I recently got involved is a couple of deep discussions with friends looking for direction. It seems many are seeking that ahh-ha moment when they get life, and where they fit in the master scheme. Personally my belief points to a divine purpose for us all. While I can't control my purpose, I can be ready for the task when it becomes apparent. A dear friend was fond of tell me,"You don't get to pick what your good at!" I submit there is a way to improve what your not good at.
Chris Brady, and Orrin Woodward authored a book, "Launching the Leadership Revolution," and inside the binding is some great wisdom for us all. Engineers, (they are retired), are always looking for ways to graph and monitor everything. In the "Tri Lateral Leadership Ledger" chapter they found a way to track life skills. Once you can set a value and graph something you can monitor your progress and growth. Wouldn't it be helpful to know your weakness and track you personal growth? Here's what they tell us.....
There are three categories of personal effectiveness. They consist of character, tasks, and relationships. To have an impact, character is a must. If people can't trust in you, our never going to make a difference. Brady and Woodward break this down into 9 sub categories.
1. Honesty
2. Integrity
3. Courage
4. Proper values based on absolute truths
5. Faith
6. A humble spirit
7. Patience with others
8. Discipline
9. Self mastery
Here is the genius of the Brady, Woodward formula. Take these sub categories and rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being the lowest and 10 an exceptional rating. You now have a scale for self improvement, broken down into categories. If you score a little low on the Faith category you can focus on that and improve your overall character score and your effectiveness influencing people. You can self assess your weaknesses and focus your improvement for laser type personal growth. Isn't that genius? What an incredible tool for self improvement!
Now the second heading is listed as Tasks! Here are the seven sub sections as defined in the Brady, Woodward principles.....
1. Acceptance of responsibility.
2. Work ethic.
3. Availability.
4. Willingness to invest time.
5. Tenacity.
6. Perseverance.
7. Execution.
Again put a number value on each area and you have a place to begin! I love the simplicity yet the accuracy of the whole assessment!
Last heading is the biggie! Relationships! They whittle this down into ten sub headings.
1. Accepting people.
2. Approving of people.
3. Appreciating of people.
4. Finding the good in people.
5. Encouraging people.
6. Caring for and about people.
7. Putting others first.
8. Seeking a win/win situation.
9. Helping people accomplish tasks
10. Living the golden rule.
Again self assess and put a number value on your ability in each category. Average each sub heading and you have a number to value each main category. Now you know where to focus on our self improvement, and track your progress! Are you strong in relationships and weak on tasks? Perhaps you get the job done but not so good on relationships. Is your character in question?
For an outside opinion have your spouse, close friend, pastor, or mentor fill one out for you. Now that's a person serious enough about self improvement!
I encourage you to read "Launching the Leadership Revolution" by Brady and Woodward. There is so much more wisdom between the pages. There is a reason it was #1 on the Wall Street Journal best seller list!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Message to Elected Officials Everywhere
Well, it's a mixed feelings day around my home. The 3-265th Sentinel Det. is boarding a plane bound for Jalalabad, Afghanistan to begin their tour. Be safe men, God speed, and God bless. I know the world is a safer place for all you do! The Lord will be hearing from me on a more frequent basis now that #1 son has decided to place himself in harms way for the cause of freedom. Stay safe Sgt.!
Now to my topic for the day! Recently the House of Representatives voted on the energy bill, it squeaked by and was approved bound for the Senate. I watched the media interview an elected official to the house who became indignant when asked if she had read the 1200 page bill, and it's attachments. Her reply. "I read major portions of it." I'll pause here while that marinates...................................
Dear Elected Officials:
We the people, (Your bosses), demand that you do the whole job we entrusted to you. Not "major portions" of it. Should we choose to do just "major portions" of our careers we would need those entitlements your so fond of passing out, like unemployment and welfare. We demand you hold to the same standards we are held to in the work place.
Personally we don't care what side of the isle you stand on, just read every word of legislation, and understand the impact it has on our nation, if enacted. It's you job! It's what we trusted you to do! What kind of gaul does it take to stand in front of your supporters and tell them you couldn't be bothered to do your complete job and protect us? What if a mechanic just decided to replace part of your brakes, or a doctor did just major portions of your surgery? Your votes have consequences, they affect people! How dare you shrug off your responsibility to protect us, and be so smug. This is the kind of behavior that reinforces the need for term limits. Your going to find out the real meaning of change next time we are allowed at the ballot box!
