Surfside Leadership Academy (((((((((((((((( Contact Us for Educational Assistance

American social studies books are pathetically thin nowadays.  The “meat” of our history is missing.  Most of George Washington’s history is missing too.  Most people recognize the pictures of Washington at the end of his life.  Not long ago a neighbor visited, who is a young Social Studies teacher.  He asked who the man was in the picture on our refrigerator.  We told him it was a famous photo titled, George Washington, 1779.  It is a great oil portrait that the young people in our country would not recognize because it is not in their history books.  I would prefer to remember Washington in that portrait in his General’s uniform leaning on a cannon.  That personifies our first president.  He was a real hero who was not afraid of battle.  When he was a 23-year-old Colonel fighting in the French and Indian War, he was ambushed by Indians.  The natives were told to shoot down the tall man on the horse.  Men on every side were falling.  Washington would have 4 musket-balls shot through his coat and 2 horses killed.  He would survive to become the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and our first President.  He set the precedent for the first office of the presidency.  Personally, I don’t believe we have had another leader like President Washington.  Even King George III of England was amazed that Washington would go back to his farm on Mt. Vernon after serving 8 years as our nation’s first executive.  He is the best role model that America has for leadership.

Most history books portray Martha as a frumpy old woman.  I don’t believe Mrs. Washington would appreciate being remembered that way.  In her younger years, she was referred to as “cute” and one of the greatest catches in Virginia.  Martha Dandridge was severely scrutinized by her future father in law before he gave permission to his son,  Daniel Custis, to marry her.  Previous women courted for marriage by Daniel Custis were turned away by his father.  Martha had a winning personality full of charm, warmth, and sincerity.  She made people feel comfortable with her hospitality.  No wonder George became attracted to her after she was widowed with two young children!  History is quick to remind us that Martha was rich!  She was rich monetarily, but she was “rich” with character as well.  Personally, I believe George and Martha were dear friends who cared about each other very much.  While George was away fighting the War of Independence from England, Martha would visit him in the winter.  Her husband would be away from Mt. Vernon for 6 years!  Over those several winters, she would camp out with her husband.  The soldiers called her “Lady Washington”.  Both Martha and George were private people and desired to keep their relationship private.  Many of their letters were burned by Martha after George’s death.  Abigail Adams had high praise for Martha.  Martha Washington was a beautiful First Lady because not only was she physically appealing, but she was a woman with virtue.

Last week it was reported that the national unemployment rate was about 5%.  Interesting.  While visiting with a neighbor, I noticed a bed in her living room.  I wasn’t going to ask, but during our visit, she volunteered to tell me that two of her family members had moved in.  Young men (early thirties) who are both quite talented and educated who needed some assistance.  I wasn’t going to tell her that our family had recently taken in a man (early thirties) from our church who also was on the brink of homelessness.  During our conversation, my friend told me that she had just returned from a visit with another neighbor who had just taken in her son and pregnant wife.  Additionally, I am surrounded by struggling young people.  Another family’s dad who is in graphic design has been unemployed for 3 years.  While visiting the public library last week I met another Emmy award winning graphic designer who was unemployed.  We discussed that these men never recovered from 2008.  I don’t believe that there has been much of a recovery.  In fact, some sources are discussing that for the first time in American history, our national debt may double under one president’s term.  There are talks of budget cuts, but how much?  Not much.  Not much at all.  If any person lived like our foolishly out of control spending country, they would be homeless!  The following video is short (just over a minute) and clearly explains the United States’ budget using pennies.  I like it because it is easy to understand.  It shows that about half of the American budget goes to Social Security and Medicare.

For more information on America’s solvency, read this:  http://teapartyeconomist.com/2015/03/12/washingtons-210-trillion-deficit/

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”  Romans 13:8

http://www.prisonplanet.com/measles-vaccine-kills-more-people-than-the-disease.html

Back in 1993, I had a health crisis.  Friends told me I was too young to be so sick.  I agreed.  I didn’t like what my conventional ear, nose, and throat doctor told me.  He was a doctor with good recommendations.  He told me that I would suffer with chronic sinus infections for the rest of my life.  While listening to a doctor on the radio one morning, I heard him describing my own symptoms.  I gave his office a call.  I have not had one sinus infection since visiting his office.  His office offered natural health care remedies.  I was put through a detox program with saunas, colon cleanses, and nutritional counseling.  A holistic dentist was referred to me who began treating my dental amalgams.  Twenty two years ago I began purchasing mostly organic foods.  Most of my shopping was done at Whole Foods back then, but today there are a multitude of organic options.  Learning never ceases, and yesterday while reading Dr. Mercola’s article, I was horrified to discover the number of crops being desiccated with glyphosate.  Desiccation is the drying out of the plant.  Farmers use it before harvest to encourage the plant to generate more seeds.  I deliberately avoid all GMO foods.  Recently, I purchased some beans and split peas for soup that were not labeled organic.  It is highly possible they were sprayed with glyphosate prior to harvest.  I am tossing them into the trash today.  According to Mercola, here is a list of some foods commonly desiccated prior to harvest:  wheat, barley, flax, lentils, beans, peas, oats, canola, peanuts, sugar cane, and more.  Mercola’s article links glyphosate to kidney, liver, brain, and thyroid troubles.  In addition to this, the villi (tiny finger-like projections in your small intestine that absorb nutrients) get damaged or destroyed decreasing nutrient uptake into your body.  Today, I feel healthier and stronger than ever because I cook most of my food from scratch, grow many organic fruits and vegetables, eat pastured meats, raw milk, and happy chicken eggs.

