Constitution Project

Last week Foxwood commented on a letter I'd posted, and invited me to repost his own blog entry. I think this column has a lot of merit. I agree with his blog's sentiments, if not always his style -- some of his other entries have colorful language, although not this one. Our country is rapidly veering away from its founding principles, and if we don't get involved in even small ways we may permanently lose what so many have sacrificed for.

Here is the link: http://animal-farm.us/change/constitution-project-575

And here is the column:

Constitution Project

Do you believe the Constitution is the rule of law? Do you believe in the original intent of our founding fathers? Do you want to reform Congress? I’m not talking about reforming a Democratic Congress, but Congress.

If your answer is yes, we have to work together to make this happen. Please email this to all you know and post on your blogs. The goal in its entirety is to make all three branches of government respect and abide by the rule of law, know as the Constitution of the United States of America.

The most egregious of offenses against the Constitution is from Congress, so the focus will begin with the Legislative branch. It requires you to do some homework, because you have to know what you are talking about.

1. “We the people” need to read the Constitution. It is about four thousand, four hundred and forty (4440) words and will take less than an evening to do. Some may have to digest and research to understand what these wise men meant. Please try to understand it. The links below are an online Constitution and a pocket Constitution you can get free from The Heritage Foundation.

http://animal-farm.us/definitions/constitution
http://www.askheritage.org/Premium.aspx

Our main concern will be Article 1, Section 8 and the 10th Amendment.

2. Next, “We the people” must write to each of our Senators and our Representative to tell them that we have read the Constitution and we know what the “Powers of Congress” are and that we want them to abide by the “Powers of Congress” granted by the Constitution, and that anything not listed are reserved for the States and the people as addressed in the 10th Amendment. If they do not abide by the Constitution, they will be voted out of office.

If they do not know the “Powers of Congress”, a copy is attached, and they might spend some time reading and learning their duties. Most of these politicians know the Constitution, so this is really a poke at them.

This is to be sent to ALL of your Senators and Representative, Democratic and Republican. That would be a total of three letters, three emails, three faxes, and three phone calls. I would not suggest to send to politicians out of state, as they will look at addresses and usually only address letters from there district. That is not to say that if you have an address in another state, not to use it.

3. Below is a letter to send to your Reps and Senators. It is an example.

A. Please use the Representatives and Senators name.

B. This is an example letter. It will be more effective if you rewrite it in your own words.

C. This letter will be more effective if you send it United States Postal Service, and hand written. At least send it USPS if you don’t hand write it. I know some of you will not send a snail mail. Please do, it’s the most effective method. Please write the letter in your own words, PLEASE.

D. Send them an email. Please send a snail mail and an email, if possible. Also send a fax. Call them, but to read the letter will be too much for an intern to take time for.

D. Example letter:

[-start Letter-]
————————————————-

Dear [Senator or Representative] [your Senators or Representatives name],

“We the People” are tired of what is going on in Washington D.C. “We the People” would like to see you do your real job in Congress, and not make up jobs to keep yourselves busy and waste our tax money, not to mention making unconstitutional law.

Your job in Congress is established in the Constitution under Article 1, Section 8. There are only 18 items listed. Just in case you didn’t know, or have forgotten they will be listed at the end of this letter.

Where is it in the Constitution that Health Care, and Cap and Trade are mentioned? For that matter, where is Social Security, global-warming research, welfare, mass transit, food stamps, minimum wage, Medicaid, Medicare, and unemployment insurance?

You can point to “general welfare” in Article 1, Section 8, to account for your unlimited power you think you possess, but if you knew your history of the United States and the Constitution, you would know that “general welfare” did not mean the welfare of the people. Here is the 1828 edition of Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, and how the word “welfare” was defined 40 years after it was written in the Constitution:

WEL´FARE, n. [well and fare, a good going; G. wohlfahrt; D. welvaard; Sw. valfart; Dan. velfærd.]
1. Exemption from misfortune, sickness, calamity or evil; the enjoyment of health and the common blessings of life; prosperity; happiness; applied to persons.
2. Exemption from any unusual evil or calamity; the enjoyment of peace and prosperity, or the ordinary blessings of society and civil government; applies to states.

