True Worship is a Group Thing

On more than one occasion, I’ve heard that “I can worship God anywhere.”  That might be somewhat true, but…..More often this is an excuse used to not attend worship in church. 

When (or in some cases – if) you get to heaven, do you think you will be allowed to worship out on your own?

I always believed that it is important that believers gather together for worship.  Recently, a lesson was presented that really defined why worship is important as gathered believers.  I want to share what those reasons – with, hopefully, approval of Thad Ford who made the presentation.

Group worship begins with the concept that we gather together to worship God – not ourselves.  Gathering together is not what we gain through feelings, but giving to God praise to Him through the teaching of His Word and song.

Gathering together in worship is more than just teaching and singing.  Here is where I knew these other activities were important aspects of the church, but failed to tie them together with worship.

Preaching and teaching – involves the expository explanation of the author’s instructions to us from God. The Word moves us to better understand ourselves, our relationship with God, and our relationships with others. Worship here is the recognition of absolute perfection of God and His Word.

Reading scripture

Fellowship

Baptism and communion

Prayer

Receiving and distributing gifts

Singing of songs

Evangelism

Public confession of the faith

Salutations with a holy kiss

Response to praise and prayer with the saying of “Amen”

Church discipline

Sending, supporting, and receiving reports about missions work

Use of spiritual gifts

“God in His great wisdom has given clear principles to guide the corporate worship of His people”

Where were you when the body gathered together in worship?

I had a stroke and here's my experience

On August 20^th I experienced a stroke but didn’t know it.  This is my story.

I was watching television and suddenly part of my vision disappeared.  There was no pain.  I have had migraine headaches in the past.  They typically include that a small portion of my vision is obscured and I “see” a small aura of bright light around the edge of my vision.  My migraines will generally last about an hour and then everything returns to normal.

This time I thought that that was happening again, but there was no aura.  This experience had more of my vision field gone.  My “headache” was not going away.  I went for a walk thinking a little fresh air might help.  When I crossed the street I could hear cars, but I couldn’t see them.  I would have to turn my head further to get the vehicles into my vision.  Since I had not experienced any pain, I felt no need to contact a doctor yet. 

The next day, the vision had cleared up.  The lower right portion of my field of vision was just gone.  It’s hard to describe.  It wasn’t black or white or gray.  It just seemed not to be there, but I knew it was supposed to be there.  I tried to read, but the end of each line wasn’t there.  I was starting to get a little more concerned and expressed it to my wife, but still didn’t pursue the issue medically.

Finally, Wednesday morning there was still no change.  I decided to call my family doctor’s office – and knowing my doctor is not in on Wednesdays – and asked to get in first thing Thursday morning.  The nurse asked my symptoms and after describing them, she arranged for me to see another physician that afternoon.  She said this new physician was just getting her practice started and these symptoms sounded like something that she specializes in. 

My daughter was my chauffeur for the afternoon.  The doctor went through a general exam, similar to what my regular doctor puts me through for my annual physical.  She was trying to look deep into my eyes (best way for me to put that) to look for any damage.  Since my eyes would not stay stable enough for her to see, I was sent to an ophthalmologist.  She also scheduled me for a MRI brain exam for Thursday morning.

 After a good dose of drops to dilate my eyes, I went through the eye exam.  The ophthalmologist found no damage of any kind to my eyes.

The next morning I spent 45 minutes in the MRI.  I also had a dye put into me to help highlight my brain on the film (although the film was only in black and white).    After waiting another 30 minutes for a doctor to read the results, the receptionist told me that my first doctor wanted me back in her office to talk with me. Well, this was not good news.  So my wife drove us back to see her.

The doctor started off by telling me I had experienced something with a really long name – in laymen’s terminology - I had had a stroke.  She said it was a very small one on the back of brain on the left side in area that controls vision.   She proceeded to check me out again to see if there were any apparent residual effects from my stroke. 

My youngest brother had passed away about 6 months earlier and there had been no definitive cause of death.  I had found him dead in bed.  There was the possibility that whatever caused his death might be hereditary.  So, back then I had an ultrasound on my heart.  It was determined to be just fine.  Now the family doc had an ultrasound done on my carotid arteries in my neck.  A-OK there.

