What are your favorite Christmas songs? You can get a preview of some of mine below.
Ahh, joyful memories. Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!
#FlashbackFriday
Three years ago in 2016, Don Brown, a former Navy Jag officer, practicing attorney, and author of several books whom I met through politics, messaged me this photo from 1937, and posed a tantalizing question.
“Hey Amy, is this your grandfather in this picture?”
“Yes, that is him on the left,” I messaged back.
Don said he had come across my Grandfather, Major General William H. Rupertus, as he was researching his book on Jerry Yellen, “The Last Fighter Pilot” from WWII.
Then Don wrote, “He was a hero. You need to tell his story.”
The photo he found online was of a special time in history. My Grandfather was next to our beautiful Grandmother Sleepy. They were with thier friends at an embassy party when they were serving in Shanghai China, 1937 with the 4th Marine Regiment, known as the China Marines.
(Top row) US Marine Captain Zern. (Next row down, L-R) Captain J.H. Griebel, Mrs. S.C. Zern, and (unknown gent). (Next row down, L-R) Lt. Col. William H. Rupertus, Alice ‘Sleepy’ Hill Rupertus, Lt. Col. H.C. Pierce, Dorice Kengla Masters, and 1st Lt. James M. Masters Sr (slightly behind).
I joked that I have been thinking about writing the story since my mom died (over twelve years earlier). Unbelievable how time flies, right?
What would my Marine Dad or Grandfather say about that?
Well, I know what my Dad would say,
“Get the damn job done.”
A month after Don reached out to me on Facebook, we met in person for lunch in Charlotte. After getting to know him better, I suggested Don, a published author, write the book about my grandfather. He did not even blink as he looked me straight in the eyes, and leaned toward me.
“You are his granddaughter. You have to write it. Write it for your family and history. Really, start it this year. Why wait?”
Was that a challenge or what? Why wait any longer. He was right. But between kids, work, politics and life, there never has been the perfect time to take a deep dive into our history, both the good and sad, and hang around for awhile. Would I go there? Could I? It seemed too decadent, too luxurious.
This picture was worth a thousand words. Maybe millions of words.
Oh my God, it may set me back. It may make me cry about my parents and all our family legends and miss them more. Going back? Ouch.
What will be lost if I don’t do it?
The story will never be told. And the next generation may throw away all of the albums and military documents we have, or gasp, put them and the medals on Ebay.
That was all the motivation I needed to get it done. So, I committed to figuring out how to tackle this enormous project, and my sisters got on board.
I soon learned being a civilian and non historian trying to write about the military and history would take rolling up my sleeves and sitting my ass in the chair. Yet, I never thought this process would so totally consume me.
Since 2016, I have obtained our grandfather’s 700 page PEP file from the National Archives and his service record from the Marine Corps and spent thousands of hours researching and writing to connect what we have in our hands today with history….and challenge scuttlebutt.
I reached out to military and history researchers in the US, England, and China, and have talked or met with WWII Pacific veterans and their children.
By spring 2018, I needed to call in team Rupertus’s help to get all our family and ancestory content in one place, and then figure out how to organize it.
My sisters and I have used most any excuse to get together for fun since our parents have been deceased, so I sounded the rally call to see if they could come to Charlotte by May.
My sister Kimberly flew in from California with the family albums, and our sister Heather drove down from Virginia, with cases of history in her car. My husband was out of town and Kimberly’s son Gunner was in town and with the kids, so I could focus on the task at hand, and enjoy my sisters and our investigation.
Once we got together and settled, we carefully put all the letters, documents, telegrams, albums, etc, out on the long mahogany table originally belonging to our Grandparents, and the rest all over the dining room chairs. We got up early each morning and worked all day until late at night.
In doing this we discovered gems and intriguing correspondence never before seen by ourselves or mentioned by historians or writers and began to tie things together.
Here I am with Heather trying to decipher Grandfather Bill’s handwriting on this long letter he wrote while while on the ship to Sleepy and our dad Pat. The date on the letter is September 14, 1944, the eve before d-day on Peleliu.