Welfare did not have the meaning then as it does today. In the Constitution the word “welfare” is used in the context of states. The “welfare of the United States” does not mean the welfare of individuals, people, or citizens.

Here are a few words from our founding fathers on “general welfare” to set you straight:

“If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one….” — James Madison

“Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.” –Thomas Jefferson

“Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.” — James Madison

“I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit.” — President Grover Cleveland

“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” — James Madison

It is important that you know your history as well as the Constitution.

Please abide by these rules set forth by our Constitution of these Unites States of America or face removal from office next election.

Your Constituent,
[Your name]

P. S.
Here is your list of powers authorized to you by the Constitution, Article 1, Section 8, and some more words from our founding fathers.

1. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defense and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

3. To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

4. To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

5. To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

6. To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

7. To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

8. To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

9. To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

10. To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

11. To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

12. To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

13. To provide and maintain a Navy;

14. To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

15. To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

16. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

17. To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

18. To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Under the Tenth Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

More words from our founding fathers:

“We still find the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry, and grasping at the spoil of the multitude. Invention is continually exercised to furnish new pretenses for revenue and taxation. It watches prosperity as its prey and permits none to escape without a tribute.” — Thomas Paine

“Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” — Ben Franklin

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.” — James Madison

“I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that ‘all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.’ To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power not longer susceptible of any definition. — Thomas Jefferson

“The greatest [calamity] which could befall [us would be] submission to a government of unlimited powers.” — Thomas Jefferson

“The powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction.” — James Madison

————————————————–
[-end Letter-]

E. Your Representative and Senators can be found at:
http://www.house.gov/
http://www.senate.gov/
Remember:
Snail mail,
Email,
Fax,
Call your Reps and Senators,
And go to town hall meetings and tea parties and bring this up.

4. Make it Viral

A. Send this message in it’s entirety in an email to all of your friends, relatives and your lists.

B. If you have a blog, post it on your blog and allow other bloggers to copy.

C. Post a link to your blog on all blog posts, forums and bulletin boards concerning the Constitution, inviting these bloggers to copy your post.

D. When you go to tea parties and town hall meeting, bring copies of the Constitution Project to pass out with your blog URL so they may copy it easily.

You can download a clean copy of the Constitution Project at:
http://animal-farm.us/holder/constitutionproject.txt

Please take the liberty to make changes if you can make this idea work better because this idea is not about me, but about the United States and our Constitution.

I was asked how can we get our Representative and Senators to abide by the Constitution. This is one way. Have your Tea Parties, and Town Hall meetings. We have to keep after these politicians and let them know we know what the law is. The Constitution is the law and we will make them abide by it. If not, we will vote them out, whether they are Democratic or Republican. It is up to us to save our Constitution and these United States.

Mathemagics

When our kids were little, I bought them a large abacus to play with, and while they napped had great fun figuring out how to multiply and divide on the darn thing. Later, when my dad gave me his old slide rule, I loved sliding the center bar to calculate numbers. Both these tools use some brain power and attention in order to work, whereas a calculator is often too easy and thus the answer is often wrong if you're just punching buttons.

My 13 year old son has recently become interested in learning mental math, using a book by Arthur Benjamin that I had in the basement. We have races now to see who can square a two-digit number faster -- I'm still winning, but like chess where he's edged me out over the past year, suspect I won't be reigning champion for long. This stuff is so fun, in a geeky sort of way.

Just so you can see how amazing a true human calculator can be, here is a fun video of Arthur Benjamin doing his numbers "magic" show. This guy is incredible!

Performance Evaluations

Here's another email, for fun:

These are ACTUAL supervisor quotes taken from employee performance evaluations

1. Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig.