Disgustedly:
The Voters
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Now to my topic for the day! Recently the House of Representatives voted on the energy bill, it squeaked by and was approved bound for the Senate. I watched the media interview an elected official to the house who became indignant when asked if she had read the 1200 page bill, and it's attachments. Her reply. "I read major portions of it." I'll pause here while that marinates...................................
Dear Elected Officials:
We the people, (Your bosses), demand that you do the whole job we entrusted to you. Not "major portions" of it. Should we choose to do just "major portions" of our careers we would need those entitlements your so fond of passing out, like unemployment and welfare. We demand you hold to the same standards we are held to in the work place.
Personally we don't care what side of the isle you stand on, just read every word of legislation, and understand the impact it has on our nation, if enacted. It's you job! It's what we trusted you to do! What kind of gaul does it take to stand in front of your supporters and tell them you couldn't be bothered to do your complete job and protect us? What if a mechanic just decided to replace part of your brakes, or a doctor did just major portions of your surgery? Your votes have consequences, they affect people! How dare you shrug off your responsibility to protect us, and be so smug. This is the kind of behavior that reinforces the need for term limits. Your going to find out the real meaning of change next time we are allowed at the ballot box!
Disgustedly:
The Voters
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Fuel for thought!
First and foremost I have to give my Cherokee friend "She Bear" credit for reminding me of that great wisdom used in yesterday's post. Thank you for sharing!
Now on to today's topic. I'm frothing at the mouth ready to rip into the National Health Care issue but that's going to have to take a back seat to today's topic. I lie awake at night awed at the incredible ruse that's been going on for decades in Washington, and giving credit where credit is due, have to thank the current administration for inspiring me to uncover this.
Had candidate Obama not pointed out the massive incomes the giant corporations were receiving on the backs of the American people, I might not have looked deeper into this subject.
One of candidate Obama's campaign pledges was to tax the incredible profits amassed by huge corporations, in particular the oil companies. At face value it sounds like a great way to raise revenue and not have it come out of our pockets. Unsuspecting voters failed to realize that "evil" corporations are just an entity that collect funds and distribute them to creditors, investors, and toward taxes. Taxes levied are passed on to you the consumer so as not to have an effect on the bottom line, the most important number to the shareholders. So any savvy consumer should realize those extra taxes are just another way of getting indirectly into your pocket. This attempt to villianize the corporations was just another way to divert your attention away from the real facts.
Let's focus on the oil companies, they had the finger pointed at them the most. Fuel for our vehicles is one of the largest expenses in the family budget. When prices fluctuate it affects our discretionary income, so it's only natural to carry a chip on our shoulder about oil company profits. Tax foundation data tells us that between the years 1977 to 2004 the oil companies cleared $630 billion dollars of profit after income after paying the federal and state governments $518 billion in taxes. Nice haul for Washington and state tax coffers, they are a 45% partner with no investment. But wait there's more! In the same period, an additional $1.34 TRILLION dollars was collected from you the consumer by these nasty oil companies to turn over to the government in the form of excise taxes. Yes, that was TRILLION! Total that's $1.858 TRILLION in tax revenue out of you pocket or 3/4 of the pump profit paid in taxes. So, who actually profits, and who is the villain here? I'm not even going to bring up you've already paid payroll taxes on that money your spending at the pump. Angry yet?
Government, not the oil industry, is the biggest "profiteer" from oil. It uses the tax revenue to expand it's authority at the expense of the individual. Electric and the coal industry are also in the pass the tax on to the consumer mix.
How about ethanol? Our pump petroleum is now watered down with ethanol. Ethanol has a lower BTU, and a faster burn rate than straight fossil petrol. It lowers MPG and increases our usage, hence we pay more taxes. Was that legislation designed to help the consumer or raise tax revenue? Ethanol also requires 3 gallons of fossil fuel to make 4 gallons of ethanol, all taxable.
General motors claimed it was close to introducing a hydrogen powered vehicle. Non-existent emissions and fueled by the one of the most abundant resources on earth. Washington haulted funding on this project, and for the infrastructure required to make this a reality. Could it be they had no way to tax hydrogen figured out yet? It doesn't pollute, and it doesn't use fossil fuels. Perhaps the agenda in Washington isn't a cleaner environment, but a tax revenue issue? Electric cars are fine, they need to be recharged by electricity, they can tax that!
This tangled web is not yet untangled! Washington has mandated auto manufacturers raise fuel economy. If we double the fuel economy we use half the fuel. Less fuel = less fuel tax revenue. Where do we make up the shortfall? Enter cap and trade legislation, another tax for the unsuspecting consumer.
