Tell Me Why?

I just watched a sound byte where Harry Reid, the leader of the Senate was discussing the budget deficit. He stood before the nation and said, he couldn't justify a tax break for oil companies making record profits, and those evil corporations who are sending American jobs overseas. My simple question is....Isn't the funding of Brazil's oil research by this government, and the restrictions stopping American companies from developing our fossil fuel deposits, sending American jobs overseas?

Then there are the true leaders of the world, that understand the incredible pressure stinking thinking like that posted above puts on our freedom....

"Our ancestors fought for freedom with weapons, but today’s generation must fight for freedom with ideas. If we lose the battle of ideas, the real war is already lost. LIFE is a plan to do something, to restore the West to its former ideals. Where are you? Are you concerned with what is happening around you? Will you answer the call?"- Orrin Woodward

My question to you is, which of the authors of those two statements are really concerned about you, and understands your freedom? My second question is, why is the other one in a position of power?

Living Intentionally For Excellenece
www.livingforexcellence.com

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Mentoring
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Words To Live By.......

"Self justification is just another form of idolatry!" I paraphrased this from a book I'm reading to bring to light what Orrin Woodward advised me the other day. "The key to solving most problems is to remove self." again paraphrased. What I'm getting at is when we put self first, your making yourself more important that the issue. In a moral matter, your putting your wants before God, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing, God despises more than false gods. A verse from Exodus comes to mind....

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
you shall have no other gods before me
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,
6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments

He was pretty serious about this as it was repeated in Deuteronomy....

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery;
7 you shall have no other gods before me.
8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me,
10 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I'm thinking it's not such a good idea to think of yourself first! It's amazing how Orrin translates Biblical principles into everyday life, so even I can understand them. Then when my hunger for knowledge took over, there it was in black and white, twice. Now all I have to do is apply this wisdom.

Take the time to learn from others who have the fruit on the tree. Examine how they live their life, and what principles they cling to. Do their actions fit their words? Then if they pass the smell test, learn and repeat.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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One Verses The Other!

Candidates are announcing that the election season is in full swing! With that in mind, I thought I'd remind the liberal voting block who they elected. Last presidential election they ran a campaign loathing the sitting President, George Bush. Let's see who they got for President.....

George Bush attended an Ivy League college, so did President Obama.

George Bush has a traditional family, including a wife and two girls, so does President Obama.

George Bush is a Christian, so is President Obama.

George Bush said Islam is a religion of peace, so did President Obama.

George Bush kept Guantanamo prison open, so did President Obama.

George Bush bailed out those evil bankers, so did President Obama.

George Bush killed innocent civilians in the war on terrorism, so did President Obama.

George Bush opposed gay marriage, so did President Obama.

George Bush sought amnesty for illegal aliens, so does President Obama.

No wonder the liberals are so mad. They elected what they despised! The only apparent difference is President Obama knows how to pronounce nuclear correctly, but George Bush is able to correctly pronounce Pakistan. Liberals spent a lot of time being ashamed of their country under George Bush, I wonder if they feel as strongly now?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

The Media Sheepherders

My last post introduced you to the tactic of swaying the mob, a favorite of the political left. Today I'd like to cite a real life example of how the left uses their influence and mob psychology to stir the emotions against a political competitor.

Rick Scott is the newly elected Governor of the State of Florida, his background is a wealthy businessman who made his fortune in the healthcare industry. He ran on a platform of making Florida a business friendly state, and getting people back to work. We suffered from an unemployment rate that varied from 12% to 14%. His party affiliation as you might guess is republican, as he's pro jobs and anti government interference. The liberal media hates him. They did everything they could to derail his campaign and they criticize his every more now in office, playing on the emotions of the mob. There is a reason for their disdain, other than the local level politics, Florida's vote will likely decide the Presidential election, so a republican making headway on economic issues using contrary policies to the liberal course spells trouble. Ergo they need to discredit and demonize this Governor to move their political agenda forward.

Governor Scott has lowered the unemployment rate from 12% to 10% in the six months he's been in office. He reduced the regulation necessary to get a business open and keep it successful, using his experience as a CEO to guide him. He's reducing fraud in our entitlement system by requiring applicants to take a drug test with their application for assistance. Needless to say the press and the left are not happy. This is way too much success for a republican to have for them to keep the liberal agenda alive.

So what does the left do when they are faced with the truth? They turn on the smear machine. It's not a new tactic, it's been used and is being currently used against everyone that gets in the progressive's way. Ask the Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christy! The media has conjured up lies about Rick Scott in print that have included eluding that the evil, rich, former CEO has funneled the drug testing business contract to his former medical clinic, implying cronyism, and nepotism, as his wife's estate hold controlling stock interest in the company. A play to stir up the emotions of the mob, demonizing the rich Governor as a thief of the government contract. Nice try, but Governor Scott made it clear his former company would not apply for any state contracts while he was in office during his campaign. So that headline was an out and out lie designed to rile up the crowds disfavor. They've also sprinkled the papers with headlines like, "Is Scott The Worse Governor Ever?" and beauties like, "GOP Nominee for President Not Likely To Seek Endorsement From Florida Governor." Again a lie!

Truth be told, Florida is on the right tract. And as the old saying goes, "people of integrity expect to be believed, and when they're not, they let time prove them right." Time and results are on the Governor's side, but that won't stop the left from taking pot shots at his agenda, seeking to turn the mob against him. They are going to target the least informed, weakest minded members of the public and hope to point their emotions toward the voting booth. The left's media soldiers will admonish Scott for trying to take away their immediate gratification, in his effort to save the state's economy. "He's going to steal your piece of the pie,and eat it himself," will be their emotional outcry to anyone who will listen. Liberals thrive on jargon as a substitute for thought, they exaggerate or lie to affirm emotion, resort to repetition to confirm those lies, and never attempt to prove anything with reason. All with the design to create a panic within the flock of sheep, they hope to herd to the voting booth. A real life example of liberal mob manipulation.