In January 2019, my sisters and I met up at Quantico to do more research. Boy did we have fun together and felt welcome the minute we stepped on the base and into the doors of the Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons Marine Corps History Center.
Immediately we bumped into General Bill Bowers, who at the time was the President, Marine Corps University and Commanding General, Education Command. He seemed to know quite a lot about our Grandfather and gave us an enthusiastic welcome. He also helped carry our heavy containers of albums we trekked in from the parking garage across the snow.
In reflection, this was a fabulous coincidence meeting him right as we walked into the building, as our Grandfather’s last position after returning from the Pacific was Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools (now the Marine Corps University).
Finally meeting Annette Amerman and her team at the USMC History Division and meeting Alisa Whitley and her team at the USMC Archives Division was an honor.
These USMC historical divisons have been enormously helpful and supportive since I began this book journey.
The Archives team actually found film of our grandparents and grandfather with our young dad running around Quantico, and in tanks, planes and holding rifles. And, they discovered film from when our grandfather and the 1st Marine Division was on Pavuvu. Both of these films they kindly put onto DVDs for all three of us.
Thank you Annette and Alisa!
We also visited the spectacular Marine Corps Museum and got an exclusive tour by Scott Gardiner. It was interesting to see the Marines history so closely tied to our United States history. And, we had an an unexpected surprise (or another coincidence?) as we looked above in the Vietnam War section and saw an actual A-4 Skyhawk! This is what our dad flew. So cool.
We talked to other Marines and on the morning of our last day, we met my contact who runs the China Marines website. We sat in our hotel lobby and talked for two hours, sharing many stories and photos. Grandad was with the China Marines twice, once in Peking (1929-1931) then again in Shanghai (1937-1938).
Want to know more about this significant chapter in the Marine Corps and history? Check out his excellent site: http://www.chinamarines.com
We got so much done, but it is clear to me now, before this book is complete, I may need to make another trip to Quantico and dive into those archives.
Pardon our exuberance. 🙂
In Spring 2019, my super supportive husband and I went to New Orleans to visit the WWII Museum. Wow! I highly recommend this fabulous museum that covers World War II – both the war in Europe and the Pacific. I could have spent days there. They recently built a hotel right across from the museum, which is super convenient. I’d love to go back.
Check it out: https://www.nationalww2museum.org
They have a few fabulous restaurants with bars inside to help keep up your stamina. And, did you know that if you have a World War II veteran in your family, they will work with you to fly them to New Orleans and get them to the museum for free? #Honor
In addition to all of the above, I have read books about the battles in the Pacific and the men who served there. I have watched vidoes and listened to or read many, many oral histories of Marines who served with our grandfather and the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific.
Dont get me started on Ancestry.com. How it can lull you in. But I used that and Fold3, and accessed online library databases and newspapers from across the US and world.
I often listen to 1940s music for fun while writing and have a Facebook page for the book called Discovering my Grandfather and a Twitter account for him too where I have made great connections. @MajGenRupertus
His story made me laugh and really cry. I often became so memerized it was hard to leave certain chapters behind. I literally had to push myself away from the desk.
I have no problem with writers block. There is so much to learn and share about this jaw-dropping time in our history.
I can work hours without a break -often late into the night. I have spent nights tossing and turning in bed thinking about it, how he persevered after losing his entire first family and seeing his fellow Marines perish, or how this book, written by a civilian, will be perceived by the military.
As days go by, how did I get here?
As September, 2019, the manuscript about our Grandfather, his family and World War II is now over 30 chapters and 350+pages.
It was and is still a decadent, luxurious, and emotional journey to research and write this. But thank God I did it.
It has helped me get to know and love my grandparents, whom I never met, and whom my father lost at an early age. It made me realize we are not so far away from the wars over the past 200 years, who served in them, and the impact on society; countries, warriors, and civilians.
I discovered facts I never learned in school. It has left me in awe of our young country and the bravery in war.
It all makes sense now. God, how I wish we could have presented this to Dad before he died. Maybe my friend Stuart knew because when he prodded during his podcast interview, I teared up.