No apparent physical lingering effects, although my vision was beginning to return.  When I would read a line of print, at least I could see some of it.  It just looked like a poor quality ink jet print.  So the doc put me on a low dose aspirin and a minimal diuretic. My next visit would be to a neurologist, but I would have to wait for insurance approval first.  The first, middle, and last instruction I had from the doctor was clear – another experience like this I was to head to the emergency immediately!

Well, that Friday evening I suddenly experienced very blurred vision, but it was in a different area of my vision field.  So off I went to Parkview North.  Again, no pain.  By the time I arrived there I was already started to feel better.  After 3 hours of nothing – other than the vision clearing up – the ER doc arranged to get me into a neurologist ASAP after Monday. 

I got in the next Tuesday to see the neurologist.  He took a look at my MRI films again and confirmed the diagnosis.  He started looking at some other issues in my health history.  His concern centered on my snoring.  Sleep apnea has been linked to a possible cause of strokes.  So a couple of weeks later I found myself wired at a sleep center to record what I do while I sleep. I also had another heart ultrasound that examined my heart in more detail.  The results indicated moderate sleep apnea.  At that point I also asked the neurologist further about my earlier MRI results.  He showed me the spot on my brain where the stroke occurred.  He said I ‘was very lucky.”  That hit me with a lot of impact.  So, the result now is that I started sleeping with a CPAP, a device that forces air into my breathing while I sleep to prevent me from suddenly stopping breathing. 

I reflected on the fact that my father had experienced a major stroke in his early 40’s and he was a chronic snorer.  I suspect that maybe this is how my brother died.

All of the tests that I have experienced have returned as normal, except the sleep apnea.  Of course, I still need to lose more weight.  The doctor said I could be taken off the CPAP if I lost at least 40 pounds.  That does give more incentive.  More time on the treadmill.

I never would have thought of myself having a stroke.  I was always expecting the widow maker heart attack.

I write all of this as a warning to others that could be susceptible for something like this also.  Get yourself checked out.

Implications of the constitutionality of the ACA for Christians

With the declaration that the Affordable Healthcare Act IS constitutional, my analysis of the implications upon Christians should be of concern.

1.    Every individual is required to purchase some form of health care.  If you do not purchase health care, you will be required to pay a penalty.  If you can’t afford to purchase the insurance, how will you be able to afford to pay the penalty? 

2.    Given that the government is already running annual budget deficits in excess of $1.5 trillion, eventually some savings in the budget will need to be made.  There will most likely be reductions in medical services available.

3.    Given that abortions are funded in this law – yes, every Christian will now be paying to abort babies – this feature will be protected politically to remain. 

4.    The reduction in services will mean a cutback to older Americans.  Does that 60 year old really need joint replacements?  Drugs will be provided to overcome the pain.  Rationing would be done fairly – it’s just some people will be treated more fairly than others.

5.    There will no desire to withhold necessary treatments to newborns.  That would be inconceivable, especially when these newborns are potential future taxpayers.  What WILL happen is the expanded use of technology to determine if a fetus could be born with a birth defect or genetical possibilities for future major health conditions.  Doctors already “suggest” that these babies be aborted before birth.  Health care may require these abortions.  Better to have all babies born to be healthy.

6.    Many health care programs will be financially driven out of the marketplace and all that will be left will be the federal government to provide these services.

7.    Churches – of any denomination – will be required to pay for health services that are in complete opposition to religious doctrine.

8.  The government will be looking more into your annual tax returns to determine your “ability to pay.”  Some people will be determined to be able to pay more than others.

9.    Everybody will now be subject to the future potential of the government – at probably any level – to be taxed to do whatever the government wants to do.

What are your thoughts?

Accommodating Christians

This is a brief book report for my evangelical Christian friends that can also apply to those that are politically active.

What makes the following excerpts so significant is that they were written nearly THIRTY years ago! 

Today, there have been several comments about how the Church/Bible/Christians have become irrelevant to today’s culture.  There needs to flexibility to make room for the changes in today’s society.  Unfortunately, the Church cannot bend the truths of God’s Word.  He is unchangeable.  His Word is unchangeable.  His truth is unchangeable. 