My guess is this is just a tip of the iceberg. It's all fuel (nontaxable) for thought. We are being fed a line of hooey and misdirected by our elected officials. This giant shell game is dipping into our already overtaxed pockets and limiting our freedoms! Less discretionary income = fewer choices = less freedom!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Now on to today's topic. I'm frothing at the mouth ready to rip into the National Health Care issue but that's going to have to take a back seat to today's topic. I lie awake at night awed at the incredible ruse that's been going on for decades in Washington, and giving credit where credit is due, have to thank the current administration for inspiring me to uncover this.
Had candidate Obama not pointed out the massive incomes the giant corporations were receiving on the backs of the American people, I might not have looked deeper into this subject.
One of candidate Obama's campaign pledges was to tax the incredible profits amassed by huge corporations, in particular the oil companies. At face value it sounds like a great way to raise revenue and not have it come out of our pockets. Unsuspecting voters failed to realize that "evil" corporations are just an entity that collect funds and distribute them to creditors, investors, and toward taxes. Taxes levied are passed on to you the consumer so as not to have an effect on the bottom line, the most important number to the shareholders. So any savvy consumer should realize those extra taxes are just another way of getting indirectly into your pocket. This attempt to villianize the corporations was just another way to divert your attention away from the real facts.
Let's focus on the oil companies, they had the finger pointed at them the most. Fuel for our vehicles is one of the largest expenses in the family budget. When prices fluctuate it affects our discretionary income, so it's only natural to carry a chip on our shoulder about oil company profits. Tax foundation data tells us that between the years 1977 to 2004 the oil companies cleared $630 billion dollars of profit after income after paying the federal and state governments $518 billion in taxes. Nice haul for Washington and state tax coffers, they are a 45% partner with no investment. But wait there's more! In the same period, an additional $1.34 TRILLION dollars was collected from you the consumer by these nasty oil companies to turn over to the government in the form of excise taxes. Yes, that was TRILLION! Total that's $1.858 TRILLION in tax revenue out of you pocket or 3/4 of the pump profit paid in taxes. So, who actually profits, and who is the villain here? I'm not even going to bring up you've already paid payroll taxes on that money your spending at the pump. Angry yet?
Government, not the oil industry, is the biggest "profiteer" from oil. It uses the tax revenue to expand it's authority at the expense of the individual. Electric and the coal industry are also in the pass the tax on to the consumer mix.
How about ethanol? Our pump petroleum is now watered down with ethanol. Ethanol has a lower BTU, and a faster burn rate than straight fossil petrol. It lowers MPG and increases our usage, hence we pay more taxes. Was that legislation designed to help the consumer or raise tax revenue? Ethanol also requires 3 gallons of fossil fuel to make 4 gallons of ethanol, all taxable.
General motors claimed it was close to introducing a hydrogen powered vehicle. Non-existent emissions and fueled by the one of the most abundant resources on earth. Washington haulted funding on this project, and for the infrastructure required to make this a reality. Could it be they had no way to tax hydrogen figured out yet? It doesn't pollute, and it doesn't use fossil fuels. Perhaps the agenda in Washington isn't a cleaner environment, but a tax revenue issue? Electric cars are fine, they need to be recharged by electricity, they can tax that!
This tangled web is not yet untangled! Washington has mandated auto manufacturers raise fuel economy. If we double the fuel economy we use half the fuel. Less fuel = less fuel tax revenue. Where do we make up the shortfall? Enter cap and trade legislation, another tax for the unsuspecting consumer.
My guess is this is just a tip of the iceberg. It's all fuel (nontaxable) for thought. We are being fed a line of hooey and misdirected by our elected officials. This giant shell game is dipping into our already overtaxed pockets and limiting our freedoms! Less discretionary income = fewer choices = less freedom!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Feed your strength!
Sticking with the theme of personal improvement, I ran across this in an old e-mail and I love it! The American Indian culture teaches through parables or legends. Elders of the tribe are respected for their wisdom and experience. It's the old wise ones who take on the responsibility of mentoring the next generation and passing down the history of the tribe. It's also a responsibility they don't take lightly. They have always been a proud people, culture based, and fighting to survive daily. Here's my food for thought for today!
TWO WOLVES
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
I hope you find this powerful message to be a benefit, I did!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
TWO WOLVES
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.
"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
I hope you find this powerful message to be a benefit, I did!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Friday, June 26, 2009
Time to take charge!
I thought we'd lighten up a little on a Friday morning. Seems people are having trouble in these times keeping a positive light on life. I've been asked lately. Why do I always seem to be in such a good mood? Well, the simple answer is, I choose to.