Governor Scott shares a respectable list of politicians who are fighting this madness. He's in great company. When you draw the ire of the media, you must be doing something right, or something terribly wrong.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Are You Being Played?

America is being manipulated! A calculated effort is being effectively adopted to move people en mass toward a predetermined agenda. It begins very innocently when we are taught that our representative republic is a democratic process. This information is then perverted into our country is a democracy, a vestibule of mob rule. You see a true democracy is void of our system of checks and balances and is subject to the popular opinion of the people, or mob rule.

We have organizations within our society that promote mob rule, the one that immediately comes to mind is a labor union. When a union is properly used, the issues are place before the voting block, and the majority opts for the opinion of the majority. When a union is abused the union bosses whip the mob into a frenzy through the introduction of fear mongering and sway the opinion of the mob toward their agenda. They use either flat out lies, or half truths to improperly shift popular opinion toward their desired goal. Often times that goal is the political vote of the mob.

Perhaps you recognize this tactic, it's a favorite of the liberals in our country. How many times have they fear mongered the senior vote by eluding to the possibility that conservative candidates are going to take their benefits away? It's not limited to our senior population, it's also an effective tool for gaining the minority vote. How many times has the left brought the illegal immigrant population out of hiding, whipping them into a frenzy by suggesting law enforcement is going to sneak in under the cover of darkness and steal children's parents, shipping them back home to their country of origin, leaving the children defenseless and without parental support? Haven't we seen left wing organizers rile up the Afro-American community frequently stirring up the mob mentality to move them toward their agenda? Isn't it common to pit the have-not's against the have's of our society, enraging them with propaganda designed to convince them they deserve to divide the wealth the have's earned?

The elites of the left call this process, "community organizing." Sound familiar? We elected one; one that whipped the mob into a frenzy with promises he couldn't keep. But America, like a herd of sheep, was led to the promised land by a false prophet. One that didn't actually have solutions but appeased the mob with slogans, a mob favorite. If your one of those who voted for, "Yes We Can," or "Hope and Change," and feel duped, you were! If you'll notice there wasn't any substance to back up those ear pleasing slogans, just a feeling. A feeling designed to make you emotional and sway your vote, because the mob unites on emotional decisions.

Some of America is being robbed of their individuality. They are being caught up in the mob mentality, swayed by propaganda, similar to what we abhorred when it was used by the Communists to overthrow their countries. They are sacrificing liberty, or freedom for some slogans, happy to be led like sheep.
Herein lies the problem, the mob is hijacking everyone's freedom, but the left knows that, and counts on it heavily.

I won't leave you defenseless, the left has a handbook we should all read and understand. The psychology of mob rule is explained and exposed in a book written in 1896 by Gustave Le Bon, titled..."The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind." It compliments their other bible, "Rules For Radicals"-Saul D. Alinsky. These two reads will bring to light the tactics they apply to the herd.

Think for yourself, people!

God Bless
Capt. Bill

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It's Not About Me!

Orrin laid one on me the other day that keeps ringing true, the more I think about what he said, the more examples of it appear. His statement was, if people would remove self from the equation, problems could be solved much easier. I'm paraphrasing of course, I'm not wise enough to walk around with pad and pen to catch these quotes verbatim, but the context is correct.

Let's look at the marriage that's in trouble because the husband is critical of his wife, constantly nitpicking her every action. What is the criticism accomplishing? He's degrading the woman he's suppose to love as a form of self gratification. If the task is important enough to criticize, it's worth doing yourself. If you remove self from the equation, the criticism is non-existent. Marriage is a partnership, while I believe the man is commanded to be the leader of his family, a leader's first act is to serve. How does it serve your wife, or your relationship to be the ever present critic? A selfless position in this case could save a marriage, and allow this relationship to grow. Let me be blunt..It's not about you!

I had to laugh the other night, I was listening to our President give a speech to the nation. All I kept hearing was the word "I." "I did this...I accomplished that." That my friends is another example of someone who lacks the understanding, to lead is to serve, and to serve you must first remove self from the picture. Once again Orrin's words rang true!

Our economy is in ruins, under funded by the promises of entitlement spending. We all know it, the answer is clear, yet when the government moves to address the problem, all you hear is... keep your hands off my Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. Self trumps logic? Extract the selfishness, the dilemma is removed. Opposing politicians understand this and play on the fears and selfishness of the voters to gain favor. Do you like being played as a pawn? You won't be if the good of the nation is put before self.

I'm not so sure it's going to the same now that I've been made aware. These examples keep jumping out and pointing to the truth. It's not about me! Remove self from the problem, and the problem evaporates. Marriages are repaired, relationships are mended, countries are saved, and all that starts with simply removing self from the thought process.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Time To Get This Vessel Ship Shape!

It's no secret we are having a financial meltdown, unless you've buried your head in the sand like an ostrich, your fully aware our country is spending more than it's taking in. Even the financial guru Ben Bernanke is finally admitting there is a problem, much to the chagrin of the Obama administration. While they sit in that big old White House on Pennsylvania Avenue and try to figure out how to spin that news into a campaign slogan, our financial ship is sinking. The economy isn't growing at an acceptable rate, and the leadership refuses to take ownership of the results of their "bailout" plan.

Here's the scoop, as a captain I have a little experience with sinking ships. In fact every ship you sail is sinking, the key is to control the rate the water comes in, that's why they make bilge pumps! If the flow of water in exceeds the flow of water out, your going down. So a wise sailor doesn't bail water, they control the flow. Same applies to your finances. If your "bailing out," the results are predictable.

