New York, March 28, 1985:

"Government that is big enough to give you everything you want is more likely to simply take everything you've got."

Ronald Reagan remarked to the Heritage Council, Warren, Michigan, October 10, 1984:

"Henry David Thoreau was right: that government is best which governs least."

In his 1964 speech, A Time for Choosing, Ronald Reagan stated:

"I suggest to you there is no left or right, only an up or down. Up to the maximum of individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism; and regardless of their humanitarian purpose, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have, whether they know it or not, chosen this downward path."

In 1961, Ronald Reagan stated:

"One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It's very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project...James Madison in 1788...said: '...There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations.'...


What can we do about this?...We can write to our congressmen and our senators. We can say right now that we want no further encroachment on these individual liberties and freedoms...We do not want socialized medicine...If you don't, this program I promise you will pass...and behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known...until, one day...we will awake to find that we have socialism.

And...you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children, what it once was like in America when men were free."

Ronald Reagan stated in Beijing, China, April 27, 1984:

"I have seen the rise of fascism and communism. Both philosophies glorify the arbitrary power of the state...But both theories fail. Both deny those God-given liberties that are the inalienable right of each person on this planet, indeed, they deny the existence of God."

On March 20, 1981, at the Conservative Political Action Conference Dinner, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC, Ronald Reagan stated:

"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid. That's why the Marxist vision of man without God must eventually be seen as an empty and a false faith - the second oldest in the world - first proclaimed in the Garden of Eden with whispered words...'Ye shall be as gods.'   The crisis of the Western world...exists to the degree in which it is indifferent to God."

On May 17, 1982, in a proposed Constitutional Amendment on Prayer in Schools, President Ronald Reagan stated:

"Our liberty springs from and depends upon an abiding faith in God."

President Reagan proclaimed:

"Now, therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, in recognition of the contributions and influence of the Bible on our Republic and our people, do hereby proclaim 1983 the 'Year of the Bible' in the United States. I encourage all citizens, each in his or her own way, to reexamine and rediscover its priceless and timeless message."

Ronald Reagan wrote in his article, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation," The Human Life Review, 1983:

"Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should be slaves...
Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live and should be abandoned to abortion."

At the Alfred M. Landon Lecture Series, 1982, Ronald Reagan stated:

"We can't have it both ways. We can't expect God to protect us in a crisis and just leave Him over there on the shelf in our day-to-day living. I wonder if sometimes He isn't waiting for us to wake up, He isn't maybe running out of patience."

At Reunion Arena in Dallas, 1984, Ronald Reagan stated:

"Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience....without God there is a coarsening of the society; without God democracy will not and cannot long endure....  America needs God more than God needs America. If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under."

WOW!
 
God loves you,
 
Debbie

What makes a winner?

The family insisted that I take it easy today. They think I need a little time to get over the hospital stay. I've propped my feet up and feel like a real princess receiving her every wish.

I love old movies. Anything black and white is all right with me. It's not just the lack of color but rather the infusion of great morals and values. I love watching men and women push for the best, reach for the stars and go deep within themselves to find honor.

I've been watching Knute Rockne, All American with Ronald Reagan. I'm not a sports person and barely know the rules of any sport. I love the way many of those old movies present the most impossible situations (many of them true stories) yet men of strong character find a way to push through and overcome. This movie reminded me of another sports movie Rudy. In that movie (also about Notre Dame) Rudy has to overcome the internal battle that we all must face - our fear and doubt in our own abilities.

It seems to me that the only really tough battles are those within our own character.

When people have to do without things they get creative and usually find a way to keep going. But when a person allows the twists and turns in life to destroy his determination, then he is truly lost. As long as we find the strength to push through the depression, discouragement, sorrow, despair, slump, hard times and defeat - we will be winners. We are never defeated as long as we continue to try.

The best example of pushing through the hard times is the new movie, The Pursuit of Happyness. It's a hard movie to watch because you are sure with each twist and turn that Chris Gardner will have to give up. Each problem builds on the previous until you are positive there is no way he will overcome. By the end I was in total crying meltdown. The truly amazing part of the story is that it is all true. He was victorious (sorry if I ruined it for you - still good to watch) and so fantastically successful that his story not only made a movie but is still on the New York Times Best seller list.

Will it make your child a winner to give him everything he wants or needs and require nothing in return?

NO

Will it give your child character to come to his rescue with every little problem and never allow him to work things out on his own?

NO

Will you be able to prepare your child to make it in this world if you keep him so comfortable he never experiences pain, suffering or distress of any kind.

NO

As good parents we have to know the Balance Needed to teach our children how to make it when times are rough and how to keep our character strong when we are enjoying the good times.

How?

Make sure your children see the good in family members and that they understand that having character and honor is far more important than money or success. If you have a million dollars but your wife hates you - you are not a success. If you are the president of a large corporation but you barely know your child's name - you are not a success. If you have fame or power but your friends think you are a jerk, what's the point?

Make sure you find ways to help your children practice doing without. For example, don't give them every big name toy. Give them tools to make their own toys. One year my children begged for a laser tag game. It had guns, arm bands and a vest that were all set to ring with the laser. Trouble was we couldn't afford it. Solution: I made vests with Velcro and gave them guns that shot ping pong balls. We covered the balls with Velcro. Okay, maybe you couldn't shoot quiet as far but the running, screaming, laughing and playing was just as loud as it would have been with the $200 game.

When we could, we bought the real stuff. Just as often, we made look-a-likes.

Part of your job as parent is to be the protector. Never put your child in a position to be mentally or physically damaged. Do allow your child to go beyond the status quo. Allow him to try difficult things and encourage him when he is down. Give your child wings and then step back and allow him to fly. There will be times when the best decision is to back off or quit. But with each try your child will become stronger and with each success your child will be able to take anything life dishes out.

God loves you,

Debbie