I've found the tone of my day starts at the onset. The moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, everything goes into keeping a positive attitude. "What a beautiful day." Is an incredible start. I don't "have to" brush my teeth and shower, I "get to" live under a roof with these conveniences. It's been my experience the more you focus on the upside the easier it becomes.
Every time life tosses me a challenge I face it with the attitude that it was there for a reason. That traffic jam wasn't meant to impede my progress, it was perhaps to save me from being involved in an accident. There is a divine plan, and I have a purpose. My favorite here in Florida is; That guy didn't just cut me off, my driving skills were being tested! So I save the salute, thank him for keeping me on my toes, and smile knowing I'm now a better more alert driver. It's an incredible stress relief.
My friends who knew me prior to this metamorphosis wonder. How did I lose my scowl and just why am I always smiling? I'm sure they think I'm up to something, and I am. I'm taking charge of my attitude. Events no longer control my life, I've taken the wheel, and it's a great feeling to be in charge.
So I'm challenging everyone to give this a shot. Start your day with a smile and throw a positive spin on daily events. I've found it gets easier as the day progresses. It then becomes a habit and suddenly people are asking you. Why are you always so happy? You can chuckle to yourself because you made a decision to control your situation, not allow the situation to control you. After all, the choice is yours!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
PS... Great reading-The Difference Maker~John C. Maxwell
I've found the tone of my day starts at the onset. The moment my feet hit the floor in the morning, everything goes into keeping a positive attitude. "What a beautiful day." Is an incredible start. I don't "have to" brush my teeth and shower, I "get to" live under a roof with these conveniences. It's been my experience the more you focus on the upside the easier it becomes.
Every time life tosses me a challenge I face it with the attitude that it was there for a reason. That traffic jam wasn't meant to impede my progress, it was perhaps to save me from being involved in an accident. There is a divine plan, and I have a purpose. My favorite here in Florida is; That guy didn't just cut me off, my driving skills were being tested! So I save the salute, thank him for keeping me on my toes, and smile knowing I'm now a better more alert driver. It's an incredible stress relief.
My friends who knew me prior to this metamorphosis wonder. How did I lose my scowl and just why am I always smiling? I'm sure they think I'm up to something, and I am. I'm taking charge of my attitude. Events no longer control my life, I've taken the wheel, and it's a great feeling to be in charge.
So I'm challenging everyone to give this a shot. Start your day with a smile and throw a positive spin on daily events. I've found it gets easier as the day progresses. It then becomes a habit and suddenly people are asking you. Why are you always so happy? You can chuckle to yourself because you made a decision to control your situation, not allow the situation to control you. After all, the choice is yours!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
PS... Great reading-The Difference Maker~John C. Maxwell
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Fidelity and Leadership
Leadership requires trust. If your appointed to, elected, or just followed because your admired, you bear responsibility to those you influence. After all leadership is defined as influence. Your ability to make sound judgments are reflected in your actions. I have to ask. How can you be trusted to make well thought out, life and death decisions affecting people's lives, if you can't make the simple decision to remain trustworthy to the one you swore fidelity to in front of God, family, and friends? This is the cancer that plagues our leaders and public figures.
Should a leader decide to file for moral bankruptcy it would be far better they make a sound decision to resign and drop out of public life prior to the act. Avoiding the hypocrisy of being exposed and humiliated, the price demanded for the theft of our trust.
Imamanoncall left this under comments for yesterdays blog. I thought it might be helpful relaying your thoughts to your reps.
STOP CAP AND TRADE - CALL THESE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AT
202-224-3121 AND TELL THEM NO TO CAP AND TRADE
Repubs:
Bartlett (MD)
Bono Mack (CA)
Castle (DE)
Dent (PA)
Ehlers (MI)
Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Gerlach (PA)
Inglis (SC)
Tim Johnson (IL)
Kirk (IL)
Lance (NJ)
LoBiondo (NJ)
Petri (WI)
Platts (PA)
Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
Democrats:
Altmire (PA)
Bright (AL)
Dahlkemper (PA)
Drieshaus (OH)
Ellsworth (IN)
Kissell (NC)
Kratovil (MD)
Kanjorski (PA)
Minnick(ID)
Teague (NM)
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Should a leader decide to file for moral bankruptcy it would be far better they make a sound decision to resign and drop out of public life prior to the act. Avoiding the hypocrisy of being exposed and humiliated, the price demanded for the theft of our trust.
Imamanoncall left this under comments for yesterdays blog. I thought it might be helpful relaying your thoughts to your reps.