The government needs to apply the law of consumption. Here's the reason, governments consume, they don't create. Governments collect money, they don't earn income. In order to earn income you have to produce goods or services someone finds of value. Not the job, nor the mission statement of government; so how does a government influence the economy? Well the only jobs they are able to create are government employment, which consumes not creates, so that's out. Let's take a page out of citizen's consumer handbook. To keep your budget afloat, you have to restrict spending to remain lower than your income. Another key to a consumer's financial success is to realize that any additional revenue your able to acquire isn't necessarily a omen to increase your spending output. Same rules apply to the government as it's just one giant consumer.

Consumers and governments don't spend money to invest, that's the definition of an investor. Investors risk large sums of money to create income, that's not the government's mission statement. The money the government holds belongs to the people, it's not theirs to risk. Consumers money is tied up in the purchase of goods and services necessary to survive, also not to be risked. You don't spend the rent money on the lottery.

We're often told the government is investing money on our infrastructure, that's absolute nonsense. Tax revenues were already collected to do maintenance and improvements, no additional funds are required to "invest." That's why we pay taxes on gasoline, diesel fuel, toll roads, airline tickets, etc. That money was budgeted and defined for use to upkeep and improve those facilities and roads. Because they diverted that income elsewhere, we are now misled to believe we have to "invest" in our infrastructure. This has to stop, or this ship is going down. The high water alarms are sounding, and we need to return to sound financial consumer based spending. That's all the economy needs to survive, a stable stewardship of our tax revenue, combined with simple, uncomplicated regulations businesses can foresee and rely on the stability of.

So in simple seaman's terms....Stop adding bilge pumps and fix the hole in the vessel!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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There Is No Gay In Marriage!

There has been a relentless push of late in this country to acknowledge same sex marriage. Try as you might, it's unavoidable, it fuels the news constantly. So without further ado, let's put this issue to rest.

Marriage is a religious sacrament, as such it's defined in the Bible as a union between a man and a woman, period. The only reason the government is present in the equation at all is they found it as a resource to collect revenue, issuing and collecting a fee for a license to marry. Any union involving sexual activity other than that between a married man and woman, is a sin. It's sinful to have sex with an animal, your sister, your mother, your father, your brother, and anyone of the same sex. While it is true you can love each of those examples unconditionally, it's morally unacceptable, and sinful to have sexual relations with them. Marriage is the union of a man and a woman for the express purpose of the continuation of the mankind through reproduction. None of the above examples fits that definition.

Since marriage is a religious sacrament, the first amendment applies. This one example where you don't have to pervert it's meaning and the establishment clause, it's black and white...

"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion."

In Malachi 2:14 we see that marriage is a holy covenant before God.

In the Catholic Church, however, marriage is more than a natural institution; it was elevated by Christ Himself, in His participation in the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), to be one of the seven sacraments. They recognize the importance of marriage with 52 cannon laws, 20 pages devoted to marriage in catechism, and 225 pages of reference in the Bible. which defines the sacrament of marriage as a covenant in which a man and a woman establish in the presence of God and His church a lifetime partnership, which by nature is ordered for the good of the spouses and the procreation of children. All of this was in place long before America was a gleam in Columbus's eye.

Sound like to me that's religious, our government has a founding document that says,"hands off."

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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A Day Defined!

As I've mentioned before, part of my daily routine involves reading from the Bible first thing in the morning. Today I restarted the Old Testament, page one, chapter one, where the creation of heaven and earth is described. Now I've often heard the text perverted, because the Word says God created the everything in seven days, yet there are those who chose to suggest that those days could have been longer than 24 hours. The reason they do that is science has created this myth that the earth and the universe are billions of years old, but if you add up the time frame in the Bible, it's only about 6000 years, give or take. This limited time frame blows holes in the evolution theory, (note the word theory), as 6000 years isn't a sufficient amount of time for that hypothesis to have occurred.

Put aside what you believe for a moment and let's eliminate the extended day theory using the text available to us. You know, the one passed down from generation to generation since man began to record historical events. Sort of an on hand account of what actually happened, verses letting our imagination run wild in a laboratory so the story fits the science they created. It says....

And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.-Genesis 3-5

Disregarding all the other references to a 24 hour day listed in the Bible, you might encounter someone who suggests the extended days and nights of the polar regions. Even using that as your argument, they fall woefully short of the billions or even millions of years theory, as those periods extend for only six months. So the seven days described in Genesis has a maximum life span of seven years. Hardly the extended time frame science suggests we believe. When an honest scientist is questioned and asked, "How do you know that?" The only truthful reply is, they don't for sure. Me, I'll stick to the written word, since it is as close to an on hand version of what actually happened, and I walk in faith.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Dream Power!

I caught an interesting quote on the importance of having "the dream," in of all places, the Bible! The more I read it the more I understand it truly is the owners manual to life. Nicanor was about to attack the army of Judas in the area of Samaria, he had a serious manpower advantage. In fact Nicanor had decided he was going to erect a public monument as a statement to his arrogance and the predictable victory over Judas and the Jews. What he didn't count on was the pre-battle speech and the trust and confidence Maccab'es had in the Lord. You see in former battles the Lord had evened the odds by sending help from heaven. So Maccab'es reminded his warriors of the struggles they had already overcome, and to have faith in the Almighty. Then when he had those eager to fight, the Bible tells us this....

"He armed each of them not so much with the confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision, which was worthy of belief."-Maccabees 15:11

The story ends with the defeat of Nicanor. You cannot overcome the power of the dream, fueled by the grace of God. When your cause is worthy, and you have a laser like focus, a vision of the outcome, the results are predictable.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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What Defines A Father!

I'd be remiss if I didn't expound my thoughts on Father's Day. It's the day we celebrate manhood, as becoming a father transforms a male into a man. Being in possession of a penis is no longer a qualifier to who you are, your now responsible for a child and that child's mother. Too many males leave behind that responsibility and accept the title of "sperm donor." Those are not who we celebrate today. We celebrate the hero's who made the sacrifices and accepted the responsibility of creating and nurturing life. That's what Father's Day is, and is not.