Maybe I am writing this for Dad.
So, this is why I took a break from blogging. Well, from a lot of things. There are days when all I want to do is work on this book. Crazy, right?
As I learned from my grandfather, you have to have a laser focus – with a tenacity of purpose – to reach your goals in life, and achieve the mission before you.
There is more work to do, yet one day soon, this manuscript will be published for my family, history, and the Marine Corps. Then we can finally get the record straight and fill in gaps for our generation and more.
Ahh, there is so much satisfaction in that.
Thank you for the inspiration, Don.
Semper Fi.
I put on this shirt FiA yesterday that was created in honor of Charlotte’s Ruth Samuelson to go walk our dog. She must have whispered to me out there! While walking I felt a little voice inside telling me to update this post here and repost on FiAnation.com, our female fitness group.
Was she really whispering to me? With all that is happened the past 2 years in FiA, F3 and our country, I think maybe she was! #PoliPower. We have seen so much change and need change.
With all this change are you inspired to change something?
We are more than half way into 2017. Better get changing.
Why not do a half-time assessment?
To give you some ideas, I wanted to tell you about a conversation on change I had with Ruth. Ruth was a living example of how “being the change” in small and big ways can positively impact ones family, community and politics.
She was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mom, grandmother, community leader and public servant. Ruth was athletic and loved to workout at 5:15am with her daughter Joy, who we know and love (FiA Santiago) and FiAs. When she suddenly got diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer May 2016, and we found out the cancer had spread, it was a complete shocker to everyone who knew and loved her. Ruth?
Though now gone, I feel she will always be with us in the many lessons she taught, and the good, gutsy and crazy things she did we remember. I personally will always remember her genuineness, that bright smile, willingness to connect and her simple advice.
About 3 years ago, Ruth and I were having lunch together in Charlotte talking about life and change. I was at a crossroads trying to figure out where to best focus my activator type A energy. Should I stay focused on my work and community fitness efforts or launch a female start-up to stop the division in our politics and party? (Ha, ha. I had good intentions!).
When I asked Ruth for some guidance on this, she gazed at me for a pensive moment. You know that gaze if you knew Ruth. She said, “I like that FiA thing.” On stoping division and negativity in this political climate? With her pirate eyes and beautiful smile, she said:
“From my experience, you can’t make others change. You have to be the change.”
I will always remember this clarifying moment with Ruth. No matter her viewpoint, she was always so calm. So matter of fact. She sure loved ruffling us up by engaging change. She wanted change in her city so she put herself in the arena. She put name on the ballot, got elected, and went into politics where she could get engaged with others to contribute to the change she wanted to see in the community and state.
Unlike Ruth, I was not ready to run for office or to force change.
Force change. Nobody likes that.
Want change? The key is you have to step up in your life to engage change.
It’s like Ruth putting her name on the ballot. One small step forward may lead to dramatic change. So let’s do a half-time assessment:
What line in the sand do you need to step over this weekend to create change?
3 ideas to spark movement:
- Re-organize your busy life: The days and years fly by really fast! Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. Assess: Are you living the life you imagined or is your life a blur? Get focused and planning. What and who matter most to you? Eliminate the junk and take action on what brings you joy. You will avoid living with regret.
- Be the life-changer: We are our brothers and sisters keepers right? What positive impact can you make today? Make a decision to turn your pain, anger, frustration or sadness into a mission for change. Look up. Say hello. Be the smile, humor and patience you need. Be the calm in someone’s storm. Be the friend in someone’s loss. Be the mentor in confusion. Be the strength in weakness. Be the light in darkness. Be the bridge to conversation. Be the doer of good we need in this world.
- Pray it up: As forward focused change agents we need to exercise, pray it up, give thanks, and thenlet it go to avoid the stress that can pull us backwards. Ruth prayed a lot everyday and is probably still praying for us in Heaven. Pray it up to Ruth. She loves to talk! Pray it up to God and your family in Heaven. Have quiet conversations at home, in your car, on a walk, etc. Let God worry about your worries. He is vast. We are so small.