STOP CAP AND TRADE - CALL THESE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AT
202-224-3121 AND TELL THEM NO TO CAP AND TRADE
Repubs:
Bartlett (MD)
Bono Mack (CA)
Castle (DE)
Dent (PA)
Ehlers (MI)
Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Gerlach (PA)
Inglis (SC)
Tim Johnson (IL)
Kirk (IL)
Lance (NJ)
LoBiondo (NJ)
Petri (WI)
Platts (PA)
Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
Democrats:
Altmire (PA)
Bright (AL)
Dahlkemper (PA)
Drieshaus (OH)
Ellsworth (IN)
Kissell (NC)
Kratovil (MD)
Kanjorski (PA)
Minnick(ID)
Teague (NM)
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tip your Cap....and Trade
My, I'm just about overwhelmed with all the positive response from all of you. Thank you! I've noticed most of you are too shy to post in the open comment window at the bottom. Nonetheless, I've got your message! Your not to shy to share though, this blog has had an incredible amout of hits! Nice job gang!
There is so much going on in the world this week, it all overshadows each other. I have to say, watching the freedom fighters in Iran reminds me of our own struggle against tyranny with England. Every American's heart should be behind these brave people. This serves as a spectacular reminder of the challenges our own ancestors went thru to give us the lifestyle we live today. You have to believe the Iranians are inspired by the open elections enjoyed by their neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan. We've raised the bar in the middle east, they have a taste of freedom and yearn for it. The life and death drama played out on our televisions nightly serves as a wake up call, our freedom is precious, and paid for with the blood of our forefathers, protect it.
While on the subject of protecting our freedom, legislation is expected to be voted on this week we all need to be aware of. The energy bill is about to make it's debut, we need to make our voices heard. Clean renewable energy is a nobel goal and something we should work toward, but...
Cap and Trade has been tried in Europe and is a gigantic fiasco. A great illustration of how this is going to work began back in 2005. The European Union began to issue permits for the right to emit carbon dioxide. The idea was if you exceed set emission levels you would be forced to go to the market place to purchase credits from companies that did a cleaner job emitting. Europe's largest carbon emitter, the German power company RWE, got permits thru lobbying for 3% more emissions than the previous year. The company then traded the excess capacity, earning 6.4 billion over the first 3 years. It created a whole new profitable market paid for by the 5% increased price placed on the back of the consumers. While raising prices to the consumer it also raised emissions 32% the first two years, a complete turnabout from the original goal. In America, General Electric has positioned themselves to be the broker for bartering these permits. They stand to make a hefty profit paid for by you the consumer, under the guise of lowering emissions.
Cap and Trade is a tax that will be paid for by the consumer. It effects the rich and the poor, we all use energy. In this economy can you afford to have an increased energy bill? This administration ran on a platform to help the middle and lower income Americans. Every time the Government takes a dollar out of your wallet you have fewer choices. Fewer options mean less freedom. Not unlike Iran, our freedom is being challenged. Protect the freedom our forefathers bled for, call or e-mail your representative and ask them where they'll be working next term if they pass this legislation.
www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml -
www.visi.com/juan/congress
God Bless
Capt. Bill
There is so much going on in the world this week, it all overshadows each other. I have to say, watching the freedom fighters in Iran reminds me of our own struggle against tyranny with England. Every American's heart should be behind these brave people. This serves as a spectacular reminder of the challenges our own ancestors went thru to give us the lifestyle we live today. You have to believe the Iranians are inspired by the open elections enjoyed by their neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan. We've raised the bar in the middle east, they have a taste of freedom and yearn for it. The life and death drama played out on our televisions nightly serves as a wake up call, our freedom is precious, and paid for with the blood of our forefathers, protect it.
While on the subject of protecting our freedom, legislation is expected to be voted on this week we all need to be aware of. The energy bill is about to make it's debut, we need to make our voices heard. Clean renewable energy is a nobel goal and something we should work toward, but...
Cap and Trade has been tried in Europe and is a gigantic fiasco. A great illustration of how this is going to work began back in 2005. The European Union began to issue permits for the right to emit carbon dioxide. The idea was if you exceed set emission levels you would be forced to go to the market place to purchase credits from companies that did a cleaner job emitting. Europe's largest carbon emitter, the German power company RWE, got permits thru lobbying for 3% more emissions than the previous year. The company then traded the excess capacity, earning 6.4 billion over the first 3 years. It created a whole new profitable market paid for by the 5% increased price placed on the back of the consumers. While raising prices to the consumer it also raised emissions 32% the first two years, a complete turnabout from the original goal. In America, General Electric has positioned themselves to be the broker for bartering these permits. They stand to make a hefty profit paid for by you the consumer, under the guise of lowering emissions.