Certainly, the methods that Christians employ to share the Gospel will have a great effect.  The problem in my short 40+ years of being a Christian has been the increasing bending over backwards of Christians to be more like the world and less Christlike.  This is what Schaeffer warned against. 

So, I feel, the following passage is more relevant for Christians today than ever before.

Accommodation, accommodation.  How the mindset of accommodation grows and expands.  The last sixty years have given birth to a moral disaster, and what have we done?  Sadly we must say that the evangelical world has been part of the disaster.  More than this, the evangelical response itself has been a disaster.  Where is the clear voice speaking to the crucial issues of the day with distinctively biblical, Christian answers?  With tears we must say that largely it is not there and that a large segment of the evangelical world has become seduced by the world spirit of this present age.  And more than this, we can expect the future to be a further disaster if the evangelical world does not take a stand for biblical truth and morality in the full spectrum of life. For the evangelical accommodation to the world of our age represents the removal of the last barrier against the breakdown of our culture.  And with the final removal of this barrier will come social chaos and the rise of authoritarianism in some form to restore social order.  (p. 141)

But the accommodation we have been speaking of has constantly taken the form of giving in to the humanistic, secular consensus which is the dominant destructive force of our day.  And if no change in this comes, our opportunity will be past.  Not only will the compromising portion of evangelicalism go down in collapse, all of us will be carried down with it.  We cannot think that all of this is unrelated to us.  It will all come crashing down unless you and I and each one of us who loves the Lord and his church are willing to act.  And so I challenge you.  I call for Christian radicals, and especially young Christian radicals, to stand up in loving confrontation…with all that is wrong and destructive in the church, our culture, and the state.  (p.151)

Francis A. Schaeffer

The Great Evangelical Disaster, 1984, Crossway Books

Take some time to think this through and let me know what you think.  Now, more than ever, Christians need to be engaged with the world without compromising the absolute truths of God’s character.

The Marketplace of Ideas

“If you take away the biblical teaching of the sanctity of human life and of man created in the image of God, there is no final basis for placing value on human life.  And this applies to whether we are talking about the unborn or those who are already born.  If human life can be taken before birth, there is no logical reason why it cannot be taken after birth…..Yet much of the evangelical world carries on business as usual….But if we are not willing to take a stand even for human life, is there anything for which we will stand?”

Dr. Francis Schaeffer, The great Evangelical Disaster, pp. 108-109

This was written nearly THIRTY years ago.  The evangelical church has not progressed much since then.  We have been fortunate that medical technology has increased and been able to show that the lives of children born before the normal gestational period can be kept alive and eventually develop normally.  Through this fact, more people are willing to accept that life can begin before birth.  But what have we done in the marketplace of ideas?  

An open letter to the newly elected city government of New Haven IN

With the results of the recent city election, New Haven will be represented entirely by Republicans. This provides an opportunity to demonstrate that Republican principles can adequately provide for citizen services at a low cost to taxpayers.

As a fellow Republican, I would like to repeat some of those principles and add some strategies that will benefit our community.

First, I would ask that all of the elected representatives be sure that the only personal gain would be from a stipend. Do not participate in any other perks that will add to the taxpayer obligation, such as, health insurance, retirement plan, or personal expenses. Elected office should always been viewed as a sacrifice on the officeholder, not as a financial gain.

Develop – with community input – an aggressive business attraction plan. With the transportation infrastructure soon to be all in place, it is time to sell it to potential businesses. Updating a new comprehensive long term growth and zoning plan will give reassurance to businesses and community members that development is being done responsibly with future generations in mind. There has been much discussion regarding the use of various tax incentives as a tool to attract and retain businesses. I believe that an active public discussion needs to examine the responsible use of them, including an evaluation of their effectiveness. With all of the discussion regarding the permit process for businesses that is taking place in a nearby community, our processes should be re-examined for possible streamlining also.

There needs to be a comprehensive community input on future infrastructural efforts. Where should the priorities of local government be placed? I suggest that public safety be first. Where are the needs for improvement or change in public safety and what could be the associated costs? Because of the highway system that navigates through the city, perhaps adequate pedestrian tunnels or bridges would effectively better tie the city together. Encourage private development of the end of the Greenway trail with the downtown region.

