9 11, 2026

Veterans Day

By judythemorgan|2026-11-05T08:50:01-06:00November 9th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Veterans Day is this week. I come from a family that has answered when called, gone where ordered, and defended our nation with honor.

My husband is a retired Army officer.

My father served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a navigator.

My uncle served as a Marine on Iwo Jima.

My cousin was in the Air Force during Desert Storm.

Three brothers-in-law served in the Navy.

Last month my great-nephew headed to boot camp.

Though I’m not a veteran, I worked as a Department of the Army Civilian at Eighth Army Headquarters in South Korea during the Vietnam War.

That experience inspired my four-book PROMISES series. The characters and stories are entirely fictional. The series blends real places and historical events with treasured memories of my time there.

Promises Series

Some promises are made in a moment.

Others take a lifetime to keep.

During the Vietnam War, three people meet at Eighth Army Headquarters in Yongsan, South Korea: Lily Reed, the G3 secretary; Captain David Sands, the G3 aide-de-camp; and Green Beret Major Alex Cabot, on a special assignment to G3. Their lives change, their loves evolve, and the promises made long ago continue to shape their futures.

Each book is a standalone novel, telling one part of their stories from the turbulent Vietnam War years through the decades that follow.

PROMISES boxed set will be available for $1.99 November 10-17

or FREE if you have Kindle+

Click here to get your copy.

And sometime this week, pause to thank a veteran. Without them, who knows what this world would look like?

2 11, 2026

Ideas to Reduce the Coming Holiday Season Stress

By judythemorgan|2026-10-30T15:16:08-05:00November 2nd, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday, Thanksgiving|2 Comments

Halloween was Saturday. Tomorrow is election day. Thanksgiving is on the horizon.

All of which means whatever calm and order exists in our personal world will soon disappear into holiday preparations.

Don’t get me wrong. Holidays are my favorite time of year, except for Halloween, which is too spooky, and the 4^th of July, which is too loud with all its fireworks.

As much as I look forward to the holidays, I dread the rush between Halloween and New Year’s Day.

The preparations.

The scheduling.

It can be so overwhelming.

Many years ago, I read an article by Mary E. Pritchard, a psychology professor at Boise State University.

Pritchard suggests the key to a stress-free holiday season lies in an acronym: ADAPT.

*Note: I’ve edited the wording, not the premise.

A — Acknowledge that things are going to be a bit crazier than usual this time of year. It’s okay. This too shall pass.
D — Don’t sweat the small stuff. Holidays are not about perfection. It really doesn’t matter if one of Rudolph’s ears is crooked in your son’s holiday pageant costume. Focus on getting it done and getting through to the New Year.
A — Accept that things will happen that will waylay your best-laid plans and intentions. You’ll likely find yourself relying on Plan B, C, or D this holiday season. That’s okay. (See D above.)
P — Pretend you have it all together. As my colleague says, “Fake it ’til you make it.” There’s something behind that. If you pretend to have it all together, you likely will. It’s a fact that smiling can make you happier.
T — Troubleshoot. Because things aren’t going to go as planned (see Accept above), make sure that you have a Plan B or C or D to fall back on. That way, you can gracefully slide into Plan B and pretend that’s how you intended things to work anyway.

Most importantly, make sure you take some time for you this holiday season. Find 10 minutes a day to meditate, go for walks a few times a week, watch a funny movie, whatever it takes.

Carving out you-time will help make the busy holidays a little more bearable. It works for me!

26 10, 2026

Why do we carve pumpkins at Halloween?

By judythemorgan|2026-10-13T11:18:03-05:00October 26th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Vintage Halloween postcard from my collection.

Halloween’s origins date back to the Celts, who lived in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France 2,000 years ago.

The Celts believed the boundary between the living and the dead blurred the night before their New Year, November 1^st.

On October 31st, or Celtic New Year’s Eve, they celebrated Samhain. People lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off roaming ghosts.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1^st as the time to honor all saints and martyrs, incorporating some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween.

The custom of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated from a fascinating Irish myth about an old drunk called “Stingy Jack,” who always tricked his drinking partner into paying.

That little habit got him into big trouble when Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink.

As the story goes, when it came time to pay, true to his name, Stingy Jack talked the Devil into turning himself into a coin which he could use to pay for their drinks. And then the story gets interesting … Jack dies.

Because he made deals with the devil, God won’t let him into heaven.

Because of the deal he made with the devil not to take his soul, he can’t go to hell.

So, Jack roams the dark Halloween night with a burning coal in a carved-out turnip. The Irish refer to his ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” or “Jack O’Lantern.”

On All Hallow’s Eve, the Irish hollowed out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes, and beets, then placed a light inside to keep Stingy Jack away and ward off evil spirits.

Turnip Jack-o’-lanterns changed to pumpkin jack-o’-lanterns when Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800’s to escape the Potato Famine. They quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out.

And thus began our tradition of carving and lighting pumpkins for Halloween.