Cap and Trade is a tax that will be paid for by the consumer. It effects the rich and the poor, we all use energy. In this economy can you afford to have an increased energy bill? This administration ran on a platform to help the middle and lower income Americans. Every time the Government takes a dollar out of your wallet you have fewer choices. Fewer options mean less freedom. Not unlike Iran, our freedom is being challenged. Protect the freedom our forefathers bled for, call or e-mail your representative and ask them where they'll be working next term if they pass this legislation.
www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml -
www.visi.com/juan/congress
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Monday, June 22, 2009
A Call for Action in Washington!
I tried to send everyone this link the other day and it was so overwhelmed with response it crashed. I'm printing it here for all to see. If you agree please follow this link and add your name. I did!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership
God Bless
Capt. Bill
(Reprinted from Glenn Beck's website)
I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership: 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 hewill 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.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership
God Bless
Capt. Bill
(Reprinted from Glenn Beck's website)
I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership: 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 hewill 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.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Opinions
The parallels drawn between fatherhood and creating a blog are eerily similar. I awoke in the wee hours of the morning feeding my mind for the next topic to present to you. I've noticed the same responsibility as having a new born, this thing has needs! It needs to be changed, daily! A blog also craves attention, and needs to be nurtured. Like parenthood I was unsuspecting of the depth of responsibility! Quite the eye opener! Then again after the positive response yesterday, and not unlike parenthood, it's worth it.
Speaking of response, on to our topic. We were barely getting this thing into the nursery and the comments flew. "You know I don't agree with everything you say," was a common theme. Spectacular! My goal is to make you think and inform you. I'll offer my opinion, you don't have to accept it. I, like you, love my opinion, if not I'll adopt yours. Feel free to make yours known below in the comments.
You might wonder, where do our opinions come from? We are victims of our surroundings and our input. What we read or see on TV, coupled by the people we associate with, create the principles and the values we use to form our opinions. Whatever has the strongest influence in our life draws us to like thinking. Parents, siblings, teachers, professors, spouses, and friends all contribute. Media and reading material balance it out. So this begs the question, Who are you letting influence you? More important, Who are you letting influence your children?
In the agrarian age, early 1900s, when society was based on agriculture, (farming). Family's were large to help on the farm, mom and the girls worked inside the home, dad and the boys worked the fields and livestock. There was no TV, opinions were based on family, the bible, and sweat. Schooling was reading the classics, writing, bible study, and math. Not a lot of radical or progressive thinking there. You were concentrating on surviving, and taught how. A man's word was his bond and most deals were done on a handshake. If you weren't of high moral fiber and character your family suffered.
Enter the industrial age. Incredible changes occurred, the state began to be responsible for school. Gone were the days the community took responsibility for your children's education. Now instead of being taught to survive and farm, children were taught how to get a job. We jumped from the entrepreneurial days of the self employed farm, to having a boss and a defined pay check. Opinions started to drift toward a different way of thinking. Instead of being responsible for yourself and your family, now you were responsible to the boss first and the family second. The work force was small so labor was lured by benefits. Soon you were entitled to security, something never guaranteed on the farm. It wasn't too long before these opinions sought benefits as rights. Influences changed, opinions changed. No longer were families independent, now the were dependent on the company. You might argue a chunk of freedom was lost. Opinions changed because the environment changed.
Change does not come without problems. The hunger of the industrial machine gave birth to sweatshops and labor abuse. We became addicted to the dependence of a company paycheck. Enter the labor unions, born to protect the workers and their families. For a membership fee they would see that your entitlements were overseen and not abused. Opinions varied based on perspective, labor mostly saw unions as a positive, while the company viewed them as evil.
Prosperity breeds innovation. Automobiles were now a family must. The world became a smaller place. You were influenced by people from many regions. Gone were the days of not straying far from home. Influences changed, opinions changed.
Enter television.... Now the world got a great deal smaller and you didn't have to leave home to see it. Global influence was now possible. Satellites were launched, signals crossed the world. Input changed, opinions changed. We're a long way from the farm and mom and dad's influence. We are hearing the early peeps of a new age.
Kaablam!!! Enter the Internet and the information age. Suddenly we have mountains of information at our fingertips. More than we can imagine with the click of the mouse. How much of that information is credible? Herein lies the key! Our opinions are based on influence. Be cautious what you allow to influence you! Don't be played by the media, challenge information! It's our responsibility what we allow into our children and our heads.