Finally, I would suggest making city government even more open to the public. Rather than encouraging the public to sit in on meetings, bring the meetings and information to the public. Could public broadcast be beneficial? Publishing all of the various budgets and monthly updates would be informative. The use of technology to better deliver city services should always be an evolving process.

As a Republican, I look at the results of this past election as more than just a clean sweep. It is a rare opportunity that government can effectively meet the needs of the community that is low cost and less intrusive. I challenge all of the winners of last month’s city election to demonstrate not only to New Haven, but also to the nation that Republican principles can provide for a thriving community.

Where has the language all gone?

This has been a topic I’ve thought writing about for some time. Today’s culture is losing the sense of expressing itself in complete, accurate, thorough, written communication.

I am guilty of participating in most of today’s social media. I do too much Facebook time, according to my brother. I dabble a little with Twitter and play the Foursquare game. I have read there are many other sites out there, but I think I would go into technology overload.

What I have been noticing has been the overuse of communication shortcuts – the use of numbers or symbols as replacements for words or parts of words. Even more fascinating to me has been the lack of spelling accuracy and incorrect grammar, especially when many programs offer spell check/grammar check before sending a message.

Of course, there used to be the use of shorthand, the use of symbols to replace words as a method of recording conversations.

When I taught a class at IPFW, I gave the students one essay question on each test that gave them the opportunity to express their opinion and justify why. I did not grade according to their opinion, but, rather, their ability to express their opinion in complete sentences.

I guess the quality of the English language is slowly deteriorating. First goes the spoken language – the word “ask” no longer exists, it has instead become “axed.” Next, we lose the written language. Oh well, before long everybody will be speaking Chinese, so I guess it really doesn’t matter.

Green Hornet - crimefighter?

This is probably going to be one of my oddest posts for this blog.

I went to see the new movie “The Green Hornet.” Obviously, what drew me to this movie was the fact that I grew up watching the original 1960’s television series. I spent most of the movie comparing the movie to the TV version.

The TV series only lasted one season and can be associated with the “Batman” series as they were made to overlap – production resources and scripts. GH was made to be somewhat futuristic with a dependence on electronic gadgets. The most important aspect of the show was the level of crime-fighting intelligence and understanding of the criminal mind. He and his sidekick Kato worked well together.

What I saw in the movie was the “hero” Britt Reid as selfish, dimwitted, dependant, lush, inability to judge others’ character…and on and on. In other words, this hero really had very few redeeming values.

Finally, the hero tries to do what is right and even manages to succeed. One incident was even copied from the TV series.

What makes this movie so disappointing – along with some of the Superman and Batman movies – is that the heroes are made out to have significant personality flaws. The heroes of old could be depended to not only catch the criminal, but also make the right moral decisions.

Young people look at these movies and see no sense of right and wrong, only gray areas of poor choices. I believe that one reason young people today make bad choices is the lack of superheroes with bedrock right morals and cutting edge crime fighting capabilities.

Yeah, this movie was a waste of movie.

Take a shot at this poll

In my opinion, Steve is:
	an overachiever
	an under-performer
	always in the wrong place at the wrong time
	all of the above
	none of the above
	I could care less about Steve
	Steve who???
pollcode.com free polls

The need for further local and state fiscal controls

The Indiana General Assembly election results are very encouraging. Economic issues, I believe, will be central for the 2011 legislative session. I do believe there needs to be a discussion from the General Assembly regarding a couple of central fiscal issues to local government.

With the approval of property tax caps to the Indiana Constitution, the GA must address the up-and-down cycles of business that naturally happens. The general economy will always have its cycles of expansion and retraction. Associated with economic cycles come the tax revenue increases and decreases. Many local government services were dependent on local property taxes. That issue is now changing. Many of these services are dependent on revenues from the state. The increase of sales tax was the offset to property tax caps. Sales tax revenue will follow the economic cycles. The GA must look to smooth out the disbursement of revenues to local governments.

This should include greater expansion and controls on the use of local “Rainy Day” funds. The use of these temporary savings accounts should have greater definition regarding the amount (percentage or dollar) that can actually be accumulated and then also how and when these funds should actually be used.

I ask local legislators to begin an in-depth discussion and evaluation of this issue.