This day is the recognition of the unsung hero's who accepted the title "Dad" as a responsibility to work those endless hours to provide for their children and their mothers. Who made the time to be present at the sports events, plays, choirs, recitals, and oh, so much more. The encouragers who dried the tears of disappointment, fertilized the dreams of their offspring, honored the mothers of their children, kept a roof over our heads, supplied us with diapers and clothes, repaired the bruised egos when things didn't always turn out as planned, helped mend the broken hearts of broken relationships, and finally mentoring, honoring our Lord and Father in Heaven. That's how you define a father, a father is a man.

It's a great honor to be a Dad. Done properly, there is no greater satisfaction. Your children are an extension of you, a message to people you'll never meet. It's a grand idea to remember what message your transferring to those little sponges of information. While the product of your love is never finished, it is a reflection of your journey. Make it a bold and powerful statement, a testament to your leadership. We all know leadership is defined as influence, and those little eyes watch your every move.

God Bless
Capt. Bill

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Make It About Them!

I heard a fantastic quote yesterday that applies not only to the impending celebration of Father's Day, but as a general principle of relationship building.

Your not a success if those who mean the most to you, think the least of you!- Rabbi Shmuley

We have to take responsibility for the quality of the relationships in our life. It's not acceptable to lay blame on another for any friction between you and them. Momma always said, "it takes two to tango," and if we take an open and honest look at the rifts that have cause problem, they we either started or perpetuated by both of the offending parties.

It takes an adult to make the first move toward reconciliation. The absolute best way to win or overcome the confrontation that has risen between you and another is to repair the friendship. It's a win/win for both parties. I often point out to those who feel slighted by another, how bad they'd feel if the one they were mad at suddenly passed away, robbing them of the time to make things right. That's quite a burden to carry for the rest of your time here on earth. Wouldn't be easier to have an adult conversation and simple resolve the matter?

I'm not suggesting anyone sacrifice their principles. Just apply a little flexibility to whatever issue has the both parties all bowed up. Reasonable adults can find common ground with some open minded conversation. Here's the secret to resolving all of these matters.....Remove self from the equation! Lose the ego, selfishness, arrogance, and whatever agenda your bringing to the table. Replace it with a servant attitude, and the matter will be resolved.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Is There No Justice?

In Florida we have a murder trial that's garnering national attention, competing for attention with the O J Simpson trial. While Casey Anthony is no boon to society, I'm afraid the prosecution has a case that's about as full of holes as Swiss cheese, so we can expect a similar outcome. Her defense has gone to great lengths to perpetuate the lies she has told, and continues to tell, but there is absolutely no reason to even speak to any of that. The simple facts of this case are, they have a body, with no known cause of death, and no proof a homicide was even committed. It's a shame little Caylee will never see justice for her life, cut short by whatever means, but surely through the irresponsibility of a negligent parent.

What the prosecution can prove is aggravated child abuse, and obstruction of justice, neither of which carry the sentence this young lady deserves for her irresponsibility. "Beyond a reasonable doubt," is a conclusion this jury can never arrive at given the evidence they've seen. Yes, there is duct tape over the mouth of the skull, but it hardly takes a Harvard trained law scholar to ask the simple question; when was it applied, before or after death? Yes, someone did searches on a shared computer for neck breaking etc, but seeking information is hardly a crime, and exactly who was responsible for those queries? Were any of those methods the cause of death? Even if you can justify those questions with answers that convict Casey Anthony, how do you know that? Lastly and sadly the final question to be asked is; can you answer those questions without reasonable doubt inspired by fact? The truthful answer is no, so unfortunately neither of the Miss Anthony's in this case will find justice.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Leadership

Adding Value!

Leadership demands at times the leader to become the cheerleader, or sometimes the course corrector. Both, to be accepted by the led, demand that a relationship is established. Encouragement from a meaningful source carries the weigh of an elephant, while an atta boy or girl thrown about meaninglessly from a passerby doesn't have quite the same impact. A great example might be one of a mother telling her child how proud she is of them, verses a distant relative the child has had little or no exposure to giving praise. The parental praise is the gratification the child seeks, while the latter is appreciated, it's just not the same.

Many times leadership demands we remind or proteges when they drift. As leaders who value the relationship we must be willing to go out on a limb and take a risk, as this is usually delicate ground. People would much rather be reminded, than told. Because words have power only to the degree that they express meaningful involvement. Sensitivity requires real awareness, and it's important your words work with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel, not the sloppiness of the jail yard shank. If you don't exercise sensitivity, your comments will do more harm than good. Counsel is the skillful application of Biblical principles into an individual's life.

I think it's plain leadership principles add value to anyone's life. Understanding the above could be useful from the home, to the playground, to the oval office. The demand is universal, yet not taught. Joining in on the leadership journey enhances everyone, from the leader to the led. Come join us as we grow!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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It's Just Wrong!

I had to chuckle this morning. There was an advertisement of the boob tube featuring an outdated personal computer, with the statement, "do you remember having to write a paper on one of these?" It wasn't all that long ago papers had to be written longhand, or typed on unforgiving typewriter, using actual books for information.

Times have changed, but what has certainly not changed, despite society's best efforts, is the morals and values we guide our life by. Inappropriate behavior is still looked down upon, in most cases. A sin is still a sin and socially unacceptable. Even the attempts by the minority fringe to support immoral causes like same sex marriage, or promote behavior that is sexually suggestive in an attempt to, "get the camel's nose under the tent," draws an air of disapproval. Inappropriate behavior is still disapproved of, ask Anthony Weiner.

