Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Thomas Jefferson Quotes

Wikipedia tells us that Jefferson was the 3rd president, the main author of the Declaration of Independence, and one of the more influential founding fathers. He was a strong supporter of states rights, religious freedom, and republican ideals. But mainly, it was liberty and freedom that motivated Jefferson. The original idea of government in the U.S. is captured in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence written by Jefferson:


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 of 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.


These quotes from Jefferson give you insight into the thoughts of one of the founding fathers of our country. Some of these quotes eerily serve as warnings for today’s over-reaching federal government from 200 years ago.


I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.

Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

For a people who are free, and who mean to remain so, a well-organized and armed militia is their best security.

I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Never trouble another for what you can do for yourself.

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes

Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want bread.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Work on your communication skills

While the days of “having a coke and a smile” may be long gone as universal communication, the desire for speaking out to the world has become an onslaught. Some of you may have noticed lately that blogs, email, and instant messaging are rather popular. Sometimes these formats are abbreviated such that it leaves little room for the imagination to latch on to the meaning that was meant to be conveyed. So with that, it makes me happy as a newborn tick on a fat hound to present a primer on the forgotten art of colorful expression!


Format: What we say today -- What your grandpa said.


I’m feeling good! -- I’m finer than frog hair!

Not feeling good. -- I feel lower than a snake’s belly.

He’s not that attractive. -- He’s ugly as homemade soup

or so ugly she would make a freight train take a dirt road.

She’s pretty! -- She’s built like a brick outhouse!

Skinny-- He had to turn around twice to throw a shadow

Not very smart. -- His slinky’s kinked or, not the sharpest tool in the shed

or, he paddles his own canoe.

It’s dry lately. -- It’s drier than a popcorn poop or, so dry that trees are bribing the dogs

It sure is raining hard. -- It’s a real toad strangler out there!

Fast -- Fast as a man with a paper butt in a forest fire,

or fast as a deacon in a … (oops, that might be too mature for this blog)

Slow -- Slower than molasses in January.

Useless -- He’s as handy as screen doors on a submarine.

Rich -- He has enough money to burn a wet mule.

Poor-- To poor to pay attention.

Young -- His belly button isn’t even dry yet.

Old -- He is as old as dirt.

Busy-- Busy as a mosquito in a nudist colony

Talkative-- He could talk the ear off a statue

Not athletic -- You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing in it.

Under dressed-- She wasn’t wearing enough clothes to wad a shotgun.


Good bye… it’s time for me to make like a tree and leaf!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Jesus Walks on the water

Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.


During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.


But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."


"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."


"Come," he said.


Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"


Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"


And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."



Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Need a helping hand?

There are a great many blogs that simply blow steam or spout off about politics and the like. While I am not immune to the desire to rant about politics (check back here in the future) I try to bring something useful to these pages. One resource that I depend on is the information available from state extension across the US. You can find instructions for just about anything on extension websites. Check out the publications in your home state. Here are a few ideas to get you started!


UT Extension Publications Here.


Identify Oak Trees


Bring Wildlife to your backyard


Learn when to plant your vegetables


Can your own food


Build a small cabin


Virginia Cooperative Extension Publications Here


Grow Herbs


Raise your own chickens


Plant a small apple orchard


Grow your own Christmas trees


West Virginia Extension Here.


Plant a butterfly garden


Grow your own ginseng


Grow tomatoes


NCSU Extension Here.


Build a bird house


Grow and sell chrysanthemums


Grow blackberries


How to compost