Favorite Inaugural Moments

I don't remember watching almost an entire day of inauguration proceedings as I did Monday, January 20th, when President Trump took office and we could finally wave goodbye to the insanity of the last four years. 

I didn't get online till about 10:30 Central time, and Hannah and I watched (part of her American Civics class) off and on the rest of the day.

How refreshing to hear a President finally say something intelligent as well as intelligible. Can you imagine?

We finally have a president that you can understand what he is saying!

And he says things as profound as, "Under my administration there will only be two genders--male and female."

Oh my word!

This had to be one of my favorite moments--the Vances' little boy hanging his teddy bear over the rail in front of the whole crowd in Capital One Arena late in the afternoon after the inaugural luncheon, military review, and other speeches or ceremonies.

There it was, something as simple as an old fashioned teddy bear by the presidential insignia--bringing a touch of humanity and simplicity to the pomp and ceremony. 

Throughout the day, I wondered what God thought of everything. 

You know, all the pomp, the covering up of feelings and attitudes so that everyone would look good in the moment, the crowd, the speeches, the impossible promises, the glamor, the class and elegance--or lack thereof,

high heels, applause, military review--you name it. 

God had to be looking down and seeing what was going on. 

I wonder what He thought. 

Was the military review as big a joke to Him as I thought it was?  I wondered just how militarily ready our nation is to defend ourselves if God lifts His hand.

I rather believe God liked that moment of teddy bear childlikeness as much as anything--but I could be mistaken, because I can't see hearts.

I believe He also must have liked when President Trump--and isn't it wonderful to get to say that again!--sought to give Him honor in more than one time and way. Perhaps it was just lip-service. I don't know. But in the Bible we read again and again that God honored even heathen kings that acknowledged Him. 

But I digress.  

Another very touching moment was at the very beginning of the parades that marched through Capitol One Arena, when the Butler Fire Department marched in carrying the suit that Mr. Compertore left behind when he gave his life in place of Mr. Trump several months ago at the attempted assassination. 

We watched President Trump melt into a thousand pieces as he saluted--and remembered. 

We at the computer joined in the moment of silence like everyone else. 
I pray the family will take comfort in knowing God saw all that happened--and in knowing that Mr. Compertore was ready to meet His Judge and Savior. 

We watched the President and Vice President and their wives stand to wave at the outgoing President as he left in the helicopter.

How cold they must have been, and how those ladies' feet must have been "killing them," as I read that Melania Trump admitted later.  

At home in South Dakota, in between times, I donned my chore coat and hurried out into the cold myself to gather eggs and bring in firewood. I had made goat cheese earlier in the day, and I took the warm and watered-down whey in this big pan out to the goats--who slurp it down in one and half minutes flat. 

I had forgotten to take the egg basket, but rather than return through the bitter cold to the house for it, I put the eggs from the coop into the whey pan to take to the house.

The bitter cold air almost had me nauseated.

There definitely was not the pomp present in Washington, D. C. when Anna Lucas headed to the barn--and came back into the house to shiver and shake in front of the wood stove!  

Still, a country family couldn't help enjoying some of the pomp and parade--and celebrating a President who is freeing about 1500 American hostages--held captive in their own country ever since January Six--including hundreds who were imprisoned months and years later after fresh roundups of anyone near the Capitol on that infamous date, even innocent people who were simply in the vicinity of a place that has always been open to the public,

and one or more who have been imprisoned for Pro-Life activities. 

We cheered when he signed documents getting us out of the W H O and out of the Paris Climate Agreement. 

And we watched in delight as he tossed pens with which he had signed executive orders out to the people watching in the Arena.

No hiding behind closed doors

No refusal to take on reporters in person.

It's in the open.

And those were some of my favorite moments.