We prayed for a while. For the people in New York, for President Bush and our other elected leaders, for our country. Then I told them school was canceled for today and that they could go play. I stayed in front of the TV for hours crying, praying and crying out to God. I had to go to work in the afternoon, though most of my student’s canceled their lessons, no problem, we sat by the radio and tiny TV in the music store hungry for information. It was a long day, a long week. One I hope we never forget.

Our nation was changed that day. We hadn’t been attacked on our own soil since Pearl Harbor. This time they attacked New York, Washington, DC and a plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field, thanks to the heroics of the passengers on board. They attacked every American that day. If you didn’t feel it, you don’t deserve to call yourself an American.

We, as a nation had grown complacent or haughty, I’m still not sure which it is. We were not prepared for attacks on our own soil. We didn’t think it could happen to us. Well, it can and it did. Nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives because our guard was down. CNN has a beautiful tribute page to all of the victims. Many people just “doing their job” were killed because of where they worked. Lots of firefighters, police, and emergency workers who heroically run into the devastation to help others, were killed when the towers collapsed.

We, as Americans must make sure they and the countless others who have died defending the freedoms many Americans take for granted, did not die in vain. On this day of remembrance, lay down your political beliefs, think back and remember how proud you were to be an American on 9/12/01. We were all flying flags, wearing red, white and blue shirts and singing “God Bless America”. Take time to remember what America stands for. Read the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, let the words of those documents take hold in your soul, know who you are as an American and unite not as Republicans, Democrats or Independents but as Americans who support what the founding fathers planned for this nation to be. Presidents and leaders come and go but these documents, our foundation as a nation, have withstood the test of time.

We, the people of America, can bring our country back to what it was created to be. It will take time and a lot of hard work but we can do it. Never forget.

Please share your memories of 9/11/01 with me by leaving a comment.

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Today is another day to be proud. Today, all across our country, regular citizens are gathering to watch a television program. It is not a sporting event or a political debate. It is a special entitled, “We Surround Them”. It is on Fox News Channel at 5pm EDT. It doesn’t matter if you are Republican, Democrat, Independant, or Libertarian-you should watch. It doesn’t matter if you are Christian, Jew, Muslim or Athiest-you should watch. We will be watching as a family. There are thousands of viewing parties around the country. Find a local party at http://wesurroundthemmap.com. I am hosting a Twitter party #WST at 5pm EDT for those who can’t make it to a local party follow @MomMaven and use tweetgrid (it is easier for a party like this).

This gathering of proud Americans is all about 9 Principles and 12 Values. These Principles and Values are what our great nation was founded on and what most Americans still strive for today.
(from the website http://GlennBeck.com)

The Nine Principles

1. America is good.

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

If you believe in at least 7 of these 9 Principles, I urge you to at the least DVR the show and watch it with your family. Better yet watch it live at 5pm EDT and discuss it with others-start a dialog. Best-attend a viewing party or the Twitter party. Keep your mind open and listen with your heart. We still have rights and responsibilities at citizens of the United States. If we continue to sit back and wait for the government to fix itself-we will lose those rights. Please watch and then when you are moved to do so act.

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