An option for New Haven public schools

A few months ago I wrote about my defense as a school board member of East Allen County Schools. Much of this directly revolves around the economic forecasts of not only EACS, but public education throughout Indiana.

Now the debate has become focused on New Haven’s mayor advocating the possible secession of the city’s schools from EACS. I won’t discuss the educational reasons the mayor has listed for the proposal because I agree with many of them.

When I was a board member, General Fund revenues were generated by local property taxes. Now they come from the state based on student populations. The money now follows the student. This is a significant change because local school districts’ budgets are dependent on the state’s economy and financial status. Again, I am not going into the pros and cons of this change. The significant change is that student tuition follows the student throughout the state, not being generated from property taxes within the school district.

When I was in my last term on the board, the state authorized the limited existence of charter schools. I favored this because it created a competitive environment for public education. Charter student populations continue to increase in the Ft. Wayne area. This represents a significant budget loss for the local school districts. Yet, they continue to silently ignore this competition. They complain that budgets are in decline, yet fail to admit that charters are taking that money from them. There must be perceived reasons – real or not – why parents are using this option to educate their children.

I say all of this because a possible secession from the school district will hinge on the financing of the school district. As this issue is researched, would a new school district be able to afford a duplicative administrative structure? Doubtful. Would a new school district be immune from current capital debt obligations? Would they be trying to create new debt while paying for old at the same time? How does that protect local taxpayers? Starting a new school district means hiring an entirely new administrative structure, new classroom teaching structure, educational supplies, books, etc. A support staff would also be needed. Hire your own or contract for services? Perhaps contract with the old school district for support services. Can an entire K-12 program be created new for a community in a period of weeks? Doubtful.

The alternative which I suggested to the mayor a couple of months ago, but he dismissed at the time, was to pursue charter school management companies to implement a progressive program to meet the educational goals of the community. Companies could literally create competing programs designed to meet precisely the needs and desires a community would outline. Technically, the mayor has no authority to start charter schools, but if the area is fertile for a charter school, a management company could get authorization through Ball State University. Much – if not all – of the administrative work would be completed by the charter company. The state student tuition would follow the student. This option could be implemented much quicker than trying to establish an entirely new school district.

I agree with the mayor’s end goals – better educational opportunities for New Haven residents. Since my input was not sought, I offer it here to the public.

My "I Understand Now" Moment

“By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return."

Genesis 3:19

- God speaking to Adam & Eve after the revelation of their disobedience.

Yesterday I had a moment that made that verse VERY real. Some people may equate this nothing more than a pre-schooler discovering the switch on a flashlight can turn on and off the light.

I usually shave with a blade but occasionally use the electric razor for my lazy moments – even though the blade really is faster. Anyway, I don’t usually empty the electric razor of whiskers after every shave. I emptied it into the sink yesterday and it had more than I expected. First noticeable fact – the color of the whiskers – gray.

The next fact is important. I rubbed the whiskers in my fingers and it felt just like fine sand. From a sandbox. I know this sounds a bit kooky, but that is when I realized what I am made of and where my shell will return.

Our lives are short and our bodies are made of basic materials from the earth. What makes us different from everything around us is the soul within that seeks to connect with its Creator. Unfortunately, many people do not make that connection during their living hours. Don’t delay - know that God has creatively made us to worship Him.

In defense of myself as a school board member

During the current debate over East Allen County Schools’ financial problems, there seems to be one recurring comment: many of these problems were caused by previous school board inaction.

Since I served on the board from 1992 – 2004, I feel many of the accusations are untrue. Since board decisions are obviously made by a majority of board members, whether I voted in the majority or not, the accusations still hit at me. There were also times and decisions that I participated in that in retrospect wish were made differently. Regardless, there were many issues that I supported that I felt – and still do – made the school district better.

When I joined the board, the district was in a financial mess. All employee groups were underpaid comparable to local competing school districts. Within four years that had been corrected. We were on par or ahead in a pay scale of neighboring districts.

When we hired a new superintendent in 1995, many transformational events took place. He was truly an “outside-the-box” thinker and recommended many new ideas that I supported. There were a few that I couldn’t support, many of them minor, but the most significant was the proposal to close New Haven Elementary. I vocally opposed that. And won. I would also point out that there were members of the New Haven community at that time that actually supported its closure.

