Happy 4th of July

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

The American Spirit and can do attitude will prevail. Our Nation and our ideals will emerge stronger simply because, like the men and women who came before us-we will step up to the plate and do what needs to be done time after time.

HT - Millbrae Capital

JJSDiabetes remembered

 . . . and thanked by the survivors.

Who deserves your thanks today?

Inspiration

My mother recently forwarded to me an email that was short (I love short) and poignant. I emailed the author and asked him to add me to his daily mailing. Today's is below. The title caught my attention . . . (Thanks mom.)

January 28, 2008
Falling Asleep In Church

Have you seen the video on You Tube of President Clinton falling asleep in church? It's pretty funny because all of us have been there. Some times despite our best efforts we just cannot keep our eyes open. One morning I was really struggling when my eye caught sight of an ant walking across the back of the pew in front of me. The pew was full so I wondered if the little guy would walk the entire length without deviating. He didn't. He crawled onto the back of a woman in a white dress. It was grand for I was now wide-awake as I watched him zigzag across her shoulders. I was hoping he would climb her neck. He did! And he paid the price as she swatted and got him. There are some places we should never go.

Psalm 1:1 is a classic piece of advise. "Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." David is saying, "Don't go there. Don't stop and listen and definitely don't sit down in bad places." Solomon adds
similar counsel in the first few chapters of Proverbs. He wrote, "That you may walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous." 2:20

We are curious creatures. Cats aren't anywhere nearly as curious as we are. Temptations abound and we are drawn. That's the time to claim the promise in James 1:5 and ask for wisdom. Solomon adds, "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

_________________________

I'm Roger Bothwell and my address is Spring of Life, 151 Old Farm Rd. Leominster, MA 01453 and my web address is religionworld.org and my e-mail address is roger.bothwell@verizon.net. Archives of past devotionals found at religionworld.org. (You can also hear an audible version at 1-800-808-4330)

Thanks for reading and remember how very much you are loved.

This devotional comes to you with the prayer it will be a blessing to you. If you do not wish to receive one each day let me know and I will quickly remove your name from the mailing list. If you do enjoy it and think someone else might also enjoy receiving one each day please let me know and I will very quickly put the new name on my list.

Rohane repays loan

In March '07 Rohane received a $425.00 loan from Kiva. Any Donkey, who was one of Rohane's micro-lenders, received notification that Rohane has repaid his loan in full in a timely fashion.

We are very pleased to notify you that the business you have loaned to,
Rohane Mohammad Haidar, has repaid the full amount of this loan
$425.00. The payment was collected and deposited by Ariana Financial
Services - Mercy Corps.

Congratulations Rohane!

You too can become a micro-lender and maybe make a difference in the life of somebody.

Rohane's story:

Rohane was born in 1969 and lives in a household of 17 in district 11 of Kabul, Afghanistan. Rohane lost his left hand during the war and has had lots of financial problems since. He decided to start a small business in the bazaar to solve his family problems. To start off with he bought socks and hats, then he took loans through AFSG to increase his business and buy more hats, socks and t-shirts, but because there are so many family members this could not fulfill the family's financial needs. Therefore, he and his two brothers also have a second business that trades in the same products. He hopes that by selling the products, slowly, he can improve his family's financial situation.

Making a difference II

From my mail box - this courtesy of remaing on JEDEC's mailing list - JEDEC or not, it is a good idea:

In this season of giving, we have an opportunity for you to consider -- giving your time and your expertise in the new year to middle and high school students to help them succeed in school. The best part? You never have to leave your desk.

NSTEP (National Science and Technology Education Partnership) is the philanthropic arm of the electronic industries. Our mission is to create partnerships between the business and educational communities that benefit both parties. Through our successful TechXplore program, we’ve connected hundreds of working professionals to serve as mentors for middle and high school students across the nation over the past five years.

Now, we have an exciting new volunteer opportunity for science and technology professionals, NSTEP Tutor.

The NSTEP Tutor and TechXplore programs rely on virtual volunteers. This process combines the proven practice of tutoring and mentoring with the speed and ease of the internet, enabling busy professionals to make significant contributions to the academic lives of students.

NSTEP Tutor: volunteer from your home or office, wherever you have a computer and an Internet connection. You’ll help students in 7th-12th grades with math and science assignments. You commit to the time and day(s) most convenient for your schedule. We ask for a minimum of 2 hours per month. NSTEP and our partner Tutor.com do the rest. Click this link for more details to become a tutor www.nstep-online.org/nsteptutor.

TechXplore: volunteer from your home or office computer. Mentor teams of students as they compete in a 12 week program to solve an everyday problem using technology. NSTEP will assign you a facilitator who is usually a teacher or after school administrator and a team of students. We ask your help in guiding them as they work through their project. You would need to commit 1 hour/week for 12 weeks. Click this link for more details to become a mentor http://www.techxplore.org/.

If you’d like to know more you may email us at nstep@nstep-online.org.

Thank you.

Peter F. McCloskey, CEO
National Science & Technology Education Partnership
2500 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201-3834
(703)907-7431
pmccloskey@nstep-online.org

Making a difference

Teachers, some good, some not so good and some special. Those special ones help unlock potential, encourage and inspire. Follow this link to a touching short story that will challenge you to be a special to somebody today.

HT The1stBA