2. I would not allow this employee to breed.

3. This employee is really not much of a has-been, but more of a definite wont be.

4. Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.

5. When she opens her mouth, it seems it is only to change feet.

6. He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle.

7. This young lady has delusions of adequacy.

8. He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them.

9. This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot.

10. This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts the better.

11. Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together.

12. A gross ignoramus — 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus.

13. He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier.

14. I would like to go hunting with him sometime.

15. He's been working with glue too much.

16. He would argue with a signpost.

17. He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room.

18. When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell.

19. If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one.

20. A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on.

21. A prime candidate for natural DE-selection.

22. Donated his brain to science before he was done using it.

23. Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isnt coming.

Don't Tread on Me

Wow, I just received this email, and it so speaks to how I feel also as I watch the cynical machinations of the US Government in trying to pass bill after unpopular bill. What would our founders say? There is no attribution to this letter so I can't check it out, but it speaks for itself anyway.

*

The following letter is rapidly circulating around the country. Americans everywhere identify with this 53-year-old woman. She has given us a voice. Once you read this, you may want to forward it to your friends...


I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?


Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:


One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.


Two, the TARP bill. I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.


Three: Czars. I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.


Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.


Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!


Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.


Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.


Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why -- what do you have against shareholders making a profit?


Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.


Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.


Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try -- please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.


Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now. Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.


*


I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance.


Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.


From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.


We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work, pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far.


Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off.


We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.
Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us.


Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us.


If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you.


If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

Getting the Words Down

Here are some techniques to help you get the words down:

1. Decide on a daily quota of words that is manageable. A good starting goal might be 300, but remember to keep pushing this number up as you get in the groove. Create a log sheet to record your daily output. Post this on your refrigerator or otherwise keep it prominent in your daily life.

2. Set aside at least a few minutes at a time in which you can remain undisturbed. Aim for an hour or more if you can.

3. Most importantly, pray before you start. Worship God, thank Him for His love and His care, and ask Him for guidance so that you can write His words.

4. Don’t start your writing session by checking your email or doing anything else except for writing.

5. Turn off anything that might distract you – music, radio, television. Some people can write through these things, but try without for a few days to see if you do better.

6. If you’re stuck, do freewriting where you talk to yourself on paper. Something like, “I’m trying to figure out what Jason’s problems with Mike might be in this scene. I was thinking about…”

A Story

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

All but one. He paused, took a deep breath, and decided to go back. He told his buddies to go on without him, and asked one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl whose stand it was was totally blind. She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one caring for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table, and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of the apples had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." The man paused and turned to look back. The girl asked, "Are you Jesus?"

The man stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning in his soul...

Canticle of the Turning

We Christians talk about the *gospel*, the good news, that God has done all that is necessary so that we may be reconciled to Him, but on the flip side this means we are completely weak and must depend solely on His provision. I believe this flip side is the ultimate stumbling block to accepting Jesus as Lord. Some might argue that the block to Christianity is *Fairy Tales*; I say to this person, investigate before you condemn. You may be surprised at the answers. Others may argue a pantheistic theology; I submit that Christianity is the only belief system that is internally consistent.

The Lord says that His Spirit will not always *strive with man* though:

And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (AKJV, Genesis 6:3)

Our existence in this world is the only chance we have to freely choose Him, without being overwhelmed with His presence.

One of the lesser evidences I see for the existence of God is the deep sense we humans all have of justice, and of hopeful things, despite evidence in this world to the contrary. This is a great song that I hope you enjoy, that discusses some of these things. This particular recording is sung by Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney & Theresa Donohoo.



Lyrics:

My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
And my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the one who waits.
You fixed your sight on the servant's plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
So from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?

Refrain:
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears,
For the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn.

Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me.
And your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and those who would for you yearn,
You will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn.

Refrain

From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
every tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
These are tables spread, ev'ry mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn.

Refrain

Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God's mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror's crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forbears heard
is the promise that holds us bound,
'Til the spear and rod be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around.

Refrain

Did Jesus Rise From the Dead?