#BeTheChange
Written in honor of #PoliPower #LatiniStrong #CoopStrong #CheechStrong #RapunzelStrong #NashStrong #SydneyStrong #SharretStrong #TaylorStrong #Dadstrong #MomStrong and all you all.
#LiveLoveLead
Fin. Amy Peacock
June 30, 2017
So many people, experiences and events came together to inspire this post.
It may even be you reading this!
Without going into great detail, I had to sum it all up to 2 thought provoking quotes.
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” Jesus Christ
“For David….served his Purpose of God in his own generation.” Acts: 13:36
What is in me? In You?
Will we bring it forth in our generation?
If we don’t, will it hurt us?
Loaded questions but worth exploring, especially these days.
It’s seems a lot of people I have talked to are at a point in their lives where change has happened suddenly, is happening currently, or has to happen to move them forward.
Change rattles the norm. It shakes up our little world. It also presents an exciting opportunity to reflect on the direction of our life, and do something different, or more meaningful.
So what is in you?
Will you bring it forth in your generation?
This is not to say you need to do more than you already do…just something else.
Perhaps God wants you and I to redirect our lives.
To live with more passion and purpose everyday.
It’s time to jump over the line in the sand you set for yourself.
You see, I believe God’s got glorious plans for you on the other side.
Yep.
To be his experience on earth.
To bring out that light that is deep inside you.
So that you can use it for good, on his earth, in your lifetime.
Just imagine.
He needs your help to inspire change.
And, look after his people.
You ARE here for a reason.
Your passion and wisdom of experience is a torch we need to light the path ahead. If you let the flame go out and walk away, we (Gods people) are left in the dark.
So, get it? You matter to humanity! We need you to find your light again and trust it.
Here is a simple life reboot assessment I learned from John Maxwell, a minister and worldwide leadership coach you might use to get clear on your next mission:
Tell me what you want, what you really really want.
What do you sing about? What makes you HAPPY? Your heart soar like an eagle?
What do you cry about? What makes you SAD?
What do you dream about doing or becoming? What is your VISION for your FUTURE?
The answers should come quickly.
They are the keys to your next chapter.
Pursue what you sing about. What do you love to do? Bring it forth and pursue it. You will gain unbridled happiness and it will be magnified to those around you. Just imagine a musician, artist, athlete or entrepreneur pursuing their passion. They inspire us and make our lives richer.
Turn that sadness into purpose. Turn your pain into purpose to help others. By sharing your experience of failure, loss, or sadness over a situation, you heal yourself and let others know they are not alone. Your lessons learned may inspire a book or a new non profit or business to heal the word around you.
Go after the dream that been tugging at you for years…now. Why wait anymore?Write the book, start that blog, start that new biz, start a new tribe, book that dream trip, sign up for that rave race, run for office. The years fly by and our days are not guaranteed. Why wait, why wait, why wait anymore?
Shine like Heaven in your generation.
In closing, I leave you with this quote by Blake Mycoskie, founder of the wildly successful Toms company, and the One to One business model:
“I believe each of us has a mission in life, and that one cannot truly be living their most fulfilled life until they recognize this mission and dedicate their life to pursuing it.”
Fin. Amy
PS. Let me know if you need some help on this. You may also enjoy reading the short book How to Find Your Mission in Life, by Richard Nelson Bowels who also wrote the life changing book, What Color is My Parachute.
A new year. Hello 2017!
The possibilities of each day are within this year for each of us.
Aren’t you excited? I am.
I have decided to let go of the long list of resolutions and keep it simple for 2017.
I am setting 3 goals and committing to them.
Here they are.
#1 Begin each day with gratitudes and a positive lead.
#2. Finish 1st round of my book by Dec. 1.
#3. Focus on achieving my best health ever.
Today I will focus this post on #1: Gratitude.
I am going to start the day with more gratitude and lead with the positive. Having been doing this off and on for years, I have witnessed instant benefits in my attitude, happiness and impact on others.
So how do we turn the ordinary dawn of a new day into the extraordinary?