12 10, 2026

Christopher Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

By judythemorgan|2026-10-08T09:08:16-05:00October 12th, 2026|Holidays|0 Comments

Christopher Columbus believed he had reached East Asia when he sighted Cuba in 1492, thinking it was China. When his expedition reached Hispaniola, he believed he had found Japan.

His voyages opened the way for centuries of European exploration, trade, and colonization in the Americas. They also brought devastating consequences for Indigenous peoples, including disease, displacement, warfare, and enslavement.

Columbus’s accomplishment has been celebrated as Columbus Day since the 18th century and became a U.S. federal holiday in 1937.

But Columbus Day—and the man who inspired it—has long been controversial.

Critics argue that European expansion came at the expense of Indigenous peoples, who lost their lands and, in many cases, their freedom and lives. During the 1990s, protests surrounding Columbus Day helped fuel the movement for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a counter-celebration recognizing Native peoples and the impact of colonization.

In 2021, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the same date as Columbus Day. Today, states and communities differ in how they observe the second Monday in October. Some recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, some continue to celebrate Columbus Day, and others observe both or have their own commemorations.

The controversy continues.

Dissenters argue that holidays, statues, and other memorials to Columbus overlook the suffering associated with European colonization and give him credit for “discovering” lands inhabited by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Italian Americans, meanwhile, may view Columbus Day primarily as a celebration of their heritage rather than the explorer himself.

Whatever you choose to call the day or if you choose to observe it or not, I will think about the three ships Columbus sailed—the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María—and remember the little jingle I learned in school:

Christopher Columbus sailed in the ocean blue in 1492.

Turns out, that familiar rhyme came from Winifred Sackville Stoner Jr., who wrote poems, rhymes, and mnemonic jingles to help people remember facts. Her poem, “The History of the U.S.,” was published in Yankee Doodles: A Book of American Verse in 1943.

The poem is quite long and covers American history all the way through World War I. I’m extremely grateful my teachers never made me memorize the whole thing!

9 09, 2026

Lionel Messi – quote on work

By judythemorgan|2026-09-01T14:41:26-05:00September 9th, 2026|Holidays, Wednesday Quote, Weekly Quote|0 Comments

7 09, 2026

Happy Labor Day!

By judythemorgan|2026-09-01T15:06:42-05:00September 7th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Today is Labor Day, as I’m sure we all know. It seems late. Blame the calendar. This year, September started on a Tuesday, which pushed the first Monday to the 7^th.

New York City celebrated the first Labor Day on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, following the plans of the Central Labor Union. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1894, it became an official federal holiday celebrated with parades and speeches.

These days there aren’t many speeches or parades.

Most of us think of Labor Day as the end of summer and celebrate with cookouts instead. We forget what the day is truly about — honoring the workers of America.

Maybe as you celebrate today, pause and say thank you to all the workers.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

13 07, 2026

Patriotism and The World Cup

By judythemorgan|2026-07-13T08:18:46-05:00July 13th, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

The American Crisis is a collection of articles and essays written by Thomas Paine during the American Revolutionary War. Those essays provided ongoing support for an independent and self-governing America through the many severe crises of that war.

I’m a military brat and an Army officer’s wife. I grew up on posts where Reveille, Retreat, and Taps played.

I vividly remember hearing Retreat sounded at the end of the day when we lived on post. If I were outside, I would get out of my car and place my hand over my heart with pride. Hearing Taps played at military funerals brings the same feelings. So does singing the national anthem.

The lack of patriotism today feels like a Thomas Paine crisis to me and makes me sad.

The World Cup coverage highlighted so many of the positive things now taken for granted. Reels and reels on social media were posted by over 1.5 million people who came to our country en masse and experienced the U.S. for the first time. They experienced our countryside, food, citizens, and freedoms up close and were amazed.

The visitors’ comments on social media were a poignant reminder of what we have that others don’t and what we take for granted.

“You have so much to see, do, and eat.”

“There are free refills here…and air conditioning!”

They were shocked to discover the United States is so different from how it’s depicted on social media.

“OMG, you’re actually nice, generous people, …”

Our international World Cup visitors held up a looking glass, showing us everything we take for granted.

Maybe it’s time to sit back and think about what our visitors saw and felt—to internalize the freedoms we earned in the Revolutionary War and be proud of our country.

Personally, watching the reaction of our visitors, I’ve regained a new appreciation for my life and all my creature comforts. Shouldn’t we all do the same?

Please, this isn’t about politics or the games themselves, so any of those comments will be removed.

4 07, 2026

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.

By judythemorgan|2026-06-22T13:02:36-05:00July 4th, 2026|Holidays|0 Comments

Today is the Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence. July 4^th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941.

Every year, celebrations include fireworks, parades, concerts, casual family gatherings, and barbecues.

This year, Freedom 250 events began on Memorial Day and will continue through December 2026. Check out this list of Key 2026 Dates, Locations, Events, and Celebrations from Newsweek.