Christianity is based on the life of one person (Jesus) and the historical events that occurred during his lifetime.

Historical events are FACTUAL. In other words, they are true for everyone, all of the time.

For example, it is a FACT that JFK was shot and killed in Dallas in 1963. A person can't say, "Well, I believe JFK wasn't shot in Dallas in 1963. For me, he died in 1969. But for you, it's true he was shot and killed in 1963."

Jesus either DID or DID NOT rise from the dead.

Some people might say that Christianity is based on subjective truth or belief in Jesus as a good man. However, Christianity's own writings unequivocably state that Christianity rises or falls on the RESURRECTION OF JESUS:

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead... If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins... If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
--- 1 Corinthians 15: 14, 15, 17, 19

I came to my faith through a skeptical position, and was frankly blown away by the evidence. I've written about some of my thoughts and the sequence I went through to reach this conclusion on my website HERE, and there are of course tons of other resources. It comes down to this: if God exists, then this world is not all there is. A radical statement for a scientist...

Cool Image

For those of us fascinated by the Shoemaker-Levy comet crashing into Jupiter 15 years ago, here's a fascinating recent image of the impacted region. This was identified by amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley. You can read a little more about this HERE.

Grace

I've put this up before, but just love it. It's a fun short that clearly illustrates grace.

Letter by Lou Pritchett

Hi Everyone,

I apologize for reprinting so much political stuff. The truth is that I am truly alarmed at what seems to be happening in the government these days, from bailout packages that cause unemployment to rise, to public health care that grows wildly unpopular, to a lack of attention in national defense. I have never been terribly interested in politics, but this seems now like watching a train wreck. The Lord is Sovereign and is quite aware of all of this, but still...

It seems so sad to think of the disrespect our country is showing the millions who sacrifice greatly for this great experiment of a country to exist and continue. I hope we can leave it in good shape to the next generation.

OK, here is today's entry...

*

TRUE - CHECK: http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/youscareme.asp


This letter was sent to the NY Times but they never acknowledged it. Since it hit the internet, however, it has had over 500,000 hits.


Lou Pritchett is one of corporate America 's true living legends- an acclaimed author, dynamic teacher and one of the world's highest rated speakers. Successful corporate executives everywhere recognize him as the foremost leader in change management. Lou changed the way America does business by creating an audacious concept that came to be known as "partnering." Pritchett rose from soap salesman to Vice-President, Sales and Customer Development for Procter and Gamble and over the course of 36 years, made corporate history.


AN OPEN LETTER TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.


You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.


You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.

You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.

You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.

You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.


You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.

You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.

You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.

You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spe nding proposals.

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.

Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.

Lou Pritchett

Tea Party

I apologize to my blog readers who also received this email from Will, but I simply couldn't resist putting it up. Awesome! So profound.

Here it is:

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This resulted from a Mom in Alabama asking her high school son to help with a commercial for the Tea Party she was involved in organizing.

Boy, does it slam the message home. Very impressive. Here is her note:

"I asked Justin if he could help me make a commercial for my group's Tea Party. He sat down at the laptop for about an hour, and then brought this to me and asked, 'is this okay, Mom?' "

After I finished watching it, my stomach was in my throat.

Everyone that I have sent it to has really enjoyed it, so I
wanted my friends to see it. I am so proud!"

A very powerful video...turn up the sound & sit back...!!!

Leaders versus Controllers

Leaders versus Controllers

Ron Edmondson wrote an interesting article contrasting the characteristics of LEADERS versus CONTROLLERS. So, which are you, really?

Here's a list of characteristics to help you decide:

Characteristics of leading people:

Encourages creativity
Develops people rather than programs
Builds healthy relationships with followers
Models a healthy way
More focused on needs of followers
People follow by choice
Empowers people

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Characteristics of controlling people:

Stifles personal growth
Discourages creativity
Keeps followers at a distance
Insists on a set way
More focused on needs of the controller
People follow by force
Devours people