The message here is simple. We need to base our opinions on a set of defined principles. I find a great guide in the golden rule, the ten commandments, and the bible. Allow your faith to define your opinions. It's the only constant. They don't amend the bible or the ten commandments. Seek your information from like minded sources. Form your opinions on principles based in stone, and your unchallenged. Methods are many, principles are few, methods change, but principles never do! (Thanks Chris.) So opine away, I look forward to hearing from you!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Speaking of response, on to our topic. We were barely getting this thing into the nursery and the comments flew. "You know I don't agree with everything you say," was a common theme. Spectacular! My goal is to make you think and inform you. I'll offer my opinion, you don't have to accept it. I, like you, love my opinion, if not I'll adopt yours. Feel free to make yours known below in the comments.
You might wonder, where do our opinions come from? We are victims of our surroundings and our input. What we read or see on TV, coupled by the people we associate with, create the principles and the values we use to form our opinions. Whatever has the strongest influence in our life draws us to like thinking. Parents, siblings, teachers, professors, spouses, and friends all contribute. Media and reading material balance it out. So this begs the question, Who are you letting influence you? More important, Who are you letting influence your children?
In the agrarian age, early 1900s, when society was based on agriculture, (farming). Family's were large to help on the farm, mom and the girls worked inside the home, dad and the boys worked the fields and livestock. There was no TV, opinions were based on family, the bible, and sweat. Schooling was reading the classics, writing, bible study, and math. Not a lot of radical or progressive thinking there. You were concentrating on surviving, and taught how. A man's word was his bond and most deals were done on a handshake. If you weren't of high moral fiber and character your family suffered.
Enter the industrial age. Incredible changes occurred, the state began to be responsible for school. Gone were the days the community took responsibility for your children's education. Now instead of being taught to survive and farm, children were taught how to get a job. We jumped from the entrepreneurial days of the self employed farm, to having a boss and a defined pay check. Opinions started to drift toward a different way of thinking. Instead of being responsible for yourself and your family, now you were responsible to the boss first and the family second. The work force was small so labor was lured by benefits. Soon you were entitled to security, something never guaranteed on the farm. It wasn't too long before these opinions sought benefits as rights. Influences changed, opinions changed. No longer were families independent, now the were dependent on the company. You might argue a chunk of freedom was lost. Opinions changed because the environment changed.
Change does not come without problems. The hunger of the industrial machine gave birth to sweatshops and labor abuse. We became addicted to the dependence of a company paycheck. Enter the labor unions, born to protect the workers and their families. For a membership fee they would see that your entitlements were overseen and not abused. Opinions varied based on perspective, labor mostly saw unions as a positive, while the company viewed them as evil.
Prosperity breeds innovation. Automobiles were now a family must. The world became a smaller place. You were influenced by people from many regions. Gone were the days of not straying far from home. Influences changed, opinions changed.
Enter television.... Now the world got a great deal smaller and you didn't have to leave home to see it. Global influence was now possible. Satellites were launched, signals crossed the world. Input changed, opinions changed. We're a long way from the farm and mom and dad's influence. We are hearing the early peeps of a new age.
Kaablam!!! Enter the Internet and the information age. Suddenly we have mountains of information at our fingertips. More than we can imagine with the click of the mouse. How much of that information is credible? Herein lies the key! Our opinions are based on influence. Be cautious what you allow to influence you! Don't be played by the media, challenge information! It's our responsibility what we allow into our children and our heads.
The message here is simple. We need to base our opinions on a set of defined principles. I find a great guide in the golden rule, the ten commandments, and the bible. Allow your faith to define your opinions. It's the only constant. They don't amend the bible or the ten commandments. Seek your information from like minded sources. Form your opinions on principles based in stone, and your unchallenged. Methods are many, principles are few, methods change, but principles never do! (Thanks Chris.) So opine away, I look forward to hearing from you!
God Bless
Capt. Bill
Saturday, June 20, 2009
And they're off!
Welcome to the birth of my blog! It was conceived in the womb of common sense and a desire to inspire. Should I achieve my goal, the seeds of inspiration will give birth to many, many comments. I eagerly await it's legacy to take form. Seems fitting this miracle should take place on Father's Day weekend! Like my children, this is my message to people I'll never meet.
Like any proud father I look to mold my seed with morals, integrity, character, common sense, and people skills. A likable fellow who is respected in the community and when his opinion is expressed people give it consideration. I hope to sire opinions that make you think, or as the song says, make you go hummm.