A “thinking” 16-year-old has designed this app for anyone who would like to see how the lobbyists “buy” votes from Congress.   You will find it here http://allaregreen.us/

You will discover that many are quite covetous and Congress is full of deceitful liars who  take their bribes from lobbyists and get rich while making this country poor.  This can change if people educate themselves and vote for people who are not influenced by lobbyist’s bribes and power.  They would need to do their homework and get to know the candidates who care about the people.  This country is rooted in fair policies.  We can return to them.  William Bradford of Plymouth learned early that “socialism” does not work.  The people were less motivated to work when the produce was shared among the people.  When the rule changed so that people got to keep what they sowed; Bradford observed an amazing event.  He noticed that whole families would go into the fields to work and moms with babies would be in the fields too.  There was real motivation to produce something and it worked.  Production increased and the plantation succeeded while others were failing.  There is liberty when duties are shouldered by individuals.  Each person is responsible for himself.  The government, which is funded from people’s wallets, does not have the duty to provide for individuals from other people’s production.  Each person must do their best to provide for themselves.  If you haven’t seen the movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, with James Stewart, consider watching it.  Produced in 1939, it shows the corruption 80 years ago.  The acting is first rate and the story is “All- American”.

While John Adams participated in the First Continental Congress he wrote this to Abigail from Philadelphia on September 8, 1774, “There is in the Congress a Collection of the greatest Men upon this Continent, in Point of Abilities, Virtues and Fortunes.  The Magnanimity, and public Spirit, which I see here, makes me blush for the sordid venal Herd, which I have seen in my own Province.”  My Dearest Friend  (pg. 42)  Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to describe our current Congress like this?

The preserved lung finally reached my desk.  I was in 3rd grade and will never forget the experience.  It is permanently engraved in my mind.  I held the rectangular plexiglass specimen in my hand.  It contained a shriveled black lung inside from someone who smoked their entire life.  I studied it for a few minutes and passed it to the next eager student waiting to handle the object.  We were passed another specimen from a normal elderly person who had lived in the city.  Even though the lung had some blemishes, it was quite different from “the black lung”.  It was mostly white and plump.  I begged my loved ones to stop smoking.  Some did and are still alive.  Those that did not are no longer here.  King James I did not like tobacco smoke.  The King of England wrote that those who use tobacco are “vain and unclean”.  He wrote that the habit was ugly to the eye, unpleasant to the nose, affected the brain, and harmful to the lungs.  Tobacco was introduced to England by the natives when the Virginia Company set up business.  The business was separate from the king, but James let his people know that tobacco use was,  “that in your abuse thereof sinning against God, harming your selves both in persons and goods,…” .  Four hundred years ago people were warned about tobacco dangers.  The natives only used tobacco in special ceremonies.  They weren’t smoking one to two packs a day!  Many have resolved this new year to stop the filthy habit.  I pray them much success.

As 2014 draws to a close, people reflect on “auld lang syne”, which in English means “former days and friends”.  A man from Scotland, named Robert Burns wrote this tune around 1788.  A familiar chorus from the song will surely be sung by many around the world:

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?  Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne!”

History is important.  We should remember the past and look to the future.  I am thankful for Augustine and Martin Luther in the past.  They influence my life today.  In the present, I “will take a cup of kindness yet” and toast to my gift of friends and acquaintances who fill my life with companionship.

Wishing you more peace, hope, and joy in 2015.

Christmas is a big deal for America.  Even the government has big gifts for its citizens.  Like how December 23, 1913 changed the course for America and the world.  President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act, transferring constitutional power from Congress to coin money to the secretive Federal Reserve bank.  On December 24, 2009, Christmas Eve, the Senate gave America a health care package that even they hadn’t seen yet because most lawmakers didn’t read the 2000 pages of the bill.  Amazing!  Those presents were not on my wish list!  Over the course of my life I have watched the price of candy bars inflate from $0.10 to $1.00 a bar.  I have happy memories of riding my bicycle to the local pharmacy’s candy counter with $0.65.  I had a difficult time filling my bag with all kinds of colorful, chocolatey and chewy candies.  It is sad today how $1.00 will barely buy a chocolate bar.  And the quality of the chocolate bar is far less than the many I consumed as a child!  Today, most are full of genetically engineered sugar beets and ingredients that were not in my chocolate bar a generation ago!  Since 2009 our health care premiums have increased by 50%.  My doctor used to practice medicine in a nice office with a nice nurse and an office assistant.  Today, I go to a group practice in a large building where I feel like one of the herd in a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) factory.  Like the Waitresses’ Christmas Wrapping song says, “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas but I think, I’ll miss this one this year…”

My fourth grade class is reading this book from cover to cover.  It is full of amazing pictures from around the globe, space, Earth’s inner core, and world wide cultures.  It is a thorough Geography lesson.  Since the book is taught from an evolutionary scientific perspective, we take daily time to discuss and contrast their ideas with observable creation facts.  Additionally,  we research and discuss current events that are contrary to the climate change agenda.