May 30, 2016 - Monday Memorial Day in Nauvoo

I thought that this information I have attached below is significant for this Memorial Day.  For too many years, this was just a three day weekend.  With our country turning its back on the military, I have felt that I needed to do more in keeping a better focus on the significance of the day we set aside to honor those who paid the ultimate price for my/our freedom.  Freedom is not free.  A price was paid and continues to be paid by those who love their country more than themselves. 

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May, originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans founded in Decatur, Illinois, established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Union war dead with flowers. By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.  The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

A display this morning right outside of Quincy - "One Nation Under God"

This was our P-day that started out with our morning prayers and devotional.  We then had the time to take our morning walk around the flats here in Nauvoo.  We came home and prepared to attend the temple for some initiatories.  We then picked up the pads for our grandchildren coming this week!  We can't wait!  And then we drove to Quincy for some supplies for their visit.  It was a beautiful day and I caught some great pictures this morning;

 

Clouds over the Visitors Center RLDS

Morning lights

Such vivid morning colors from our backyard

And vivid morning colors behind the temple

I shot this from Main Street up to the temple

Joseph and Hyrum - early morning ride

The clouds are so amazing and different each day.  We had threats of rain this morning and a little shower a few minutes after our morning walk.  The streets were pretty quiet as we enjoyed our walk.  However, the humidity was dripping, and I was soaked by the time we got back to the house.

At Quincy we got our supplies at Sam's Club and then went to Panda Express for a Memorial Day lunch.  We have not been to a Panda Express in a long long time and we sure had fun spending mom's gift certificate for Mother's Day!

Yum, Yum - Em Em Emmmmmmmmmmm!

And then we came back to Nauvoo from the west river route, and got home around 12:30pm.  I took a brief nap after polishing off the balance of my Panda Express meal.  Then I manicured the lawn for the upcoming Lasher visit!

The diamond cut at its best!

Then we had our 2nd Sunset show tonight at 7:00pm.  We were the opening cast on Saturday, and with the rotation of casts that is done at the end of every month, our rotation came up to perform again tonight.  Needless to say, the next time we are on the Sunset stage, we will have the Lasher Family in the audience!  Yeah!!  It will be such a fun show so travel safe tomorrow and Wednesday!  We can't wait to see you!