During the 1990’s, student population growth was very slow. The plant closing of International Harvester a decade earlier had a significant impact on student population and the overall budget. There was stability. Although a local newspaper writer would always include a set of accusations against the district in virtually every one of her reports: the school district continued to suffer from declining enrollments and was guilty of racial isolation. Neither were true, but the public bought into them and still do somewhat.

While the board was accused of only being there to ensure the status quo of maintaining facilities, I pursued a goal of improving student academic achievement, recognition, expanded learning opportunities, parent input, and professional development.

I suggested that at the beginning of each school year classroom teachers provide a general syllabus – similar to one in college classes - for parents as a means to be more involved in what was happening in the classroom. Even though there was significant resistance from the teachers and administrators, we got it through. Beyond my expectations, the idea eventually expanded to include online access for parents to view weekly classroom assignments and eventually a reporting system for assignment grades of the students that parents could view. There was also a direct email access for parents to the teachers. Our school district was the leader in the county for this unique access between the parents and the classroom. I believe this was the greatest achievement as a member of the board.

When entering any of our high schools, each had a large display area dedicated to historical athletics, as do most high schools. While I had no problem with that, there was virtually no praise for academics. I proposed that there exist an area for recognition for current and past valedictorians and salutatorians. Only one school made an effort to equate the size of that with sports. Isn’t that what school is for? Academic achievement and recognition. The board also instituted a recognition reception for each year’s vals/sals and their families.

Some other items that I was responsible for: advanced communication between facilities that allowed for classes to interact between facilities. College classes were offered for students through this system. We expanded the college connection program for eligible students so they may gain both high school and college credits. Instituted a continuous improvement program for classroom teachers. Some thought it to be excessive evaluations, but rather an opportunity to offer critique to other methods of instruction. In the area of the budget, I notified the district that they could establish a rainy day fund that many other governmental agencies had. The business manager was not aware of the recent laws allowing for this budget line item. We improved the heating and air conditioning systems in every facility. Several had no air conditioning and we had that installed – New Haven Elementary being the most notable. I was the one that suggested and saw to the improvements in the needed lighting updates for the New Haven HS football field. During the late 1990’s, the local hazardous waste dump facility wanted to expand. The mayor of New Haven at the time was fighting in court to stop it (and won). The company apparently had made overtures to the district asking for our support of the facility – less than a couple of miles from some of our school facilities – in exchange for some financial donations. I was adamantly opposed to this.

There were some other issues that on reflection I wish had been done differently, but didn’t know how. I did stand to improve the school district. I defended it when it was justified and criticized it when needed. I also feel one aspect of my role as an elected official was to represent voters, listen to their concerns and solve issues effectively. I may not have always satisfied every individual, but I was pleased at the many issues that were resolved.

In all, I feel I performed more than adequately in my role as school board member and find it very disconcerting that I have been maligned or “thrown under the bus” to advance an agenda for today.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

East Allen County Schools meeting (and what went wrong)

Last night the East Allen County (EACS) school board voted to pursue the option of letting voters increase their property taxes to maintain a status quo school system. That is what the mainstream media is reporting. There were many other events that took place that need to be told. I do want to say that I think some school realignment should take place. But that should take place with current facilities, not building new ones.

First, the board has instituted a time limit for members of the public to address the board. Three minutes. That’s it. When you hit the limit, they cut you off immediately. They did this to me last month. I was granted somebody else’s time when he chose not to speak. Last night they cut off the mayor of New Haven. A certain amount of respect for another elected official would have been in order, especially when the mayor granted a request from the board president to speak before the New Haven city council last month regarding the board’s options. The board president was not given limited speaking time by the mayor.

In a presentation by the bus director, multiple times referred to bus changes that would take place with closed schools – when they close, not if they close.

Another presentation centered on the proposed Capital Projects fund. Of significance was the carryover amount in the line item for future projects in excess of $4 million. That should include an amount of approximately $1 million the board raised from property taxes about 5 years ago to remodel at Highland Terrace. But that plan has since been abandoned. I have raised this issue nearly every year that that money should be returned to the taxpayers. Also within the CPF report was the option that EACS could use bonds to make up the difference to upgrade schools if insufficient funds came in through property taxes. In other words, in the opportunity to consolidate schools would be the time to really upgrade facilities. I think the board should physically review every upgrade in the plan which included, for example, new drinking fountains in one building. Are they really needed?? Now is the time for austerity.