So before we begin let me thank the people who brought this to life. My family and friends that put up with the countless e-mails that finally led to the inception of this blog. I have to thank my brother Les for his belief, guidance and suggestion to go public. I need to honor my dad for demanding deep thought, and always speaking my mind. Thanks to Orrin and Laurie Woodward for guiding me to leadership and expanding those deep thoughts by reading. I'd be remiss if I didn't praise my creator for guiding me. Praise the Lord, and may he guide my fingers to help us all to do his will. Lastly I'd like to thank our founding fathers who gave us this republic and the freedom to express our opinions. May we never, ever, take that for granted!
The inaugural post should be one that's well thought out and leaves you wanting to revisit for more. So with father's day so near, let's focus on parenting, it's an incredible subject, and if I pick on Washington anymore this week there might be a knock at the door.
A great deal of the problems in our country are parenting based. Let's address the positive and focus on the must do of raising children. As a father of two wonderful boys in their twenties here's what I've found.
Habits are instilled from birth and generally last a life time. When you begin early it makes the path so much easier. Teach your children to earn everything, set goals, save for the future, and give back. When things go wrong they are not victims, they learn. Remember they are watching, your the example. What you sow in your garden you'll harvest, weed often!
Children need belief. Show them faith. Life should be based on a set of principles, I suggest the golden rule, a bible, and the ten commandments. When they've found faith, teach them to defend it. Know what you believe and why you believe it. (Thanks Tim.) It's easier to walk a straight line when the path is laid out for you.
Time is the most valuable thing you can give your children. The things I remember most about my parents is the quality time I spent with them. Time creates memories. How many memories do you want to leave your children?
Inspire your children to read. This is their window to the world, and you are their example. Success lies in books. Start that habit early and watch it grow.
Happy Father's Day! If your a single parent, male or female, it still applies. Remember your father this weekend. Tell both your parents how much you love them and appreciate them. You'll miss those moments when they are gone. If you need to mend that relationship, start today. You'll regret it eternally if you don't.
Great books to read to help you understand and build relationships with your children:
The Five Love Languages of Children-Chapman
Personality Plus- Littauer
Rich Dad Poor Dad-Kiyosaki
Leave me your comments. I look forward to hearing from you! Pass this on to others.
God Bless,
Capt. Bill
Like any proud father I look to mold my seed with morals, integrity, character, common sense, and people skills. A likable fellow who is respected in the community and when his opinion is expressed people give it consideration. I hope to sire opinions that make you think, or as the song says, make you go hummm.
So before we begin let me thank the people who brought this to life. My family and friends that put up with the countless e-mails that finally led to the inception of this blog. I have to thank my brother Les for his belief, guidance and suggestion to go public. I need to honor my dad for demanding deep thought, and always speaking my mind. Thanks to Orrin and Laurie Woodward for guiding me to leadership and expanding those deep thoughts by reading. I'd be remiss if I didn't praise my creator for guiding me. Praise the Lord, and may he guide my fingers to help us all to do his will. Lastly I'd like to thank our founding fathers who gave us this republic and the freedom to express our opinions. May we never, ever, take that for granted!
The inaugural post should be one that's well thought out and leaves you wanting to revisit for more. So with father's day so near, let's focus on parenting, it's an incredible subject, and if I pick on Washington anymore this week there might be a knock at the door.
A great deal of the problems in our country are parenting based. Let's address the positive and focus on the must do of raising children. As a father of two wonderful boys in their twenties here's what I've found.
Habits are instilled from birth and generally last a life time. When you begin early it makes the path so much easier. Teach your children to earn everything, set goals, save for the future, and give back. When things go wrong they are not victims, they learn. Remember they are watching, your the example. What you sow in your garden you'll harvest, weed often!
Children need belief. Show them faith. Life should be based on a set of principles, I suggest the golden rule, a bible, and the ten commandments. When they've found faith, teach them to defend it. Know what you believe and why you believe it. (Thanks Tim.) It's easier to walk a straight line when the path is laid out for you.
Time is the most valuable thing you can give your children. The things I remember most about my parents is the quality time I spent with them. Time creates memories. How many memories do you want to leave your children?
Inspire your children to read. This is their window to the world, and you are their example. Success lies in books. Start that habit early and watch it grow.
Happy Father's Day! If your a single parent, male or female, it still applies. Remember your father this weekend. Tell both your parents how much you love them and appreciate them. You'll miss those moments when they are gone. If you need to mend that relationship, start today. You'll regret it eternally if you don't.
Great books to read to help you understand and build relationships with your children:
The Five Love Languages of Children-Chapman
Personality Plus- Littauer
Rich Dad Poor Dad-Kiyosaki
Leave me your comments. I look forward to hearing from you! Pass this on to others.
God Bless,
Capt. Bill
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