While the majority of us work diligently to keep our sinful behavior in check; I have to wonder if that is enough? Isn't our job as parents and responsible members of society to voice our disgust when a minority cause confuses what is a right of mankind, with deviant selfish behavior? Suppose a handful of citizens decided that murder was their right? Maybe they took it upon themselves to cleanse society of people they deemed unacceptable. Because they declared it a right, and could partially defend it's merit from a convoluted point of view, is it then absolved as not sinful? Even if they claimed to be anointed by some spiritual being to carry out this cause for the good of humanity, does it qualify as morally acceptable? Not now, not ever! It's morally bankrupt, and defined as such in the handbook of life, the Bible.

It's time to make a stand. We cannot as a society accept excuses such as, "I can't help the way I feel," or, "I have a right." We cannot be made to feel guilty as discriminating against immoral behavior, when the behavior is immoral. There are no gray areas when it comes to right and wrong, and ignoring wrong is contrived acceptance.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Happy Campers!

Every once in a while it's a great idea to remind ourselves we have the power to control our destiny. It begins each morning when we open our eyes, right then we have a choice. Is it going to be a good day, or are we going to be a victim of circumstance? I chose to define my day right from the get go. I start it with an inspirational reading from the Good Book to set the tone, and I make a decision to have a great day. I then manage that decision. It's amazing how little will bother you when you decide to take control of your attitude, and consequently your day improves.

It's important to remember everything we are in the here and now is a direct result of our thinking. Every choice we make has consequences. Why wouldn't you chose to manage you attitude and make those consequences positive experiences? Remove the phrase,"I have to," and replace it with the uplifting,"I get to." Choose to make another's bad attitude an example of how not to handle a situation, rather put a positive spin on the situation. While we cannot control what happens to us, we can control how we handle it. Is anything ever gained from losing that control?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Union Monopoly!

One of the few acceptable powers of the federal government is the maintenance of law and order to prevent coercion of one individual by another. This is obviously an infringement upon one's freedom, and we have a mandate to uphold that. The government is also asked do just one thing for the free market, enforce the rules of the game, as in a truly free market is susceptible to abuse. I'm directly speaking of the ability of an individual or an entity to corner the market and control prices, a monopoly. Monopoly implies the absence of alternatives and thereby inhibits effective freedom of exchange. In practice, monopoly frequently, if not generally, arises when government supports or allows collusive agreements among individuals. We've taken great pains to avoid monopoly control through anti trust laws and the creation of the FTC, so the only way for one to exist is with the government's blessing. An example of this is your local power company, there isn't much competition to supply you power.

Now the power company is a sore spot with me, but my real bane is the power and control allowed by the unions. The unions by every definition are a government approved monopoly. The do exactly the opposite of what is permissible by the government in a free market society. They coerce and control the labor market and if that's not enough of an abuse, they inhibit the freedom of exchange when they decide to strike. Exactly what the definition of the government's job is to prevent, with their blessing!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for an organization that represents the worker for safe working conditions, I think we call that OSHA. And I'm not opposed to having someone barter for fair pay and reasonable benefits, on an individual basis. But, collective bargaining is a page right out of a socialist society's playbook, and the power to shut down a business while imposing a strike is directly contradictory to the rule of a free market. That power ceded the unions through the indifference of the government has crossed boundaries, the one's our forefathers placed to keep us a free society.

A business wouldn't be allowed to use the coercive tactics, nor the collusive agreements the unions use as tools to get their way. What grants the unions the free pass to ignore the law? Well, it's the government, convinced by the lobby and the money the union use to buy favor. The money invested by hard working labor, designed to fund retirement and other benefits that are woefully under funded. Basically the workers are being defrauded out of pension and other benefits so the unions can influence elections. If the above argument isn't enough for the country to clamp down on the union abuse, that last statement should be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Basically, what we have here s an illegal, coercive, and collusive monopoly....and it's time to follow the law!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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It's Not About Me!

Orrin and I were having a conversation the other day, he was relaying the importance of removing "self" from the equation when dealing with people. His qualifier was that most of the relationship problems can be solved if people would take a moment and subtract self from the issue. Self encompasses many, many things; ego, selfishness, pride, hurt feelings, the list goes on. The more I digest his words, the more truth he has spoken into my life. When we put our Maker as the first priority, it all falls into perspective. Self should be way down the list, if not last. God designed us with the intention that we make a difference in our world, it just makes sense to lead with Him as the main concern. After all, He gave us a set of guidelines to live by, and the answers we seek lie within the owners manual,(Bible).If we attack our relationships in a Biblical manner, and use the tools given to us by the scriptures, self is immediately removed from the process.

So I'm going to strive to take myself out of the process. It's not about how I feel, nor how anything someone did affected me. It's about dealing with others as if I didn't exist. What was their thought process? How can they be guided to the truth? Those are the issues that take priority. I'm inviting you to join me on this journey, there is strength in numbers, and we can all use someone to lean on.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Now, Who Is Really The Idiot?

Well the press has the public doing their job and scouring the E-mail dump by the state of Alaska concerning every correspondence Sarah Palin put forth during her term in office. Like her or not, she does command a presence in the news, and rightfully so. Anyone, in my mind that can parlay a losing bid for the vice presidency of the United States of America into a 15 million dollar a year annual income, has the forward entrepreneurial thinking this country could benefit from. Her critics say she's stupid, we should all be this dumb! Our current president could tax the daylights out of us for being in the top income bracket!

I wonder how many citizens, and especially politicians, could survive the scrutiny of this kind of exposure? I'd like to see a complete release of Nancy Pelosi's, and Harry Reid's e-mails for the public to peruse. How about Charlie Rangle or Chuck Schumer? I have to think there is some interesting content there! Yet as of the time of this blog post, they've found this.....

Sarah won't text while driving, but she will pray. Her daughter had to reply to an urgent e-mail because she was behind the wheel, in the reply she said she'd offer up a prayer. That has to be devastating to her entire family! How could they ever live down the embarrassment?

