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Walter E. Williams is a must read syndicated columnist. His articles are right on, and that’s about the best way I know to describe them. I have a link to him in my sidebar, but his latest two articles are such homeruns with me that I had to put him in the spotlight. Here are the latest articles:
Congressional and Leftist Lies
Academic Cesspools II

I also urge you to visit his syndicated page to read more great articles, and check out his biography.

If your heart tends to bleed easily you might want to skip this and find some poetry to read.

Tags: America, Education, Life Lessons, Motivational, Politics by Eric Sanders
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Operation Christmas Child is a program that sends shoeboxes filled with gifts to children all over the world who might not otherwise receive anything. This program is through Samaritan’s Purse, a Franklin Graham organization. These people visit countries all over the world to deliver these gift boxes and to share God’s love. Each of my kids put together a box, and they loved it. They included a personal letter to the kid who receives their box with the hope that the child will have the resources to write back. They are excited about making a new friend in a part of the world that they may never be able to visit. We watched a video about Operation Christmas Child that taught us how fortunate we are to live in America. There were stories  and video from poor countries all over the world. One that really stuck with me was a man who searched for used shoes every day so that he could resell them to feed his family. I wake up every day and have to decide what I want to eat out of a well stocked refrigerator. This man’s only goal every day is to find enough food to carry his family for one more day. I encourage every person who reads this to check out the Samaritan’s Purse site and join in Operation Christmas Child. They have a “suggested gifts” list on the site. Also, be sure to check out the “do not include” list as well.

Tags: America, Christmas, Education, Inspiration, Kids, Life Lessons, Motivational, Religion by Eric Sanders
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Born: October 30, 1735 in Massachusetts
Died: July 4, 1826 at age 90 in Massachusetts
Party: Federalist
Occupation: Lawyer

John Adams, the son of a farmer, grew up in Braintree, Massachusetts. At age 16 he attended Harvard College and graduated four years later. After graduation, he taught school for a few years while he was deciding on a long term career. He finally decided to become a lawyer and began studying in the law office of James Putnam. At age 23 he was admitted to the bar. At age 29 he married Abigail Smith, and they had six children; one of which was John Quincy Adams who would become the sixth President of the United  States.

John Adams’ influence as a leader came from his work as a constitutional lawyer, his thorough knowledge of the law, and his dedication to republicanism.

One of the most famous cases that Adams was associated with was The Boston Massacre in 1770. John Adams defended the British soldiers who had killed five civilians. Six of the soldiers were acquitted, and the two who had fired into the crowd were convicted of manslaughter.

Adams was sent to represent Massachusetts in the first and second Continental Congress. In 1775 Adams nominated George Washington as commander-in-chief of the army. From the beginning of his service in Congress, Adams supported permanent separation from Britian.

John Adams wrote in Thoughts on Government “there is no good government but what is republican.” On June 7,1776, Adams seconded the resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee that “these colonies are, and of a right ought to be, free and independant states.” He was then appointed to a committee with Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman to draft a Declaration of Independence.

John Adams served two terms as Vice President to George Washington. Adams played a minor role in politics and was never asked for input on policy or legal issues by President Washington.

Next, John Adams was elected to serve as the second President of the United States. He held the office from 1797-1801. As President, Adams followed George Washington’s examples of republican values and civic virtue. Adams was never implicated in any scandals. He ran for a second term but was defeated by Thomas Jefferson.

After his defeat, Adams returned to a private life of farming. Sixteen months before he died, his son, John Quincy Adams, became the sixth President of the United States. The only other son of a former President to hold that same office is George W. Bush.