May 15: Virginia’s Independence 250th (Williamsburg, Virginia)
May-July: Sail250 Tall Ships (Gulf Coast to Boston)
June 14: National Flag Day (Americans nationwide encouraged to fly the U.S. flag to honor its adoption in 1777)
July 4: National Independence Day with parades, fireworks, and the burial of a national time capsule in the Independence Mall in Philadelphia
July 5: America’s Potluck—community picnics nationwide
Nov 11: Veterans Day Commemoration (Washington, D.C.)
Dec 25: Washington’s Crossing Reenactment (Pennsylvania and New Jersey)

Happy 250^th Birthday, America!

Readers, be safe and enjoy your birthday celebrations today…

And as you celebrate, don’t forget to give thanks for the brave men and women in uniform who are serving on foreign soil. Pray for their safety as they do their jobs to ensure our continued freedom.

22 06, 2026

Summer’s Arrived

By judythemorgan|2026-06-21T15:30:44-05:00June 22nd, 2026|Holidays, Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

Summer officially arrived yesterday.

Of course, if you judge by the ninety-degree temperatures we’ve been having, it’s been here since May.

Each day forward, we will head to bed later as dawn comes earlier, long days, late sunsets, and short nights begin.

Yesterday, the sun reached its highest point, signaling the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Meanwhile, south of the equator, winter begins.

The summer solstice has been around since the world began. Ancient cultures recognized that the sun’s path across the sky, the length of daylight, and the location of the sunrise and sunset all shifted regularly throughout the year.

Stonehenge stands as a testament to their knowledge. The summer solstice sun rises directly above the heel stone at Stonehenge.

Psychologists have long suspected a link between our level of happiness and the amount of sunlight in the day.

Studies show that what truly mattered was not the absolute amount of daylight but the relative change in that daylight. Or was the day longer or shorter than the day that came before?

When the change in daylight was positive, as the summer solstice approached, people reported significantly greater positive effects than when the change was negative, i.e., approaching the winter solstice, when days are short and dark. No surprise there!

Not only was yesterday the longest day of the year, but it was also Father’s Day. We had the longest day of the year to celebrate the dads, grandfathers, and father figures who shape our lives with strength, love, and quiet dedication,

That won’t happen again until 2037. Father’s Day date changes because the holiday is anchored to a weekday rule, not a calendar number: the third Sunday in June, every year, without exception. Same as Mother’s Day.

Now that summer is officially here, it will last 93 long days, 15 hours, and 40 minutes and end on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 PM EDT.

Some are happy.

Some of us, not so much.

15 06, 2026

What is Flag Day?

By judythemorgan|2026-06-14T17:15:38-05:00June 15th, 2026|Holidays|0 Comments

On June 14, we celebrate the official adoption date of our national flag. During the Revolutionary War, each colony had its own flag with various symbols—rattlesnakes, pine trees, and eagles—and slogans like “Don’t Tread on Me,” “Liberty or Death,” and “Conquer or Die.”

The Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution of 1777, which named the Stars and Stripes as the official American flag. The official announcement of the new flag was made on Sept. 3, 1777.

On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson made the observance of Flag Day official by a presidential proclamation.

Who designed our flag?

Although many people believe that Betsy Ross designed and sewed that first flag, there is no true proof. Betsy Ross did make ensigns and pennants for the Philadelphia Navy during the war, and she likely inspired the design of the current flag.

Based on colonial folklore, the American flag was first flown in battle during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge in 1777. But we don’t know that for sure. We do know:

The first flag designs arranged the 13 stars in a circle, depicting the equality of all the colonies.
In 1818, the United States Congress decided to keep the flag’s original 13 stripes and add new stars to reflect each new state that entered the union.

The current design was created in 1958 by a high school student named Bob G. Heft, who sent a flag design that included five rows of six stars and four rows of five stars to the White House. To his surprise, President Eisenhower called him. His design is what we fly today.

June 14 is not an official federal holiday, but many fly their flags, and towns and cities hold parades and events to celebrate.

Why Red, White, and Blue?

The Continental Congress gave no reason for its choice of colors. But, in 1782, the Congress of the Articles of Confederation chose those same colors for the Great Seal of the United States:

white for purity and innocence
red for valor and hardiness
blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice

Flying the flag

In 1942, the United States Flag Code (4 U.S.C. §§ 5–10) set up a uniform standard for the respect and display of the American Flag. It is a guide to proper etiquette rather than a set of laws carrying penalties. Read the full code here: https://nationalflagfoundation.org/us-flag-code/

There are eleven places where the flag flies around the clock:

The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia
The White House
The U.S. Capitol
The Iwo Jima Memorial to U.S. Marines in Arlington, Virginia
The Revolutionary War battleground in Lexington, Massachusetts
The site of George Washington’s winter encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland
The Jenny Wade House in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (she was the only civilian killed in the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War)
The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
All customs points of entry into the United States
Any US Navy ship that is underway

How to fold the flag

Old Glory is folded into a small triangle made of 13 folds. Each fold has a special meaning and symbolism. The first fold is life, while the third honors the veteran who has departed, and the fifth is a tribute to our country.

Holidays

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

Happy 250^th Birthday, America!