Benjamin Franklin and Santa Clause

Posted on by December 9, 2015

Ben FranklinOf all the Founding Fathers, I think that Benjamin Franklin is the most like Santa Clause! Just think about it. Ben was most diplomatic and he just loved people and found a way to get his way in life. He was most industrious, diligent, and hard working.

Ben was perhaps a little bit more rounded than the others, but, alas, he didn’t wear a beard. He was able to mystify his friends with his talents, his knowledge, and his inventions. Ben was also very much in favor of creating happiness and joy at various times of the year, especially at Christmas. read more

Washington Kept His Promise

Posted on by December 8, 2015

GW Rules“Undertake not what you cannot Perform but be Careful to keep your Promise.”

I’m sure that George Washington must have thought often of this Rule he learned in his youth, when he struggled with his soldiers in the nearly 7 years of the Revolutionary War.

When he was first elected by Congress as the Commander in Chief of the newly united American armies, I don’t think he could have fully understood the troubles and distresses they would have to endure for the next several years.

The victory at Dorchester Heights, was a great beginning. But the battles of New York nearly destroyed the whole army, and except for miraculous happenings even George Washington would have been killed. read more

The Revolutionaries and Football

Posted on by December 7, 2015

Scene_at_the_Signing_of_the_Constitution_of_the_United_StatesI asked my wife for suggestions regarding what I should write about tonight on my Blog. She said: “Since it’s Monday night football, why don’t you write about what football teams the original Americans would root for.”

I answered: “That would be fun, but football hadn’t been invented yet when they were still around!”

But when I thought about it, I thought “what a good idea!”

Of course, John Adams, being from Boston, and a Patriot himself, would root for the New England Patriots. And, I suppose George Washington would join him, seeing as how Washington, DC hadn’t been built yet. read more

Natural Law and the Declaration of Independence

Posted on by December 6, 2015

445192825_011af775a5_mPeople were beginning to talk about the Colonies becoming independent from Great Britain. Unfair treatment of the colonists without giving them any representation in the British body which deliberated the laws, caused many to rebel, rise up, take to the streets, and, yes revolt.

The colonies sent leaders to represent them in a Continental Congress at Philadelphia. At the 2nd Continental Congress the representatives decided to put independence to a vote. A committee was formed to draft a Declaration of Independence should one be necessary. That committee was Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and a young lawyer named Thomas Jefferson, who was chosen to write the first draft of such a document. read more

Liberty or Dry Paint?

Posted on by December 5, 2015

Ben FranklinNot long ago I heard a quote that made me stop and think a little more closely about life itself. It went something like this:

“Tell a man there are trillions of stars in the universe, and he’ll believe you. Tell him there’s wet paint on the wall, and he’ll touch it just to be sure!”

That reminded me of another quote by Benjamin Franklin, I don’t know why, maybe I just had to reach out and touch it?

“They that can give up an essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” read more

Words We Use At Christmas

Posted on by December 4, 2015

ForgivenessThe other day I received a card wishing me Holiday Greetings. That caused me to think about some of the words we ordinarily use during the Christmas season. Think of Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays for example.

Happy is defined as pleasant, pleased, and gratified. Holiday is a day commemorated with festivities and is a day on which one is exempted from work. Does that still work?

Greetings are simply “salutations.” So Holiday greetings are salutations sent for the day you are exempted from work! read more

Was Benjamin Franklin Perfect?

Posted on by December 3, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb pictureOK, I realize I have written about Benjamin Franklin quite a few times in the past several weeks. It just occurs to me from time to time that he was fabulously successful in all he did. Benjamin Franklin began a project in his youth because he wanted to become as fine, good, and yes, even as perfect as he could be. He called it his Project for Moral Perfection. He wrote about it in his autobiography, which, of course you have read.

He somehow knew as a youth that his decisions were very important. The choices he would make in life—his education, his marriage, his career, and his service to others would be important. Extremely so. He was then very attentive and even cautious about his resolutions. He resolved to become as perfect as he possibly could. read more

George Washington and America

Posted on by December 2, 2015

GeorgeWashingtonOh, how I love the words of George Washington. Indeed he was the Indispensible Man in the creation of the United States of America. I so wish we would heed more of his words of caution and warning. His first inaugural address and his Farewell Address are especially full of great advice and even predictions.

It’s my opinion that these two public addresses should be studied in the public schools and heeded by Congress, not to mention the Courts. But, unfortunately that’s not likely to happen. read more

Benjamin Franklin and Humility

Posted on by December 1, 2015

Ben Franklin thumb pictureEarly in his life, Benjamin Franklin planned for himself a project for becoming as nearly perfect as a man could become. He originally had 12 characteristics he wanted to improve upon but was soon compelled to add another.

“My list of virtues contained at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show’d itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc’d me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavoring to cure myself of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added humility to my list.” read more

DON’T WORRY—BE HAPPY!

Posted on by November 30, 2015

Ben Franklin“We are all here for a spell; get all the laughs you can.” –Will Rogers

“With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh, I should die.” –Abraham Lincoln

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” –Mark Twain

“One of the best things people can have up their sleeves is a funny bone!
–Richard L. Weaver, II (who?)

“Oh, I worry over this thing, and I worry over that
But I notice when the atmosphere has cleared,
That the bad luck I had looked for didn’t come and knock me flat.
And I didn’t have the trouble that I feared. read more