On July 4, 1826, John Adams died at his home. A few hours earlier, on that same day, Thomas Jefferson had died as well. This day was the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Tags: A New Nation Series, America, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Politics by Eric Sanders
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I am beginning a series on the early days of America. I will spotlight the men who stood strong in the face of a tyrant who called himself the king of Great Britain. Each article will be dedicated to a person, or event, of great significance to our country’s quest for freedom. These men didn’t visit the “hot spots” to kiss babies and shake hands. They sacrificed the security of the known to birth a great nation where generations to come could live free. They handed us the greatest nation on Earth, and we are systematically dismantling everything that they fought for. They didn’t jump on the “We’re Republicans so we vote like this; they’re Democrats so they vote like that” bandwagon. They were united in a battle for all of America, the Blue States and the Red States. My desire for this series is to reunite Americans as Americans. I want to help people re-focus on building “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Tags: America, Education, Life Lessons, Politics, Religion by Eric Sanders
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In early 2000 and 2001 I lived in St. Augustine, Florida. I am an industrial maintenance technician, so the best job I could find was in Daytona Beach. By traveling I-95 it was about a 45 minute commute. Sometimes when I got off of work, especially after one of those days, I enjoyed a more scenic route home. I would take A1A which follows the coast a lot of the way between Daytona and St. Augustine. This route was always very relaxing and serene. It was about 30 minutes longer that the interstate, but it was worth every minute. The acres of undeveloped land along this route is amazing. There are long stretches with nothing but greenery on the left and beach on the right; very few houses, business, billboards, or other obstructions.

Valuable Time With My Daughter

My daughter was 6 months old when we moved there. I didn’t see her much during the week because including the drive I was away from home for 10–16 hours per day. On Sundays I would take her for a ride up and down A1A. Sometimes we would drive on the beach and maybe stop to play in the sand. Other times we would just ride and enjoy the company. This was an awesome time with my daughter, and it gave my wife a break from essentially being a single parent all week.

Tags: America, Kids, Life Lessons, Nostalgia by Eric Sanders
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It appears that the shock I gave my system last weekend worked. I lost 4 pounds this week and have lost a total of 24 pounds in the last 4 weeks. I’m starting to see a difference in the way my clothes fit and how I feel. It’s all good.

The Stats

Week 4 weight: 362

Week 4 loss: 4 pounds

Total loss: 24 pounds

Tags: Diet, Life Lessons by Eric Sanders
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I am currently reading The Upside of Down by  BGEA board member Joseph Stowell, Sr. This book was written to help people understand and deal with tribulations that we will all face at some time.

The point of this article is not a review of this book; that will come later. This article was prompted by carrying the book around with me at work. I imagined some people seeing the book and assuming that I must be going through some turmoil. Well I’m not at the moment, but I know that I will at some time, and I like to be prepared. I started thinking about how a lot of people wait until they need help before they start looking for it. That’s like waiting until the middle of an exam to start studying for it.

The Sports Approach

Preparing mentally and physically is key for all athletes, teams, and coaches. They spend days leading up to a game viewing tapes of that weeks opponent. These guys don’t wake up on Saturday morning and say, “Who is it that we’re playing today? I think I may need to check them out.” No, when game time rolls around they have already made the preparations necessary to be successful.

Start Practicing Now

This same approach can be used in everyday life. There are numerous resources available for the people who take the time to look for them. Books like the Bible, The Upside of Down; writers like Chris Melton and Brad Baggett; CDs; DVDs; live seminars; or even one-on-one counseling are all excellent resources that we can use to prepare for the downsides and enjoy the upsides of life. Start studying now for the test that you are sure to have in the future.

Tags: Education, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Motivational, Religion, Sports by Eric Sanders
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I’ve been tagged by Chris Melton at soupornuts to post seven random things that you might not know about me and then tag another blog.

1. One of my younger sisters was killed in a car accident in July 2000. She was 18 and had a 9 month old daughter. My parents adopted the kid because the father was a pathetic excuse for a man.

2. When I was 17 I took a friend with me to Florida for a week during spring break. We were both broke, so we slept in my 1990 Chevy Beretta. We ate mustard sanwiches, used public restrooms, and hooked up with some friends who let us use their shower.

3. I enjoy star gazing. I stand in my yard some nights and just stare into outer space. When I go camping I sometimes sleep out on the ground so I can watch the sky. Here’s something for you to try: stare at the moon until you see it in 3–D. We normally look at the moon in 2–D, so it takes a little concentration. It helps to picture it as a ball with a flashlight shining on one side of it. It’s pretty cool when you finally see it.

4. I received a do-or-die driving lesson when I was 13. I was headed to town with my grandfather when he suddenly pulled over on the side of the road, walked aroung to the passenger door, and told me to slide over to the driver’s side. After we were both seated he just looked at me and said, “let’s go.” That was just his style; you can do it or you can’t, but we are not wasting time talking about it.

