“Prayers and Humor from President Ronald Reagan”
A Day of Prayer is what AMERICA needs – – but in my opinion… we need more PRAYERS and more often – – than just one day of the year! We need an abundance of PRAYER – – every day and around the clock – – as things are not as they used to be – – in fact – – things are “Topsy -turvy” – – and just seem to be getting worse.
President Ronald Reagan was for “PRAYER” in government and in the public schools system – – so I have a few of his message which some may like to hear – – and also included some humor that just may make your day!
My “Dad” was born just a year later, than “President Ronald Reagan” in February!
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“Orphan takes another Orphan to EYE DOCTOR”
In the mid 1940’s and being in the Orphanage – – and not getting to see much of the outside – – that is to go by bus to the Downtown St.Louis area only happened on the first Sunday of ADVENT as a “CHRISTMAS treat to visit the “FAMOUS BARR” store for treats – Live Show and even some “Three Stooges’ Movies!” and this was a for sure good treat for all of the ORPHANS!
I’m guessing that I was in the 5th or 6th grade – – and there was another girl – – whose name I can not remember – – as I can not even remember anyone even wearing “GLASSES” in the Orphanage, but this person had to be seen by a “Dr. Winter – – who had a store in the downtown St.Louis area – – a good guess was 9th and Olive Street – – and of course he did this work for the Orphanage for FREE – – another guess as several places did “Charity” work for the Orphanage.
This old PHOTO only reminds me of how some of the old buildings may have looked in the 1940’s and I did remember how to get to the “Downtown” area by BUS and when I was asked to take someone to a “Dr. Winter’s Optical Store – – I was tickled pink! Of course I would miss a day of school – – but sometimes one must make sacrifices – RIGHT? And, I was glad to do so!
The reason that I was so HAPPY to leave the Orphanage and go anywhere at all – – I knew that I would be able to make transfers by “BUS” to where my MOTHER”s home was – – and also how to get the correct “BUS” from there to and on the correct route back to the Orphanage!
So that is what I did, took the “Walnut Park Bus” from the down town area and was given my tickets for the girl that I was escorting around – and got off that BUS and walked a couple of blocks. Went to our house and of all the breaks – – no one HOME – – sure was disappointed. We then walked to the area for our next bus ride to make – and then another connection to the “Natural Bridge Bus” and then from there we needed to get the “Ramona Bus” and at that area – – we waited a very long time.
At that time the “Ramona Bus” was the slowest of all bus lines – – always long waiting – – could have walked – – but since we still had our transfers – – why walk when you you can ride. So after a “FUN DAY” on the bus to down town St.LOUIS and even a try to see my MOM on the way back – – Just one of those memories that will never be forgotten.
I just may have to look through some odd PHOTO albums to see “WHO” wore glasses – – as that is something that mystifies me – – who wore glasses in the Orphanage? “WOW”
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“You DO what YOU have to DO”
Would you believe, that – I found this little old “two pound” sack the other day – – and in side it – – someone had put some old ribbons and bows – which would have to be at least “sixty years old” – – and, this old sack is from the 1944 or 1945 time frame – – I do doubt that you could find another one like it! ( This sack measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches)
If I have anything “OLD” it is because “it” was in the “FAMILY” and saved for some very good reason. If you lived way back then- – with WWII going on, you did need to save good and reusable stuff to use over and over – – and learn to make do – as we all had to do our part in the “WAR EFFORT” – – – – so we were all ‘savers of stuff’ – – that just might or could possibly be reused… for something else.
This old “sugar sack” has another memory, much more important to me. During those “WAR” years each AMERICAN FAMILY was issued “coupon books” – one for each member of the FAMILY – – and in our case, this day, one coupon would be used – – for “SUGAR” – – in order to purchase a sack of sugar, you did have to have a “ration coupon” just to purchase – – as so many things and or items were restricted – – so as to help with the “WAR” effort – -and every FAMILY including the children did learn early about doing without some things – – and learning to help and to do their part.
