Category: History and current events

Remembering Dr. King’s dream

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah in his famous speech at the “March on Washington” in 1963.

updated August 23, 2023

Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.

Isaiah 40:4-5, NIV

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted this scripture passage from Isaiah chapter 40 in his famous speech at the “March on Washington” on August 28, 1963.

(Interestingly, this passage was also used as the lyrics for one of the songs in Handel’s Messiah.)

“I have a dream.”

 

“even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. “

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the third Monday of January every year, the United States observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an official federal holiday.

"I have a dream"
Plaque honoring the “I have a dream” speech by Dr. King

Listen to and read the full text of  “I Have A Dream”.

The Reverend Dr. King led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968. His famous speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is remembered, read, and recited by people all over the country on the anniversary of his birth each year.

graphic by LIGHTSTOCK.COM , an affiliate site for media

Books by and about Dr. King

The following book suggestions lead to affiliate links which may pay a commission to this blog at no extra cost to you.

I am Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ordinary People Change the World) I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World, Special 75th Anniversary Edition (Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929) I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World, Special 75th Anniversary Edition (Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929)

Exploring the HEART of human rights

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Dr. Aletha

Here I am at the Lincoln Memorial looking toward the Washington Memorial on a trip to Washington DC in 2022.

Forever Honoring Our Veterans 

Veterans Day on November 11 honors all who served in the U.S. armed forces. The Veterans Administration provides crucial health care and education through the VHA system. Personal stories highlight the deep bonds between veterans and their families. Meets a wounded veteran’s therapy dog serving as his best man at his wedding.

updated November 4, 2024

In the United States, we reserve Veterans Day, November 11, the Armistice of World War I,   to remember and honor all who do or have served in our armed forces. Other countries have similar observances.

The Veterans Administration provides benefits to veterans including health care. The VA Health Care System, or VHA,  one of the largest in the world, cares for veterans’ health and provides medical education and research.

If you have ever received care from a physician trained in the United States, that doctor likely learned from a veteran in a VHA facility. So our veterans continue to serve even after they leave military service. 

The Vietnam Women’s Memorial was established to honor the 265,000 military and civilian women who served around the world during the Vietnam War. photo by Dr. Aletha

 

Wounded Veteran’s Therapy Dog Serves as Best Man at Wedding

I believe your heart will be touched by this story about the special relationship between a wounded veteran and his therapy dog. Mine certainly was.

“It’s been quite a journey for U.S. Army veteran Justin Lansford and his canine companion, Gabe.

In 2012, Lansford lost his left leg in an IED explosion in Afghanistan.

This past weekend, Gabe had his paws full with an entirely new slew of responsibilities, serving as the best man in Lansford’s wedding to longtime girlfriend, Carol Balmes.”

photo by Dr. Aletha

My husband served in the Army and was deployed to Vietnam in the 1970s. Here is his story.

From bullets to blessings-one man’s journey to recovery from war

“I didn’t want to ever go to Vietnam again when I came home in 1972 after a one-year tour of duty with the United States Army. I was stationed with the Americal Division, 3/18 Field Artillery Battalion near Tra Bong, a major village located about 25 miles west of Chu Lai, the headquarters of the Americal Division, on “China Beach” at the South China Sea.”

Raymond and I at the Vietnam Veteran Memorial in Washington, DC

 

 

 

Memorial Day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Angel Fire, New Mexico–

a special Memorial Day observance at a unique veterans’ memorial

statue of a soldier in a small flower bed
Doug Scott Sculpture at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,Angel Fire New Mexico; I am kneeling in the background, viewing the veterans’ memorial walkway; Photo by Raymond Oglesby

 

A veteran dishes out love–

personal reflections from a Vietnam veteran

“The people around us are starving for love and we need to unlock our pantry and see to it that everybody gets a belly full.”

clowns entertain Vietnamese people
Billy and Jingles, a veteran and his wife, entertain at a medical clinic in Vietnam
(photo by Dr. Aletha)

 

 

sharing the HEART of respect and gratitude for those who served

Please share this post and leave a comment as a tribute to a veteran you love and admire. This post was featured on 

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