5. I have never used, tried, experimented, or otherwise touched any illegal drugs…never. When I was growing up kids were still punished for doing wrong, and getting caught messing with drugs just wasn’t worth the risk; although a lot of other things were:

6. In high school I recruited the help of a friend to roll a lit smoke bomb into the principal’s office during school. He got busted but never ratted on me. He knew how to take one for the team.

7. I’m usually known as the quiet or shy one in a group. While I am quiet, I’m not shy. I am always analyzing, thinking, listening, or brainstorming about something. It could be as simple as something my kids did or as complex as the vastness of our universe. Why would God create a universe so huge that we can never experience it all? Has He ever created worlds before us or will He create more after us? I know that the Bible gives us everything that we need to know about life on Earth and in Heaven or Hell. However, I have never read anything that would suggest that our world is the only one that ever has or ever will exist. How much of our planet has never been seen by people? Are there areas of Earth that have never been stepped on by humans? I realize that I could find other people’s opinions for these questions, but are there any definite answers?

I don’t know about educational, but I hope you found this artilce entertaining.

Tags: Life Lessons, Nostalgia, Religion by Eric Sanders
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Guest Author:This article was submitted by Scott Kay

I am 44  years old, but I can still remember the name of my first grade teacher. It amazes me how many things I have forgotten over the years, yet I can still remember grade school. School was way different back then. Back then kids either walked  to school or rode the school bus. Now a lot of kids are driven to school by their parents. I guess some people feel that riding the school bus is beneath them. My Momma didn’t care whether I wanted to ride the bus or not because in our house children were not in charge. Back then my Momma made me a peanut butter and banana sandwich and put it in a paper sack for lunch. Now kids want money for lunch every day. Then we had P.E. and recess and were encouraged to exercise and play. Now P.E. is no longer required at some schools. Then the biggest crime was chewing gum in class. Now the biggest crime is a toss up between drugs, guns, and murder. Then we prayed in school. Now prayer offends the heathens. Then we said the Pledge of Allegiance. Now the Pledge offends people who hate our country. Then we had parties to celebrate American holidays. Now American holidays offend people who hate America. Then the teachers and school administration were in charge of the school. Now parents and children are in charge of the school, that is unless something happens that they don’t like and then the blame is put back on the school. Then we got spankings for doing wrong followed by another spanking at home for the same wrongdoing.( I never particularly cared for this one.) Now when a kid does wrong and is mildly reprimanded the parents try to figure out how they can sue the school. Then the dropout rate was low. Now the dropout rate is high. Then children earned better grades. Now children earn worse grades but are given better grades.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but the school system seemed to work better back then with less trouble. I’m not sure who started to break it or who is keeping it broke, but it seems to me like we ought to get back to basics. Public education has become a huge mess. People just can’t seem to understand why kids are turning out the way they are today after we have tied the hands of the teachers. We have restricted the teachers’ abilities to do what they went to college to do, what they were trained to do, what they love to do, and that is to teach our children. America should bring the old school back. If parents don’t like what’s being taught and how it’s taught; consider home schooling. How do you feel about it?

Tags: Education, Kids, Life Lessons by Eric Sanders
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I’m sure everyone has a picture in their heads already. Not the wannabes who haul their bikes in a trailer to an event and then unload and get all leathered up at the hotel before going out. I’m talking about rough, tattooed, mean, cut-you-rather-than-look-at-you, dressed in black, I dare you to stare type. The ones whose other ride is also a bike.

I Was As Ignorant As Anyone

I worked in Daytona Beach from June 2000 until July 2001 and in that year I learned a few things. I went into this environment with a “watch my back” attitude. It didn’t take long for me to realize how I had misjudged people because of my idea of what a biker must be like. These guys came to work every day, worked hard, took pride in their jobs, and went home to family and friends at the end of the day. We shared lunches, took turns buying breakfast, and joked and shot the bull during slow times.

A Hospitality Rarely Experienced

As I walked around saying my good-byes on my last day there these guys gave me their phone numbers and told me to call if I ever needed anything. They also gave me their addresses and said that if I ever needed a place to crash just come on over. I can count on one hand the “friends” that I have made at all of my other jobs combined who have extended that kind of hospitality.

Tags: Life Lessons by Eric Sanders
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