So… there was a sale on “SUGAR” at a grocery store on GRAND Avenue – – I’m guessing five to ten blocks south of the “Northside Theater” which was on the S.W. corner of “Grand Avenue and Natural Bridge” – – and since my “God-Parents” lived in and near that area – – and we had made visits there so often – – as young as I was, I knew how to get there, and “all by myself!”
So… with money and coupon in hand – – I left our home on Carter and Linton Avenue – – cut through different streets – cut through the “Fair Grounds Park” and on down Grand Avenue to the Grocery store, got the bag of sugar with the help of a store clerk and made the walk back home. Good thing that I started out early in the morning – because, when I got back home with this sack of sugar there was a small hole in the sack and some sugar was missing!
My Mother called the store to complain and said she was sending me back with that damaged bag of sugar – – and that she wanted a good “FULL BAG OF SUGAR” – – a bag with no holes! So… with note and bag of sugar in hand – – I retraced my steps back to this grocery store – – and had to have them see to it, that this new bag was full and firm and no leaks – – otherwise – – I may be coming back, again.
It could be that when a small child is sent to the store – – that they give something damaged to the child to take home – – but, in our case my Mother would not accept damaged goods – – and since “my feet” did the walking – – I remember so very well – – and guess that, that is the way I feel about purchases, even today. It must have been those miles that, I was walking for the purchase – – but, even if I was out playing with friends – -I would have walked that far and even further – – as my “Play Ground” was from the “Fair Grounds Park” to the opposite direction to include the “O’Fallon Park” – as I had friends all over and was so very LUCKY to know how to get where ever I needed to go – – as those were the days when we as a FAMILY did walk to most of the places that we would go – -and so as early as possible – – if you wanted to go some where – – it was a good idea to know “HOW” to get there!
“Now that I think back on my traveling all over the North Saint Louis area, and sometimes taking my younger brothers – – I have to give “Thanks to the Almighty Yahweh” – – for having His Angels watch over us, three! D.V.
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“This is a BLUE RIBBON WINNER Photo”
This is by far… the best PHOTO – – that I have seen in a long time – – and I know what a long time is!”
There is just something extra “special” about this smiling face of our “Baby LEX” – it looks like he is saying something very important – – and with that grin and the twinkle in his eyes – he knows that he has all of our attention – – and that, no matter what he wants – – or is asking – – he already knows – – we will not be turning him down!
With this body language – – he could sell to “me” the “Brooklyn Bridge” – – and know, that no matter what he was selling it for – – just his looks alone … has me sold – – and I would give him any amount that he would be wanting – – and, I have no use for that “Brooklyn Bridge” – – but with that special look – I am buying what ever “LEX” is selling!
This is one “PHOTO” that I am saving and forever – – here and in my ‘memory bank’ – – that I will be taking with me to the next Heavenly Realm — – when and where ever – – as this PHOTO will open lots of “doors” for who ever is carrying it – – It just has that extra special “MAGIC SPELL” coming across – – and I am Thanking our CREATOR – – for sending little “LEX” to our FAMILY and to me! D.V.
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“Till We Meet Again”
“Maybe – just a maybe… because I can still remember seeing so many men and women in uniform during the 1940’s on the buses and street-cars – – downtown where all the bus and train connections were made – near “UNION STATION” – day and night – everyone joining up to serve – -“GOOD-byes” were what you saw and remembered!”
There is something about a “Good-bye” with that “Till We Meet Again” – – that has always been with me – – as that question I wonder about – – “Will we meet again” – “WHEN and Where?” No one that I know of – – can be sure of the very next minute – – especially when so many were sent off to fight during WWII – – and without all of us helping each other – – it could be very difficult – – just to think that maybe… all that will come back is a “Telegram” – – “Lost in ACTION” – – and when those came – – neighbors could hear the screams – – loud and clear!
