Tuesday, June 25, 2013

56 SIGNERS OF OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE--- REMEMBER THEM AS YOU CELEBRATE THE 4th OF JULY



What happened to these 56 men?
            Five were captured by the British, tortured as traitors, and died in captivity.
            Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned to the ground.
            Two lost sons who served as Revolutionary War soldiers; two others had sons captured by the British.
            Nine of the 56 fought, were wounded, and died from their wounds or from deprivations of the war.
            24 of the signers were lawyers, 11 were successful merchants, nine were prosperous farmers. Most had homes badly damaged or destroyed, lost family, lost income, and died exhausted, penniless, and homeless, many in rags.
            Francis Lewis’ wife was jailed by the British and died within a few months.  John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying.  Their 13 children fled for their lives, and his fields and gristmill were destroyed.  Hart lived in the woods for a year, and when he could return home he found his children gone without trace and his home destroyed.  He died of grief and ruined health.  Near Yorktown, VA, Thomas Nelson saw his home taken as headquarters by British General Cornwallis and urged George Washington to fire on the home.  It was destroyed, and Nelson died penniless.  Thomas McKeam served in Congress without pay and had to constantly move his family to keep them from being arrested.  He died in poverty.
On and on…one can follow stories of these men who sacrificed all for liberty.  All 56 men signed our Declaration of Independence knowing full well the penalty if captured would be death.  These were soft-spoken, well educated men of means.  They pledged their life, fortune, and sacred honor to gaining freedom and independence for the United States.  They valued liberty more than security and died for our country to assure we would live free.  Do we appreciate their sacrifices and teach our children and grandchildren the truth about these brave souls without whom our country would never have been born?
For more information, see http://www.dojgov.net/Liberty_Watch.htm

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

ADULT DENTAL CARE UTILIZATION DECLINING; CHILD UTILIZATION INCREASING


FACT:  The percentage of adults receiving dental care declined from a high of 41.2% in 2003 to 37% in 2010.
FACT:  The largest decline by age group in adult dental utilization is in the 35-49 year range, dropping from 43% in 2003 to 38% in 2010.
FACT:  Two primary reasons for this decline in utilization are (1) reduction in dental benefits offered by employers and (2) Medicaid dental benefits for low-income adults have decreased.
While adults are seeking less care, utilization among children has increased, rising from an average of 42.4% in 2000 to 46.3% in 2010.  Utilization among low-income children when broken out as a separate category, increased a whopping 53% between 2000-2010. 
These statistics were part of research by the Health Policy Resources Center (HPRC) of the American Dental Association.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

MAXIMIZE THIS DAY


Recently a short essay in a book I read daily spoke volumes to my mind and heart.  Consider this:
 “Yesterday is a cancelled check; tomorrow is a promissory note; today is all you have.  Yesterday was for learning; tomorrow will bring consequences of what I do today.  Today I will face life with the conviction that this day will never return, that it may be the last opportunity I’ll have to contribute because there’s no guarantee I’ll see tomorrow.  Today I will be courageous enough not to let opportunity pass me by; my only alternative will be to succeed.  Today I will invest my most valuable resource, my time, into my most important possession, the life God has given me.  I’ll spend each minute purposely, making today a unique opportunity.  Today I will resist doubt and pessimism and warm my world with a smile.  I’ll maintain a strong faith, expect nothing but the best, take time to be happy, see every task as an opportunity to honor our Creator and endeavor to leave love in the hearts of those I meet.  John Boykin wrote, ‘Time is your life---nothing more, nothing less.  The way you spend your hours and your days is the way you spend your life.’”

Monday, June 3, 2013

WHO SAID THAT?



“It takes two years to learn to talk, and the rest of your life to learn to control your mouth.”
                                                            Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American author,                                                                                              philosopher and humorist
“Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent.”
                                                            Proverbs 17:28            
“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that maters in the end.”
                                                            Ursula K. LeGuin, 1929 - , American author

“Don’t simply aspire to make a living; aspire to make a difference.”
                                                            Anonymous
“I never perfected an invention without thinking in terms of how it would benefit others.”
                                                            Thomas A. Edison, 1847-1931, American inventor of                                                                        the light bulb, phonograph and 1093 other                                                                              products protected by U.S. patents