Founding Father’s Respect

Sometimes the right thing’s not easy to do.
But not for you! Yahoo! –Dr. Seuss

It’s true, the right thing is not always easy to do.

GW RulesOne thing that’s not been easy to do this pasts election campaign, is to show signs of respect. I’m thinking of one particular instance where one of the candidates was attending a Broadway show with his family. Some of the audience wasn’t too accepting of him being there.

But then, in an unapologetic manner, even members of the cast, shouted negative comments and slogans at this person. Yes, in front of the whole ticket purchasing audience. The politician didn’t make too much of this. No real fuss from him. read more

Thomas Jefferson “Worth His Salt”

I have been helping a friend edit a book he has been writing for 20 years about science. Just right up my alley. I learned that the most common mineral on the earth is salt.

ThomasJeffersonToday it is common to have table salt with your meals. It wasn’t always so. Now salt is in such abundance it is believed to always have been readily available—but that wasn’t always the case. Salt was hard to come by and very expensive right up until the 1900’s.

In ancient Greece, traders bartered for slaves with the commodity of salt. An unruly or lazy slave was considered “not worth his salt,” an insult still in use today. You may have heard it about some of your co-workers! But surely not you. read more

Our Founding Fathers Were Not Bashful

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen things were getting rough in the Colonies, there were a few men who stood up for things they believed in. It started with Patrick Henry in his speech as he was first elected to the house of Burgesses. Thomas Jefferson, his friend, listened in at the door of the Capitol in Williamsburg, as Henry made his speech, from notes written in the flyleaf of Jefferson’s loaned book!

Tom said that a spark for independence was lighted at that event that moved Jefferson to know the Colonies were on the road to independence. read more

Speaking Of Our Founding Fathers

Founding Fathers coverFor years I have presented classes, speeches, and presentations about the Founding Fathers of our United States of America. I love to do it. I suppose during one of my speeches, I had become a little too enthusiastic and bombastic. One attendee came up to me afterwards to tell me as much!

I was a little like Dr. Seuss described:
“You did it! Hooray!
You ought to be proud!
You ought to get boisterous,
Noisterous, and loud!”
(Yes, he made up the word “noisterous.” But it sounds good in context! read more

More Christmas Carols

In perusing that book by David McCullought, “In the Dark Streets Shineth”, I learned some things about music and Christmas. In the middle of World War II, with the war raging and more than 1,000,000 Americans stationed world wide and serving as soldiers, two musicians decided to write some new music.

800px-Mtchoirandorchestra_ConferenceCenter_(cropped)Kim Gannon, lyricist, and Walter Kent, composer, decided to write a new Christmas song. Walter Kent was already well known and liked for his earlier song “The White Cliffs of Dover,” which became a most popular song in Great Britain—nearly a national anthem. read more

George Washington’s Birthday

I just read a short story around the idea that if something needs to be done, perhaps you should do something. In part it said: “If you see a need, don’t ask ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something?’ Ask instead ‘Why don’t I do something?’

One day, entering into my office I said it was a shame that according to the newspaper this morning, there are many ‘white sales’, automobile sales, and furniture sales in honor of George Washington’s birthday, but there is no George Washington Birthday Celebration. read more

Franklin’s Project for Moral Perfection

Ben FranklinBenjamin Franklin wrote the book “The Art of Virtue” to help others understand that being true to oneself is being virtuous. Of course he also wrote this Autobiography, “Poor Richard’s Almanac”, and his book about Electricity. Several times he describes his “project for moral perfection, which he worked on all his life to improve his own character.

He gave us much sage advice, some of which we still quote today (early to bed . . .). He showed us how important it is to have character, or moral excellence and firmness. Not only by his writings, but by the life he lived. read more

Be Thankful–It’s Thanksgiving!

Abraham_Lincoln_2Sing Songs of Gratitude

On this beautiful Thanksgiving Day, We should be grateful that President Abraham Lincoln declared this day a national holiday. I have been impressed by the great blessings I have received in my life. Big and small. Some I didn’t think of as blessings at the time, still turned out for the best, or for my needed experience. Perhaps you feel the same.

That caused me to think of a song I learned in my youth. It goes something like this.

“When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. read more

Founding Fathers Say Teach Prayers of Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is our day of giving thanks to God. It is officially “Thanksgiving Day.” It should actually be taught in our schools. I remember when it used to be.

Forrest Turpen, a Christian educator said it this way: “It is time we put a stop to the coercive and compulsory bans on religious expression in our public Schools. Those who oppose such expression constantly point to their desire to protect constitutional rights and intents. However, they seem oblivious to the fact that those who wrote and adopted the U. S. Constitution also made frequent reference to the importance of prayer in the public area and the need for moral instruction based on Biblical values in our schools.” read more

The Founding Fathers As Christians

Some may not agree, but according to their own records, the Founding Fathers were Christians. They resorted to the Bible for help is discerning what kind of nation to establish. They asked for the help of God in the process. In their minds and words, we are a Christian nation.

In a visit with my 96 year old mother today, she wanted me to read to her from my book “The Illegal Trial of Christ.” We read together. When we came to the following words, she cried:

Illgegal Trial of Christ cover“The requests to put the information shared in my presentations into book form have become more persuasive and have increased in persistence. I was finally convinced to give it a try. I turned to my friend and editor, Rosemary Green, for her assistance. She has taken my sometimes convoluted notes, disjointed outlines, and rudimentary book drafts and through her care, close attention, and long-suffering has turned them into this book. read more