Happy 235th Birthday!

Happy 235th Birthday! This weekend is a wonderful time to thank the Lord for the freedoms that we have as Americans. When you have a few minutes, read through the bold highlighted areas and remember the incredible sacrifices that our forefathers made for our liberties.
One of my favorite activities is to praise God for all of the blessings I enjoy as I watch the fireworks. Have a restful, safe and enjoyable weekend!


Declaration of Independence
(Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776)
The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.
He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Change Your Thinking - Change Your Life

The memory is an amazing resource. At times, random thoughts will just pass into your mind. Maybe it is a memory of some great event when you were a child or a difficult period of time in your recent past. A smell can bring back the event. A certain song floods your mind with activities, locations and people. Sometimes the thoughts come from "out of the blue" and we wonder where that memory came from.

Ones thinking will determine their attitude and their attitude will determine their decisions. To change ones life, they must change their thinking.

Determine if your thoughts are constructive or destructive. If your thinking leads to condemnation, of yourself or others, then you need to change your thinking. If your thoughts are edifying, then you should focus on these memories more. Someone once said that you cannot keep a bird from flying over your head but that you can keep the bird from building a nest in your hair. A thought may pass through your mind, but you do not have to dwell on it. Decide, today, to think differently.

If you want to change your life, change your thinking!

Created To Create!

You and I have incredible potential!

When God created the first couple, He made them in His image and likeness, therefore, we are like God. Since He is a creator, we must have the capacity to create too. Not in the same sense of bringing the world into existence from nothing, but by using the capacity to make some awesome things.

Mankind not only has the propensity to create, but we are created for the purpose of making things. I refer to this idea by using the phrase, "Making A Difference". We were all created to make a difference in the world. I feel better about myself when I am making a difference. Others feel good about themselves when they do the same.

You were created to create!

You were made to make a difference!

Spend some time today fulfilling your purpose. That's my plan!

Jesus, Don’t You Care?

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? Mark 4:38

During the storms of life we tend to question God and His character. We may wonder if He is sleeping, or at least unaware of our trials. Our minds play tricks on us and we begin thinking incorrectly. At first we may not realize our wrong perspectives but ultimately the choice is ours.

The disciple’s first question dealt with Jesus’ care. The disciples second question dealt with His character Mark 4:41 states,

"And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Who is this man? What type of person can actually control nature? The disciples redeemed themselves by asking the second question. At first they had no faith. Now they could grow their faith!

The next time that you face a serious trial, instead of questioning God, get to know Him personally. Draw close to Him. Spend time talking to Him and make sure you grow in your understanding of who Jesus really is!

God Does Not Always Give Us Three Score and Ten

Let me give you a good challenge today. It is one of those decisions where I am sure you will be glad that you took me up on it. I encourage you to fulfill this task because today is my mom's 70th birthday.

As I look back over the years, I recall how giving my mom has always been. If I were to describe her to you, I would say that she is the most giving person I have ever met. Whether she is giving a candy bar, an item she picked up at a tremendous discount or giving away something very valuable, she always shows such incredible joy simply because she has the opportunity to give. Giving to her children has brought her great joy, but giving to her grandkids has been her delight. Growing up in a humble North Carolina home did not afford her the opportunity to have many of the material things that life in Northern Virginia has given her, but the money did not change her, except that it gave her the ability to give more. Mom, thanks for being such an incredible example of showing love by giving.

But giving is not the challenge I have for you today. Here is my challenge: "Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you." The title of my blog today reminds us that we are not guaranteed 70 years in this life. The reality is that my mom only had 66 years in this world. On July 2nd, 2007, my mom, Ann Wilcox, entered into eternity.

Sometimes I think about calling her and seeing how she is doing. At other times I wish I could speak with her and ask for her opinion on a matter. But most of the time I just wish I could give her a hug and tell her how much I love her. God Does Not Always Give Us Three Score and Ten. Make sure you tell your loved ones how you feel while you still have the opportunity! Make a wise Choice-Today. You will be glad you did!

Choose you this day

Welcome to my new blog. As the title states, choices are made every day. Every morning I wake up and I have to make some decisions. Choices are a requirement in life. I may make a good choice, a poor choice or a non-choice, but choices will be made today. Join me as I discuss thoughts about love, family, leadership and faith.

I hope that there will be some lessons that you can learn from me and the experiences I have each day. I look forward to discovering some truths that you are learning too. As we, together, spin around on this great big rock, called Earth, we need to find support, help and wisdom. I will be here at Choice-Today. Come back and visit soon! Our choices determine our future, so let's focus on making wise choices, today and every day!