Come and dine!

When I was a little girl, we walked to church as often as the weather permitted as a family. I can remember my mother and father taking turns carrying my sister who is five years younger than I. We all wore the handmade clothes my mother was so adept at making and I can remember being the one at the head of the line as I skipped and walked much faster than my brother who was three years younger. It was a ritual that we attended Sunday School, then the church service and then the bustling and shuffling began. I would run to find my Sunday School friends and we would all take turns having Sunday Dinner at each others’ houses. Once I decided whose house I was going to, I’d run between all the people having coffee and doughnuts to find my parents to ask permission. They always said, “yes!” It was always an exciting venture to visit someone else’s house for Sunday Dinner. Sunday Dinner was something very special back then.

Sunday Dinner was a time when the whole family sat down for a big meal after church and we would share our thoughts about church, what had happened the week before in our lives and then sometimes about what was happening in our country. Depending upon how open the family was that is. Some people kept their political beliefs to themselves then, but if you were very lucky you would get an earful of politics along with the opinions on the minister’s sermon for the week. Anytime I would get the opportunity to hear adults air their opinions on ANYTHING I was happy as a clam at high tide.

As I was listening to the Sunday morning news shows this morning, I was listening as Tom Brokaw recalled when he was a youth and anytime the President of the United States spoke to the American public, it was considered an “honor” to hear what he had to say. Sometimes in school, I can even remember the President’s speech would be televised in our classrooms for all of us to try to understand. It was the American thing to do. The President was the leader of our country and we needed to show him respect and listen to what he had to say.

So as I remembered back to the times that I thought it was so extremely extrodinary that I would be able to listen to the opinions of someone elses’ parents on religion and politics at Sunday Dinner away from home, Tom’s words also hit a chord with me in considering what the nation is talking about as one of the number one topics today – the President’s speech meant for our country’s young people. I’m a bit confused as to the rumblings that parents do not want their children exposed to the President’s speech because they don’t want their children indoctrinated by any political rhetoric the President might impose upon their children.

It’s extremely alarming to think that in this country at this time our country is so divided. Sunday Dinner was almost a comeback after September Eleventh happened to this country and people began to merge as one – an American public. People were shown together in open prayer, thus exposing the closeness of religion and politics again. It’s all very personal, but it’s all American. We live here in America because we have the freedom to choose what we want to believe in. This country is so wonderful because we get to choose and we get to talk about what we believe in as well.

It’s the honorable thing to do to listen to the President of the United States when he speaks. Our country needs to bring back the “honorable” practices it once took part in. We need to bring back Sunday Dinner when it’s special to sit down together and talk and share our opinions and ideas. Family and friends sitting together as one united force, sharing, loving each other, we need more of this today. We need to let our children listen to what we believe and what the President has to say so that they can make up their own minds to what to believe as they learn what their own belief system will be. Imagine your children being able to form their own convictions! It’s the way it needs to be in this land of freedom of choice.

Too often in the past children believed what their parents believed and never asked any questions. Just as often those children would grow up not knowing why they believed what they believed. That’s just a shame. Why do you believe in God? How horrible that someone would not be able to answer that question! Why are you a republican or a democrat? How strange it would be for an adult to say, “…because my mom and dad were republican.” We allow children to practice the ritual of voting within their schools and yet we won’t let them listen to the President speak?

I’m dumbfounded. I say, “Come and dine….” feed on the words of the President of the United States of America, feed on the words of the Savior and talk openly about what you believe because you have the right to it. Allow your children to be open and learn to make their own decisions. Allow them to digest the words of the leader of our country even if he isn’t the leader of your choice. Your children are Americans and they have the right to listen to the President of the United States of America.

Ask them and see what they say! Ask your children if they’d like to listen. Give them choices because they will have to make them throughout their lifetimes. Teach them life skills from the get go and be sure they know how to defend their beliefs. We need children to grow up to defend our country and their religious beliefs. We need to bring back things that are “honorable” as the Declaration of Independence shows us what our rights are. Let your children learn to feel independent and strong. Allow your children to experience freedom. It’s so important in their ongoing development. Just be a part of what they believe and talk to them about what they think the President was saying in his speech. Make your child feel important and ask for his or her opinion.

Send me an e-mail with your opinion or make a comment below! I’d love to hear what you have to say. Identify your emotions and feelings on this topic and let me share them with you!