For us Americans, happy President’s Day! This holiday was first created in 1885 in honor of George Washington and celebrated on February 22nd in honor of his birthday. In 1971, the holiday was moved to the third Monday of February, changed to “President’s Day,” and is now widely identified as a celebration of all US Presidents.
Does studying your country’s leaders, both past and present, fascinate you? Eric is a futuristic thinker, so he prefers considering how the future will look. He would rather spend his time envisioning how he will shape the future than spending good time thinking about how we got to this point in time.
On the other hand, history fascinates me! It did not used to fascinate me; but, in the past few years, I have found myself quite intrigued by American history. Perhaps I will expand to World history after I have learned all I want to know about my homeland. ~smile~
Some of my favorite historical figures are our past Presidents. Some interest me because of the good they accomplished in the face of much opposition. Others interest me because of their evil, indifference, or self-righteousness. Power looks different on different figures and the presence of power can lead to destruction when placed in the wrong hands.
Presidents are People Too
My recent study of America’s past presidents reminded me that those in power are still human. People can easily think those in such high leadership are larger than life and that slander does not stick to them. I’m sure if we had been sitting in the White House in the late 1960’s as Vietnam War protestors yelled “Hey, Hey, LBJ… how many kids did you kill today?” we would have seen just how much words hurt even the most powerful people.
And, since Presidents are people too, they need love and devotion. So, it is no surprise that almost all of our Presidents have entered the White House married! Though there is no law stating that a US President must be married upon entering the office, it is a big plus to his legitimacy. If this man appears to have a happy spouse and adorable children, he is likely more capable of running the country than a man who has never overseen the running of his own home. Whether that is true or not, people tend to favor political leaders who are seen as devoted husbands and fathers – at least for female voters. ~smile~
Presidential Love
Presidents are under constant scrutiny – and so are their wives. In some ways, a President’s wife is more fascinating than the President himself. Here is a woman who has moved from her home to live in the White House. She has no job description, yet she is expected to charm the world and not “step out of line.” These women did not necessarily ask to be the center of attention everywhere they go, but they are nonetheless there. Without these ladies, many of our former leaders would have been lost. As small a role as they seem to play in the affairs of the country, they are, in most cases, of utmost importance to their husbands when they are in office.
If you were running the country, would you not need the unconditional love and support of your spouse waiting for you at night? If you had just made a decision that you knew would anger millions of people, would you not depend on the caring hug and a listening ear of your sweetheart? I know I would!
Over the next couple of posts, I am going to take a little time to explore a few presidential couples and the importance of their marital connection. And, I suppose I would like to showcase the idea that behind every strong man is a strong woman. ~wink~
Pray for Your Country’s Leaders
In honor of President’s Day, take some time to pray for our President, and/or your country’s leaders. Remember Romans 13:1, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (ESV).
When I am angry about decisions our Presidents have made, Eric reminds me that God places those people in authority. According to Scripture, no one can come to power without God ordaining it and we are not privy to His reasons. After all, He is God. He has a master plan that no man can interrupt or manipulate. So, pray for your leaders (as the Bible exhorts us to do) and trust that God truly has the whole world in His hands.
Is there a special tradition you and your sweetie can begin on President’s Day?