Author: Aletha Cress Oglesby, M.D.

As a family physician, I explore the HEART of HEALTH in my work, recreation, community, and through writing. My blog, Watercress Words, informs and inspires us to live in health. I believe we can turn our health challenges into healthy opportunities. When we do, we can share the HEART of health with our families, communities, and the world. Come explore and share with me.

June Observances: Father’s Day, D-Day, Juneteenth, and More

The month of June brings the midway mark of the year, with long days of sunshine and significant events such as Father’s Day and the historic D-Day. Students enjoy a break from studies while we honor a day of liberation for African Americans with Juneteenth. Join me in reflecting and remembering these events in this new post.

Are you someone who wonders how the year arrived in June so soon? By the end of this month, the year will be half over. It is another of the short months with only 30 days, but there is much to remember and do. (Pop quiz-what other months have 30 days? Answer at the end of this post.)

Spring meets Summer

Many of us in the northern hemisphere made it through the cold dismal winter months only to contend with spring storms. Near where I live we have had devastating tornadoes. I’ve seen reports of massive flooding in other areas.

June promises warm, even hot, summer days to enjoy outdoor activities and vacations. The first day of summer occurs in June, called the summer solstice. South of the equator you experience the winter solstice.

It’s the longest day of the year, then the days progressively shorten until the first day of winter in December.

graphic of the earth explaining equinox and solstice
An illustration of the changing relationship of the earth and sun throughout the year; original source not known

Summer break or graduate?

Most students are on summer break or graduated and moved into a new phase of life. Congratulations and thanks if you earned and received a diploma, degree, certificate, or any other learning achievement this year.

We can use whatever knowledge and talent you bring to the table. Help us make the world a better place.

Raymond and I enjoyed celebrating our granddaughter’s high school graduation with her parents, brother, and several thousand other people.

Father’s Day

In the United States, we observe Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June. It’s not quite as big a deal as Mother’s Day in May, but it is catching on. I understand other countries have similar observances for fathers.

I wrote a post featuring a well-known Bible story about a father and two sons. It’s popularly known as the story of the “prodigal son” which became the name of a short-lived television series a few years ago.

Honoring Fatherhood: Lessons from the Prodigal Son Story

In the United States, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. A biblical story about a father and his two sons illustrates the concept of forgiveness and celebration. The “lost son,” also known as the prodigal son, represents someone who leaves and then returns, seeking forgiveness. The passage encourages honoring important father…

Keep reading

June 6-D Day

Earlier in June, we observed a more solemn event. On June 6 every year, we pause to remember that day in 1944, simply known as “D-Day.”

This year marks the 80th anniversary of that fateful day. I saw a news video of WWII veterans who traveled to France to observe the occasion. One of them is 107 years old!

D-Day. The Invasion of Normandy. Operation Overlord. It goes by various names, but we’ve all heard about it through history class, older family members, the news, or shows like “Band of Brothers.”

On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied forces landed in Nazi-occupied France as part of the biggest air, land, and sea invasion ever executed. It ended with heavy casualties — more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded in those first 24 hours — but D-Day is considered the successful beginning of the end of Hitler’s tyrannical regime.

Remembering a D-Day Veteran

I was privileged to know one of those soldiers and wrote about his personal experience in the invasion, and how it changed his life. Please read about my late friend, soldier, and artist, Bill Hart in this post.

A Son Reflects on his Father’s Life after D-Day, June 6, 1944

On June 6, 1944, D-Day marked the Allied invasion of Normandy, leading to the liberation of France and the end of World War II. Bill Hart, a WWII veteran, captured his traumatic experiences through art and memoirs, highlighting his struggles with PTSD and the significant impact of his memories on his life and family.

Keep reading

Juneteenth, June 19

Another important liberation day is Juneteenth, observed annually on June 19 since it was designated a national holiday in 2021. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, thus granting freedom to enslaved persons.

The word “Juneteenth” is a Black English contraction, or portmanteau, of the month “June” and the date “Nineteenth.” Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States.