Then the watchdogs reported this... Sarah refused to comment on her personal political position when asked on a government official e-mail as she responded...She was on the clock. I don't know how she's ever going to live down the shame of appropriately using government time and not allowing personal business to impede on her work ethic.

This is the kind of stuff the public has "dug up" on the former governor. They are actually posting this on the Huffington Post blog as dirt. Again she might not be everyone's cup of tea, but how many of her detractors could ever lived with being publicly exposed as she is currently surviving? As we speak, Mrs Palin has passed the hypocrisy test. Let's see, values, morals, and the ability to make high priced lemonade out of discarded lemons...What was her down side again? Oh that's right..she's stupid. This country should be led by such stupid people!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Hurray For Hollywood!

I found an interesting little tidbit from recent history, I thought I'd share. Time magazine reported back in January 1959 about how Hollywood had blacklisted 150 screenwriters because they'd found solace with Communism, endorsing and espousing every aspect of this form of government.

Well it turns out during the Oscar award ceremony that year, the movie The Brave One captured the honors for best writer. When one Robert Rich was called to the stage, no one came forth! Odd, because the Oscar award is the epitome of excellence in the industry.

As history tells us the hunt for this mysterious writer was on, it turns out Robert Rich was a pseudonym the blacklisted writers used to continue working their craft. The real award winner was Dalton Trumbo, one of the original "Hollywood Ten" who refused to testify before Congress during the 1947 hearings on Communism in the movie industry.

Here's the irony...Those same writers who coddled Communism and had disguised their identities so they may continue to prosper in a capitalistic system; would not have been allowed to freely continue their craft under the throws of Communism. I dare say their creation of a pseudo ghost writer would have landed them in prison. The profits they sought would have been property of the state. As dissenters of the government, they'd have never found employment, nor would they have been allowed to have the individual freedom fostered by this country to express themselves on screen.

I can't help but wonder if those in our society today who promote socialistic principles understand what they'd have to sacrifice?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Freedom And Boundaries!

Robinson Crusoe was a story of a man who'd achieved total freedom, only limited by the constraints offered by the size of the island he was confined to. He was governed by his own whims, and the need for survival. Independent; interdependent upon no one. The island confines define to me, that no matter how free man is, there is always a limit or a boundary to that freedom. Some are defined by physical obstacles, and some are suggested by laws or religious belief.

Ideally society in it's simplest form consists of a number of independent households- a collection of Robinson Crusoes, if you will. Each household uses it's internal resources to maintain it's independence until the desire for satisfying a hunger for more expands it's need to become interdependent. "I'll trade what I have an excess of, for what you have that I desire." A means to better one's standard of survival, or the free market system. Where two individuals decide what value they place on their goods or services and barter that which they have excess of, hopefully seeking a win/win situation. Left to it's own, free of regulation, it's a pretty effective means of checks and balances, because those offering a less than equitable deal, will be shunned by other traders. Hence, no exchange will take place unless both parties benefit from it, until the trade becomes equitable. Cooperation is achieved without coercion!

Enter the government.....

Actually government has a role here...bystander. They do have a minimal responsibility to determine the "rules of the game" and act as the umpire to interpret and enforce those rules when violated. A great example is when a party has cornered the market on a necessary good or service and tries to take advantage of that situation. When all other hope of the market balancing that lopsided advantage out, the government should act as arbitrator.

We've strayed from these free market principles, and the result is the chaos our economy finds itself now in. The government has overstepped it's powers and chosen winners and losers. Propping up those deemed "to big to fail" and abandoning the rest. A true free market would allow those failing businesses to take their natural progression, one that's not necessarily bad! We learn from other's mistakes and new more efficient opportunities will arise from their ashes.But then that's only possible when the government takes a hands off approach!

God Bless
Capt. Bill

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Something's Fishy!

I've recently seen written somewhere, that the dolphin, (mammal) is closest to human intelligence. That statement was followed by a question, a very thought provoking question! Why is it then we never see a dolphin with 1/2 of his face tattooed? Another testament to the dolphin's intelligence, if it's still in question, is their ability within just a few short weeks of captivity to teach we humans to stand by the edge of a pool and throw them fish!

What this all mocks is our ability to make intelligent long term decisions about our future. We've become victims of social trends and media influence, well most of us. It is terribly easy to be sucked into the herd and wander aimlessly where ever they choose to graze, unless of course you set goals and take the elephant view. When you compare the ant's ability to gaze down the road and see what lies ahead, it's limited. What lies ahead on the horizon for the ant is hindered by it's height, blocking the long term view. Whereas the elephant in the same situation has clearer vision for the future outcome of what lies ahead.

The ant represents our present conscience, and the elephant our subconscious, the ability to dream! We have the power to mold our future, but first we must imagine it. As Carl Sagan said,"nothing happens but first the dream!" We can direct a positive outcome, by using vision to imagine how it all plays out. Perhaps if those 1/2 tattooed face people had looked down the road to the future, they'd have diverted the desire for immediate gratification for the long term. I can imagine it would be difficult to be considered a serious contributor to society, or a driver of a global economic engine with a mural covering 1/2 of your mug. But then, that's just me!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Don't Be A Weiner!

Well the news is all a buzz with the scandal of Rep. Anthony Weiner inappropriately using social media in an abuse of the power ceded him by his district. Once again, the granting of a position of power to one unfamiliar with the requirements of leadership leads to a moral disaster. When will America quit using the voting booth as a popularity contest and start seeking leadership?

This should be a call to everyone on the TEAM to awaken them to the immediate need for leadership training. Mr Weiner is just beginning to understand the need for leadership training, and how important it is to live a life of excellence. That poor man has to find out the hard way, what we already understand. Had he focused upon keeping the eight F's his primary intention, the chances of this moral dilemma happening would have decreased substantially, and he certainly wouldn't have attempted to lie about it.