Use awe as a catalyst. What gives you awe?
Our church minster, Joe Clifford at Myers Park Presbyterian in Charlotte, NC spoke about this concept in a sermon where he recited a beautiful poem I had never heard before.”I thank you God for this amazing” by EE Cummings.
Here it is along with two verses and one very powerful video that was done over Christmas. That should help put us in a positive mindset for 2017.
“i thank You God for most this amazing” by E.E. Cummings
i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
Isaiah 40:28-31 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak….31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
The creative director at Forest Hill Church did this funny video over Christmas. 20 million have already viewed this video. Have you? Click here: Funny video on Gratitude
Want to join me on this road to glory in 2017?
For the next 21 days start your day with gratitude.
First, say this before you get outta bed every single morning.
Psalm 118:24 “This IS the day the Lord has made, Rejoice and be glad in it!”
I bet it will light a tiny spark of mojo to get you going.
Keep a journal by your bed. In the quiet of the early am write down what or who you are thankful for that day.
Then do a “power lead” into the day by keeping your first comments, texts, posts or emails to your family then friends, neighbors or co-workers positive. Be intentional on this. You may have to bite your tongue! It’s worth it.
Are you in? Let me know how it goes for you.
Cheers to 2017.
Let’s make it AWEsome and spread some cheer.
“I believe each of us has a mission in life, and that one cannot truly be living their most fulfilled life until they recognize this mission and dedicate their life to pursuing it.” -Blake Mycoskie, founder of Toms company and the One to One business model.
I love this quote. Life is so short and precious.
What is important to you? What do you want to accomplish? What drives you? What do you love doing but are not doing?
Find out what it is and pursue it.
Think about Tom’s founder, or Mother Theresa, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Lincoln, Einstein, Martin Luther King! Think of all the inventors, leaders, parents, teachers, athletes, career changers, missionaries and others who found out what they wanted to do, went after it and changed their lives…and our lives. Imagine where we all would be if they had ignored that passionate spirit inside?
So what are you passionate about? What do you want to change in your life? Your career?
Don’t know?
Start small.
First, find out what you need just to thrive.
Years ago in my early twenties I was at a cross roads. My dad had died, I was questioning my career choice (and college major), and knew a better career or job was waiting for me. I just needed directions on how to get to it.
I turned to the book “What Color is Your Parachute?” by Richard M. Bolles. This is the same book my Dad turned to when he made a career change when he was 40 years old.
I read it thoroughly and put great effort into each lesson. It was hard work. No career counselor could do it for me. I had to dig deep inside to identify what made me thrive, excited and happiest when and where I was working.
I filled two yellow legal pads with my notes.
The author encouraged me, the reader, to narrow down the discernment into one short, vision sentence. By the book’s end, I could do this because I re-discovered what drove me, my passions, and my dream for an ideal career…the one sentence became my mission.
- Freedom to start or work for a great internet start-up
- Freedom to call on whom I wanted
- Freedom to travel
- Freedom to connect to the outdoors. I had to have a big window in my office!
- Freedom to make more money
I found all this in a new career. I was really happy.
Thank God I did this!
Who knew I would have to leave this career 3 years later when Mom got dx. with ALS?
My dad also had a similar experience after doing the work in the book. His mission in life had changed. He left his job, pursued a new career and new life, moving our family from the Chicago suburbs to near Washington, DC where he was raised and still had family. He was really happy. He thrived.
Thank God he did this work!
Who knew he would die from Cancer by age 51?
Maybe that is what drives me.
Life is so short friends. Why not do what you love?
Why not find out sooner rather than later? Why live with regret?
I advise people to identify their passions and strengths, then to use them to serve themselves and others in work, family, ministry, careers and the community. Knowing and honoring your passions, strengths and weaknesses is liberating, and can be a guiding light to propel you forward to do great things.
Now, look back to the quote above. It is notable that after over 45 years of career counseling and many career books, Richard Bolles most recent book is a simple spiritual guide called “Finding Your Mission in Life.”
CarpoolDaze 