“SO…when parting those you LOVE and GOOD COMPANY and never knowing – – what is around the next corner of LIFE – – here is what we do as a FAMILY with FRIENDS – – and some may think “us” strange – – but, we have so much FUN with doing our own, “Fire in the HOLE” – – you may want to try this sometime – – just to see if your FAMILY enjoys this “Good-bye or Fare-well” with the same amount of FUN as well as we do?”
When your “Family” gets together for a “Good Time”, at a restaurant, or even a dinner at my home, or one of us who has just made a “Special Dessert” and maybe even just for a “Hang Out” gathering – “What’s the Icing on the Cake going to be – our extra special – Goodbye?”
Now that I’m thinking about it – I know everybody has seen a “Football Game”, and watch both teams getting ready for the next big play – they get in that “Huddle Position”! This is really the “Hugging an Touching Position”, and “Cheer Leading Jumping” with some “Rah Rah’s”, a time to pass strong physical energy around to each other – to keep each of us highly energized – “Till we meet again”!
So, the “Last is the Best” – that would be Me, as only an old “Granny” can “Yell” “Fire in the Hole”! That’s my signature “Yell”! And I do that yell a couple of times! **** Strangers take Note: You’ll want your “Goodbyes” to stand up and mean something, too! So and until then, we LOVE you and send our Blessings to last forever! **** “Till we meet again!”
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“There were REWARDS then and even TODAY we have REWARDS”
Today it is almost impossible to “SHOP” or even open an “ACCOUNT” that you are also handed paper work to fill out – – to join in this organisation’s … “REWARD” program!
Back in the 1940’s as a small child – – I did know that if you bought your merchandise at this location you would receive “Eagle Stamps” which later on you would use to buy whatever you wanted. ( A Reward for shopping there.)
Today – collecting “stamps” – – forget that… too much TIME wasted – – things move faster – – it is all fast and furious with “REWARDS” for merchandise NOW!
And so… thinking back in time…
Sometimes, I have a wild imagination, realized that in the 3rd and 4th grades. Sister Florence taught the 3rd and 4th grades, and from what I remember when she would talk about her life before becoming a “Nun”, that as a young girl she never smelt any unpleasant smells? It is odd the stuff you remember someone saying. She was writing a book, “Topsy”, and every so often she would read a chapter to us in class, as a special treat! Sister Florence may have studied art, because she seem to have lots of natural talent and ability, as in her class room we had an “art table” she had lots of paints and colored pencils to do almost anything in the creative field.
For every “Holiday”, she would have each of us students make something for our “Parents”, and since my Mother saved everything that I and my brothers made, I now, still have some of “our Prize works of Art”!
My big break for writing came when Sister Florence, opened a box of “Pictures” cut out from magazines and other sources in the 1940’s; she had announced that we should take a picture from the box and write a story – something interesting and long enough to be of interest to our parents and all those who would be reading it on “Anniversary Day.”
Sister Florence also said – – the magic words that I like to hear – – even TODAY – – there would be a “Prize”! That’s all I needed to hear! So I went to that “BOX” and looked through those pictures and pulled out several that just seem to grab me… by the hand. To me, “A picture is worth a “Thousand Words”, – – so carried away – – I could come up with a story of at least 200 hundred words – – some more or less – – but a good picture that can call out a “STORY” to me… as to why that PHOTO was taken or why that scene was there – – for what purpose – – so many questions – – calling out to be answered – – so much so that I still “TODAY” – LOVE putting that answer to the PHOTOS, that I post!
“My imagination just ran away with me – – I wrote “32” stories and won the “Prize” – – I can not remember what the “PRIZE” was – – but, on that “Anniversary Day” – I had more FUN than anyone – – bringing my FAMILY and Friends to our class room – – just to show off all those stories hanging all over our class room!”
NOW… that is what I call a “REWARD” – – and one to remember for ever and always! Thanking the Almighty Yahweh for His good gifts to us – – and the talents to use them – – and, it is in the remembering of those good TIMES – – that are worth more than any thing you could have otherwise received! D.V.
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