National Park Service

However, slaveholders in Texas, a Confederate state, made no attempt to free enslaved African Americans. President Lincoln’s proclamation was unenforceable without military intervention, which eventually came 2 years later.

Photos by Dr. Aletha -I captured these images when I visited Washington DC. President Lincoln’s and Dr. King’s statues are even more impressive in person.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Now the pop quiz answer-

Months with 30 days are April, June, September, and November. Congrats if you knew all.

Notice two are in the first half and two in the year’s second half.

I appreciate your time and interest and invite you to help me share the HEART of health by sharing this and other posts. There is no charge for this content but gifts are always welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,

Dr. Aletha

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Unsung Heroes-honoring mothers past and present

Mother’s Day is a widely celebrated occasion, with significant spending on gifts, meals, and travel. Notable mothers in leadership roles are changing the landscape. The movie “Unsung Hero” tells an inspiring story about a mother of seven who rebuilt her life in the face of adversity. Genealogical research and DNA testing offer valuable insights into family history and health.

Updated May 5, 2025

Many countries around the world have a day dedicated to honoring mothers. In the United States, that day occurs annually on the second Sunday in May. The day is so widely observed that May is almost synonymous with Mother’s Day.

“Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the women who play a meaningful role in our lives,…”

NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay

Considering spending on gifts, meals, and travel, Mother’s Day is big business. “Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $33.5 billion this year, (2024) according to the annual consumer survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The figure is the second highest recorded, following the 2023 record $35.7 billion. ” 

Mothers Who Lead

Melania Trump became First Lady in 2017 and in 2025. She is the mother of a son, Barron Trump, and stepmother to President Donald Trump’s other adult children.

First Lady Melania Trump visits The Children’s Inn at NIH-public domain

In 2024, the Vice President was a mother, a first in United States history. Former Vice President Kamala Harris is the first woman to hold that office. She is stepmother to the two children of her husband, former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff (also a first).

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris signing holiday cards for servicemembers, November 2018. Photo credit: U.S. Congress

Former First Lady Jill Biden is both a stepmother and a mother. When she married President Joe Biden (then a Senator), he was a widower whose wife and daughter had died in a tragic automobile accident. She helped him raise his two sons and they have a daughter together.

First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden and Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks visit Fort Drum, NY, January 30, 2023. (U.S. Army photos by Spc. Kasimir Jackson)

There are mothers on the Supreme Court. Justice Amy Coney Barrett has seven children, two of whom she and her husband adopted. The newest on the Court, Justice Ketanji Jackson has two daughters with her surgeon husband.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett . (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Official U.S. Senate photo by Rebecca Hammel)

Unsung Hero-the movie

I recently saw a new movie about a true story. Helen, a mother of six, lived in Australia with her concert promoter husband David.

She was pregnant with their seventh child when David’s business went bankrupt and they lost their large luxurious home. After several business leads fell through, they immigrated to the United States to start over, literally with nothing.

The movie convincingly portrays David’s anger, despair, and embarrassment that his business failure made his family destitute, for which he blamed himself. Meanwhile, Helen remained optimistic, clinging to her strong Christian faith, creating a warm loving home, and nurturing her children despite their lack of material possessions.

With sacrifice, hard work, prayer, and support from friends and their church, David slowly rebuilt a successful business, and all the children have built thriving, creative careers. Three of them are now well-known recording artists, which is how I learned about this movie.

Two of their sons, Joel and Luke, sing together as a “Christian pop” duo they call For King and Country.  My husband and I attended their concert which was quite a production of sound, lights, and energy, as you can see from the photos I’m sharing.

photos by Dr Aletha at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK

During the show, they introduced the movie, Unsung Hero, about their parents, Helen and David Smallbone.  Joel and Luke produced the film which Joel directed and played the part of his own father! (Spoiler alert, their sister, singer Rebecca St. James, has a cameo role in the film.)

We were intrigued and decided to see the film when it was released. We did and were not disappointed. It would make a remarkable story even if it weren’t true. You can find it on a streaming platform.

