SACRED FIRE---A MUST READ BOOK

If you’ve been reading Practicon’s blogs for some time, you know that I occasionally recommend a book for your reading pleasure.  I urge you to read George Washington’s Sacred Fire by Dr. Peter A. Lillback---read it for pleasure and read it to be astounded by Washington’s steadfast belief that God inspired, led, and blessed the founding of our country. 

This story of our Founding Father, “a leader of such enormous stature and who arouses such passionate emotions, that it is difficult to separate the facts from the fiction”, offers a mountain of comprehensive evidence that Washington was an 18^th century Anglican, a devout Christian. 

By actual measurement, the paperback version of  Sacred Fire is a hair less than 2¼” thick.  Though it’s not exactly “light” reading, this incredible volume fascinates and involves the reader in Washington’s life, his times, training, convictions, faith, honor, and sense of duty, written largely in Washington’s own words.  Without these personal characteristics and his inspired leadership ability, it’s doubtful that our country would have won the Revolutionary War and become a free nation. 

A number of “scholars” over the past 40 to 50 years have claimed Washington a Deist, not a Christian.  Learn the facts for yourself as you read the overwhelming evidence that Washington was indeed a strong Christian.  I believe you will enjoy this book as it provides a marvelous journey into the early days of our Republic, and how one man became the pivot point around which our freedom was secured.

FYI---A TREND TOWARD PARAPROFESSIONALS

In Alaska licensed dental therapists, Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATS), have been providing dental services in remote native villages since the first class of DHATs began their training in 2003, finishing in 2005.  In addition to delivering preventive care, services include uncomplicated extractions, restorations, and a few other dental surgical procedures.  DHAT’s training consists of two years of didactic instruction and practical work directly supervised by a dentist. 

In 2009 Minnesota became the second state to approve licensing of dental therapists.  Six states are currently considering such licensing: California, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington.

PLAN NOW TO COUNTER INFLATION

An old tale is told of inflation so high that a farmer had to push a wheel barrow of money to the nearest store in order to buy a loaf of bread.  Finding he couldn’t take the wheel barrow into the market, he left it for a minute to enter and look for the bread.  Ready to pay, he hurried outside for his money only to find that someone had dumped the useless inflated money on the road and stolen his wheel barrow.  Amusing?  Thought provoking?

As of March 2012 the U. S. inflation rate was reported as 2.7%.  That figure, however, omits food and gasoline, two major necessities.  Anyone who pumps gas or buys groceries is well aware of the rapid escalation of those prices yet government calculations of the inflation rate do not include them.  If they are included in the mix, the U. S. inflation rate today is close to 7%.  And most financial managers and advisers predict rapid, astronomical inflation by late 2013 or early 2014.  (Source: Dan Celia, financial manager for over 30 years, heard six days a week on AFR Talk, www.afr.net)   

Suggestion:  Meet with your financial adviser/planner NOW to get his or her opinion and advice so that you can prepare for this financial challenge.  And don’t forget to adjust your fees regularly, at least annually, to stay ahead of the inflation curve.

THE LAW OF CONSEQUENCE

One’s life is colored, influenced, changed, improved, damaged, happier, or gloomier---take your pick of words---by the choices one makes.  And every choice has consequences.  As it says in a Biblical truth found in Galatians, “…A man (woman) reaps what he (she) sows.”  We cannot escape the consequences, good or bad, of the choices we make.  You have the power to choose right or wrong.  You are not simply a pawn of happenstance or luck.  Our choices affect others as well, benefitting or hurting them.  “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent…” as John Donne, English poet, lawyer, and priest wrote.  Donne’s words ring as true today as when he penned them in the 16^th century.   With every significant choice you make, weigh consequences for yourself and others important in your life.

OLD ELECTRONICS---CHECK BEFORE TOSSING

At last count, 25 states now have laws about disposal of old TVs, computers, keyboards, monitors, video game consoles, fax machines, VCRs, DVD players, satellite receivers, etc.  Instead of throwing such devices in the garbage, these states say they must be recycled at approved drop-off sites.  To check your state’s e-cycling law, go to www.electronicsrecycling.org and click on the “Laws” tab.  Reminder:  patient information is confidential, so wipe the hard drive clean before recycling.