In business your taught to be successful to find a need, then go fill it. This nation has never been riper for the fruits of our labor. Who wouldn't benefit from being a better you? I'm thinking there is one Congressman from New York that just might answer, ME, to that question. We have a responsibility to share what we have found with as many people as we can, as quickly as we can. To save the patient,(our country), we have to first stop the bleeding, and living intentionally for excellence is the tourniquet! We can fix this through....

Faith
Family
Following
Freedom
Friends
Finances
Fitness
Fun

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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You Reap What You Sow!

As it developed in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth centuries, the intellectual movement that went under the name of liberalism emphasized freedom as the ultimate goal and the individual as the ultimate entity in society. It supported laissez-faire at home as a means of reducing the role of the state in economic affairs and thereby enlarging the role of the individual; it supported free trade abroad as a means of linking the nations of the world together peacefully and democratically. In political matters, it supported the development of representative government and of parliamentary institutions, reduction in the arbitrary power of the state, and protection of civil freedoms of individuals. -Milton Friedman- Capitalism and Freedom

What the heck happened to that model? Maybe today's liberals ought to go back and check their charter, and or mission statement!

This is a classic example of a perversion of intent brought on by people who've never lived in oppression. They think that the socialist model of government is a wonderful idea, never having lived through the horrors of citizens starving in Russia, or Germany when the all powerful government didn't have the resources to feed it's people. They ignore the history of China killing it's people because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, as they didn't have food to feed those who were less productive. It always ends like this. There is no successful model of pure socialism; no nanny state that survived the test of time. They all resort back to some sort of capitalist model. Even communist China gave it's agricultural interests back to privatized ownership to increase the output. Because without a personal interest in the harvest, there was no production.

When will liberals, and Washington understand you get what you promote? If you pay people to be idle, you'll have idle people. Nothing increases productivity and job creation like hunger, and the need to live indoors. We've entitled our population to sit idly by and complain we need immigrant workers because Americans won't do "those kind of jobs." Exactly, if you pay them not to, they certainly won't. It would be amazing the crop of lawn service employees, maids, crop pickers, construction workers, etc we would create if we stopped paying people to be idle. Food stamp disbursement is at an all time high. Why? Because we encouraged it as acceptable. Unemployment, same deal! Let's get back to work America, the party's over!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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By The Touch Of A Master's Hand!

Orrin noted this as one of his favorite poems. I thought I'd share....

By The Touch Of A Master's Hand!

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar, then, two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three . . ."
But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low, said:
"What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
"Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
"Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going and gone."said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand, what changed its worth?"
Swift came the reply:
"The Touch Of The Master's Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A 'mess of potage,' a glass of wine;
A game - and he travels on.
He is 'going' once, and 'going' twice,
He's 'going' and almost 'gone'.
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's Hand.

by Myra B. Welch (1877-1959)

What a great poem for a Sunday!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Part Two, The Sequel!

Yesterday had an interesting twist. Some of you might remember a few months ago, I encountered a young man on a plane trip to Columbus, Ohio named Eric. To refresh your memory, and bring the new reader up to speed, Eric was a 19 year old male, with a life that was basically a mess. He's left Ohio to come to Florida to start a new life, living with his grandparents, who supplied him a job and a place to live. His final fling in Ohio turned out to produce a pregnant young woman that had called him to alert him he was going to be a father. So Eric, showing signs of promise, decided to return to Ohio and abandon his new life in Florida, to be there for his newly created family. With no job, no hope of opportunity, and no education, he jumped on a plane with everything he owned and decided to be responsible for his actions, (taking personal responsibility if you will). Well we parted at the airport after a long discussion on the plane, with him promising to attend a TEAM open meeting, and exchanging phone numbers so we could keep in touch. That was months ago....

Yesterday Eric called out of the blue. His mother to be had miscarried, he'd cheated on her and the relationship broke up, he'd lost a good job as a lineman, and he was basically back in the same hopeless situation as when we met, minus one pregnancy. The highlight is Eric did complete his GED during this process. Eric also has another redeeming quality, he's open, honest, and truthful, something I find refreshing. Disappointingly, he continues to make the same mistakes over and over. Lesson repeated until lesson is learned, as I told him yesterday. It seems every time this man child has a glimmer of hope, his thought process offers him decisions he chooses to act upon to ruin it.

So we talked. We decided he needs to mend his relationship with his grandparents in Florida, because they are so very unhappy with this young man. Family first! He needs to find a job, any job! He needs to get into the productive loop, and start saving money for hard times. Then we addressed this infidelity issue. Eric, in his search for acceptance and love, is jumping from bed to bed, finding neither. He's leaving a path of broken relationships behind him, and not satisfying his need. Time for him to practice a little, (okay a lot), of delayed gratification, throw in a dose of growing up, and develop a relationship and commitment prior to jumping head first into bed. As we decided together, this behavior isn't satisfying anyone.

Will Eric overcome the obstacles he keeps tripping himself up with? Hard to say. The quote I read on Facebook this morning comes to mind. "A word to the wise isn't necessary, it's the stupid that need the advice!"- Bill Cosby Eric promised to keep in touch, I'm not really sure why he called, but my guess is he reached a level of desperation and frustration and was reaching out to anyone. Eric is an unusual bird, he accepts responsibility for his actions, yet he continues to make the same mistakes. I'm thinking the pain of change has to be less than the pain of staying the same before he learns the lesson.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Validation and Affirmation!

I was inspired last night by a phone call I got from Orrin. Imagine that, a man I hold dear as my mentor provided me with instant inspiration, just out of the blue. Isn't that exactly the definition of mentoring? Anyway, he told me he'd made a list that day of everything he was thankful for. What a novel idea! Writing down all the blessings in your life, just to reaffirm your understanding of the blessed life you live. Couldn't we all benefit from that idea? I couldn't help but think what a wonderful teaching moment that was. We set aside a holiday to be thankful, but is one day a year truly enough to account for the people and things that make our life better?