The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family 

After seeing the movie, I had to read the story behind it. In the book Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family, Helen Smallbone relates the struggles, setbacks, and eventual success her family went through to where they are today.

In this candid and revealing memoir, she describes how she trusted God no matter how dire the circumstances looked so that even in the darkest times their faith grew and as a family, they learned to depend on God and each other.

“Helen Smallbone’s heartfelt story illustrates what it means to really let God lead, which almost always means living outside the box of how the world says to live.

How did an ordinary Australian family produce two Grammy Award-winning artists—Rebecca St. James and FOR KING & COUNTRY? What happened to bring the Smallbones through closed doors and to new beginnings in the United States?

In Behind the Lights, Helen shares not only these stories of her family but of the life lessons they all learned along the way.” (Amazon affiliate link)

Listen to a sample from the audiobook here.

Unknown Mothers-Genealogy

I read an interesting statistic the other day. I don’t remember the source, but it claims that many people do not know the names of their four grandparents and even fewer know their eight great-grandparents.

That surprised me because even though I never met any of my grandparents, I at least knew their names. And thanks to genealogy research, now I know the names of my great-grandparents. I am a novice at genealogical research, but the more I do, the more fascinating it is.

If you want to know more about your ancestors, start now with your oldest living relatives; you don’t know how much longer they will be around and once they die their information is lost. Also, talk to younger relatives who may know more than you think.

Record and store everything you learn in a safe place.

pedigree-chart-modern-treeDownload

Genealogical information is easier to find now with the help of the internet, but not all information is reliable so you need to cross-check names and dates carefully. You can always use an all-purpose search engine like Google or Bing but sites specific for genealogy are more useful. Some of these are

Some genealogy sites are free, some offer a free trial, and some are free with optional upgrades.

DNA testing

Genetic genealogy creates family history profiles (biological relationships between or among individuals) using DNA test results combined with traditional genealogical methods. With DNA testing, genetic genealogy can determine the levels and types of biological relationships between or among individuals.

ILLUSTRATION OF DNA, Credit: Darryl Leja, NHGRI

This branch of genetics has become popular, as costs are drastically reduced making genealogical studies using molecular techniques accessible to the general public. The advantages of including DNA, instead of only using traditional genealogical research, include

  • the ability for researchers to extend their ancestry beyond the paperwork of recent centuries, and
  • to construct ancient pedigrees through molecular evolutionary studies.

Genealogists also use DNA to solve mysteries in their immediate families, such as to discover the biological parents of adoptees or to determine the accurate male ancestor in a non-paternity event (NPE).

Before taking a DNA test, consider the research question that you want to answer and learn about the different tests and companies that are available to choose from.

Mother’s Day

Whether you are reading this post on Mother’s Day or not, I hope you appreciate the mothers who impact your life, including those who are not biological relatives.

If you are a mother, consider leaving your descendants information about your ancestors to make their future genealogical searches easier, especially about family medical history that might impact their health.

A family health history can identify people with a higher-than-usual chance of having common disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. These complex disorders are influenced by a combination of genetic factors, environmental conditions, and lifestyle choices. A family history also can provide information about the risk of rarer conditions caused by variants (mutations) in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease.

We can thank science for these tools, which help us anticipate and prevent disease and premature death and identify the “unsung heroes” from our genetic past.

Exploring the HEART of Health

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

Raymond and I at the For King and Country concert

Some affiliate links in this post pay a small commission to this blog if you make any purchase through them. Here are two other links you may find valuable and which also help support my work here.

Bookshop.org

Bookshop.org is an online bookstore that financially supports local, independent bookstores.

We believe bookstores are essential to a healthy culture and they are dedicated to the common good.

Bookshop.org donates a portion of every sale to independent bookstores.

Dwell Bible app

Many people find using their phones a convenient way to read and meditate on the Bible. And it’s easy to do so with the Dwell Bible App.

With Dwell you can listen to and read the Bible and special devotional offerings for Advent, Lent, and throughout the year.