Another point that I have repeatedly mentioned is the property that EACS owns in Leo-Cedarville. It should be sold! It is unnecessary for future facilities. It was brought up by another speaker last night.

At the start of each year (term), board members and staff must fill out potential conflict of interest forms. Board member Bill Hartman is the lead administrator of Blackhawk Christian School. I have no problem with him as an administrator. I have no problem with his Christian declaration. I do believe that his day job requires him to recruit new students to keep the school financially viable. How many of those students have come out of the EACS district?? A student that leaves EACS for Blackhawk takes the public funds away from the district. Is that meeting his fiduciary responsibility to the school district?

The board voted to allow the property taxpayers of the district to increase general operating funds. This should not be used just to balance the financial accounts as Chris Baker from the New Haven Chamber of Commerce said before the board. I think it fair to let the public decide to increase their taxes for the schools. I do, however, think there should be specific restrictions put on that increase: 1. All employee groups must agree not to pursue that money for salary increases. 2. Prior to implementation, use of the money MUST be identified. Again, as Mr. Baker said, I think the money should be used for advanced programs in the district.

There are many other points that probably need to be made, but I will finish with this one. After the bus director’s presentation, board member Terry Jo Lightfoot implied that the reason the southeast part of the school district faces consolidation is because so many students attend local parochial schools. She implied that closures are the fault of parochial students.

The board needs to change its approach to public input.

America needs a leader

Recently on Facebook, I lamented about the need for a GOP presidential candidate for 2012 that offers more encouragement for individual liberty and entrepreneurship. I received several comments back that current domestic economic climate began under the previous president. Some of that is true. Medicare Part D is probably the biggest disappointment. But now, we see the rundown of the United States and the promotion of the third world. Most recently, the admission of the head of NASA that his primary role - as directed by the president - is to make the muslim world feel good about themselves. Forget about putting man in space outside of earth orbit, requiring increases in scientists, etc.

Following is an excerpt from President Reagan's first State of the Union speech in 1982. He makes no apologies for US economic supremacy. Young people may feel it is silly to invoke Reagan. I feel he belongs in the tier of Washington and Lincoln. When reading many of his speeches, they are inspiring.

To view the State of the Union in perspective, we must not ignore the rest of the world. There isn’t time tonight for a lengthy treatment of social or of foreign policy, I should say a subject I intend to address in detail in the near future. A few words, however, are in order on the progress we’ve made over the past year re-establishing respect for our nation around the globe and some of the challenges and goals that we will approach in the year ahead.

At Ottawa and Cancun, I met with leaders of the major industrial powers and developing nations. Now some of those I met with were a little surprised I didn’t apologize for America’s wealth. Instead I spoke of the strength of the free marketplace system and how that system could help them realize their aspirations for economic development and political freedom.(my emphasis) I believe lasting friendships were made and the foundation was laid for future cooperation.

Compare the texts of the first SOTU speeches from Reagan and Obama and you will see 2 totally different philosophies. When you examine the application, you see the difference in the outcomes played out in our economies.

Reagan in 2012!!

Proof of citizenship

This is tongue-in-cheek for the people in California that can't understand this.

Today I had to go visit my bank. I had done a mistake on my online access and so I went in to the local branch to have them correct my boo-boo.

Can in you imagine this? The first thing the customer service rep asked of me after explaining my mistake was for my DRIVER'S LICENSE. And to make matters worse, I gave it to her - no questions asked.

Really, I expected her to ask for identification and if she didn't ask I was going to show it to her anyway.

So what is so bad about aliens ANYWHERE within the borders of the United States expected to show proof of legitimate presence. If CITIZENS are expected to show ID, why not aliens? If they are here legally, they should not be a problem to display proper credentials.

The US government has got to get control of this issue.

I failed again, because......