The purpose of the call was to let me know I was on that list, and he wanted to thank me for all I do. Again another teaching moment! Not only did the man edify, he expressed his gratitude. Truthfully, it choked me up a little. How many have a relationship with their mentor that flows both ways? In one short phone call I was reminded to list and count my blessings, then inspired to let everyone who is a blessing in my life know how much I appreciate every way they bless my life. Here's the great part, he didn't have to tell me to do it, he led by example. That my friends is the sign of a great teacher, the mastery of leadership, and mentoring.

I'm encouraging you to make that same list, and call those you love to reaffirm and testify to their importance in your life. Your going to make a lot of people's day, and better yet, your going to set an example that I pray will become contagious! Validation and affirmation will become all the rage.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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It's All About You!

Yesterday we pondered the cornerstone of leadership, personal responsibility! Without it we'll never establish the credibility to create the magnetism that draws others toward us. It also stands to reason that without accepting your part of the credit for whatever situation arises, good or bad, speaks volumes to your character and integrity; more key ingredients to successful leadership! Owning your results defines your progress as a leader.

So, why are some hesitant to adopt responsibility? The simple answer is fear. Fear of being exposed, and the fear of not being accepted. Members of the human race abhor rejection, they fear disapproval or criticism, and avoid at all costs the uncertainty of negative peer reaction. Would you follow that kind of coward? It takes a spine to accept personal responsibility, and it's a very attractive feature! That my friends is why there is such a need for leadership principles to be taught in our society. We have decades of stinking thinking to overcome. We have citizens who were voted into positional leadership that avoided personal responsibility like the plague. Sports figures who used denial as a defense, when the facts pointed otherwise. It's become a badge of honor in today's world to be a coward, and that has led us to right where we are today. A society desperately seeking leadership, and demanding we take responsibility for where we are now.

That leadership needs to begin at home. Mom and Dad share the responsibility of teaching their fledglings how important it is to own your results. So you see, everyone is called to leadership, in fact they bear a personal responsibility to future generations to promote leadership skills. Our sports heroes need to be more like Tim Tebow, our politicians to emulate men like Alan West, and our leaders as grounded as Orrin Woodward. These are men that stand boldly, convicted to their principles, and owning their results. They aspire toward a cause greater than themselves, standing alone at times, surrounded by cowards and critics.

Life, or "living intentionally for excellence," is by design, and it begins by accepting personal responsibility. There is a great example of how to not accept personal responsibility watching the likes of Anthony Weiner dance around giving the public the answers they deserve, during his most recent personal scandal. A leader charged with the responsibility of representing the people of his district, should give direct and concise answers. Not avoid questions like a two year old caught with their hand in the cookie jar. It's childish, and hardly acceptable behavior for a man in his position. A shameful display of avoidance, driven by fear of exposure. His parents must be so proud!

We are gifted with what we allow, or tolerate. Accepting personal responsibility is paramount to changing our situation. Holding yourself accountable, and demanding it from those you surround yourself with, will put you in a position to achieve an acceptable outcome. Basically, your in charge of your environment.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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It's Up To You!

Well, that was an interesting ten days in the company of the #7 leadership guru in the world! You can't spend anytime around Orrin Woodward and not have some of his philosophy rub off on you, and rub it did! We discussed Hemingway, da Vinci, Flagler, Jobs, Gates, Rockefeller, Kennedy, Walton, and a host of others, evaluating their strengths, and examining their weaknesses. Most importantly, we discussed leadership.

Everyone can benefit from the principles of leadership. No matter what your position, your calling, or your passion, leadership development adds value. Leadership is influence, preferably in a positive direction. Children have influence over their peers, mothers on their children, fathers on their families. The skills you develop during your leadership journey will enhance every part of your life, from your job performance, to your social position in the community. The study of leadership development skills is for everyone, and one of the primary keys to being an effective leader is accepting personal responsibility.

No one will follow anyone who makes a habit of deflecting responsibility to something or someone else. It's one of the worse habits anyone can develop, but it's rampant in today's society. Even our top leader stands before the nation and makes excuses for his lack of results. Almost everywhere you turn you can see examples of how not to lead. It's a contagious cancer eating at the character of our nation! Just yesterday a friend made a comment about literacy in the industrial age verses literacy in today's information age, it took just a short while for a thumb sucker to comment and blame society's lack of investment of education as the fault. After this leader explained personal responsibility to the individual, and how a personal investment of responsibility is required to learn, the excuse maker then pointed the finger at the institutions, never considering that some of the most intelligent minds, and greatest success stories were self educated, and had a personal hunger to improve their knowledge. How easy was it, and how automatic it was to point a finger elsewhere? Why is it one student in the same classroom succeeds, while another doesn't? Was society to blame? They both heard and processed the same information! I propose one had the hunger, and one had excuses. Perhaps they were told it was society's fault and decided not to try. Your a victim of your own thinking, don't blame outside forces for the lack of personal responsibility that exposed you. Can you see where a dose of leadership principles could change the outcome?

People often fall victim to the label others placed upon them. You have the power within yourself to change that label. Make a habit of not accepting your own excuses and apply the first principle of leadership, personal responsibility.

Albert Einstein is recognized as one of the smartest men who has ever lived. A little known fact about Einstein is that when he was young he did extremely poor in school. His grade school teachers told his parents to take him out of school because he was "too stupid to learn" and it would be a waste of resources for the school to invest time and energy in his education. The school suggested that his parents get Albert an easy, manual labor job as soon as they could. His mother did not think that Albert was "stupid". She showed how a leader accepts responsibility and the results speak for themselves. What would the world be like if Albert Einstein accepted his label of "stupid?"

Orrin has always said, "Everyone is called to leadership," this I truly believe. Why not be prepared when the call to leadership comes knocking at your door? It's basically accepting personal responsibility to do so.....

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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