Today I was a candidate for city council special election to replace a resignation. The caucus system only allows precinct committee persons to vote for the replacement. In my small town, the total number was one. I guess, fortunately, I only lost by one vote. On the other hand, I didn't garner any support. So as I sit and reflect on why this has happened, I dug out the following. I guess I need to be reminded of this.

Steps to Failing Forward

1. Realize there is one major difference between average people and achieving people.

2. Learn a new definition of failure.

3. Remove the “you” from failure.

4. Take action and reduce your fear.

5. Change your response to failure by accepting responsibility.

6. Don’t let the failure from outside get inside you.

7. Say goodbye to yesterday.

8. Change yourself, and your world changes.

9. Get over yourself and start giving yourself.

10. Find the benefit in every bad experience.

11. If at first you do succeed, try something harder.

12. Learn from a bad experience and make it a good experience.

13. Work on the weakness that weakens you.

14. Understand there’s not much difference between failure and success.

15. Get up, get over it, get going.

How Much Government | Parade.com

How Much Government | Parade.com

With government - at all levels - realizing less revenues there has been a response by government to reduce spending incrementally across the board. I have tried to start sounding the topic of eliminating some government programs altogether. Many programs are unfunded mandates requiring local government to carry the policy without the funding tied to it.

The link to the article discusses this very topic, using a different rubric for program evaluation. I'm glad somebody is finally starting to listen to me!

The ultimate result must be that government is trying to do too much with not enough. We are finally see the results of that mindset internationally. Archaic requirements must be challenged for the needs of society today.

There is a lot discussion about the illegal immigration issue and the action Arizona recently took. Well, I’m going to add my little bit to the topic also. (I know, as if anybody in authority really cares about what I think!)

I know a young pastor that works in an inner city church in another Indiana city. He has his heart in the right place. He has sacrificed much for his family to care for his small flock. He is an area where some local businesses have hired – and depend on – illegals. He defends the need to naturalize illegals for the sake of providing decent incomes for their families. “It’s just not right to take advantage of illegals by paying them depressed wages.”

The argument that supposedly justifies all of this is that the illegals are taking jobs that US citizens will not do because the wages are so low. Of course, we Americans like having low prices for consumer products. We would rather have low prices and give a blind eye to the illegals performing those jobs.

Obviously, I presented these arguments because I do disagree with them.

First, we have national borders and immigration laws for a reason.

Second, whether unemployment is high or low, Americans should have first rights to all American jobs. The apparent problem is low wages. I do believe that citizens have a right to a fair and living wage. This would have a significant impact on consumer prices. Consumers would buy less. Unemployment would continue to increase. I believe that Americans would be accepting of higher prices in exchange for something else – lower taxes!

All combined taxes on the average family have increased over the past century, especially in the past 50 years. The chart at The Tax Foundation displays that increase. Governments at all levels have been continually taking more money from taxpayers just like the frog in the pot of water on the stove – slowly so that we don’t feel the pain! If family taxes were at lower rates, they could afford higher costs for consumer goods.

But government has taken dominance in the wallet of the average American. We willingly give them more and more and they take and demand even more. Of course, all of this is justified in the name of paying for programs that make the quality of life better. Unfortunately, the escalation of government programs exceeds tax revenues.

Americans are faced with making certain decisions. Do we give lip service to illegals working in the US or make major taxation revisions that would provide for living wages in all industries?

Today is Tax Day! Ow, that hurt

April 15^th is U.S. tax day. Supposedly the day all Americans pay their taxes. This is such a false assumption.

As reported on the Tax Foundation.org website, April 9^th is the day that theoretically Americans have stopped working for the government and they can now earn their own money. Half of America has never been working for the federal government. They pay no federal income taxes. Unfortunately, many people think if their refund this year is larger than last year’s must mean that they have paid less taxes.

Americans really need to grasp how much they actually pay in taxes, at all levels. This includes income, sales, property, auto tags, and on and on and on. We don’t realize how much we really pay. Add in to the mix that businesses never pay taxes. All of those obligations are passed on to the consumer through product prices.

I think that government needs to learn a lesson who pays the bills. We need to reduce our withholding to a minimum and pay taxes due next year. Some states are not refunding overpayments to residents because they don’t have the cash available.

It is time that we taxpayers took more control over government revenues, specifically how we pay our taxes to the government!