Tag Arts

7 Fascinating Facts About Founding Father Benjamin Franklin

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

I found this article very interesting and thought others would enjoy it as well. So here it is reprinted in part for my fellow travelers across the sky.

Benjamin Franklin
Image via Wikipedia

True, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin is on our $100 bill, but contrary to what many people believe, he was never president of the United States. He was far too busy to take on a job like that.As a scientist, writer, printer, philosopher, musician, politician, and inventor Franklin did more in a day than many people do in a lifetime. Here are some of our favorite Franklin facts.

He was a high school dropout. Franklin proved that you don’t need a fancy degree to succeed in life—due to family financial problems, he never graduated from high school.

He created America’s first library. In 1732, Franklin convinced a group of fellow intellectuals to create a library of their personal books, then added a subscription service, in which funds would be used to purchase new books for all to read. The Library Company of Philadelphia, as it was called, still exists today and has over 500,000 rare books.

He invented the first bifocal glasses, odometer, urinary catheter, lightning rod, and many other devices, yet never filed for a patent. Though any one of Franklin’s inventions could have made him a tremendous fortune, he wasn’t greedy about them. He believed that his work was for the common good, and “as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously,” he wrote in his autobiography. We bet he’d be a big fan of Creative Commons.

He Invented the Franklin Stove. In colonial America, most people warmed their homes by building a fire in a fireplace even though it was kind of dangerous and used a lot of wood. Ben figured that there had to be a better way. His invention of an iron furnace stove allowed people to warm their homes less dangerously and with less wood. Interestingly enough, Ben also established the first fire company and the first fire insurance company in order to help people live more safely.

He created a phonetic alphabet. Franklin’s alphabet got rid of six letters he thought were redundant, and added six new letters for other sounds. As you can probably tell, it never caught on.

As a young man, Franklin created a list of 13 virtues, and worked on obeying them throughout his life. Here is the list; you may find it helpful too:

Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation
Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversations
Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time
Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve
Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing
Industry: Lose not time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions
Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; speak accordingly Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think you deserve
Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation
Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles or accidents common or unavoidable Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation
Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates

20,000 people attended his funeral. Franklin truly was a rock star for his time—and he remains so today.

via 7 Fascinating Facts About Founding Father Benjamin Franklin | Gimundo | Good News… Served Daily.

Wisdom Wednesday: Jesus is Passe

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

“He’s passé. Nobody cares about Mickey anymore. There
are whole batches of Mickeys we just can’t give away.
I think we should phase him out.” — Roy Disney, Walt
Disney’s brother, 1937

Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things, Saying, Where is the hope of his coming? From the death of the fathers till now everything has gone on as it was from the making of the world. 2 Peter 3:3-4 (BBE)

Like many funny animal characters, Mickey Mouse wears clothes, stands on two legs, has prehensile hands, and talks

Image via Wikipedia

Three theme parks and billions of dollars later it would appear that Mickey the Mouse is more popular today than in 1937. Billions have heard and seen at least one Mickey Mouse cartoon in their life time and many have purchased Disney Licensed merchandise.

Had Walt Disney given up on the idea of Mickey Mouse like his brother suggested in 1937 than the whole Disney franchise would have been nothing more than a dream. Instead it has become one of the largest, if not the largest, entertainment conglomerates in the world.

Christianity has been under attack by scoffers and nonbelievers since Christ walked on the earth. For over 2000 years naysayers would have us believe that Jesus has lost his appeal. Scoffers say nobody cares about Jesus anymore. There are churches closing their doors each year and we can not seem to give religion away. Therefore we should just phase Jesus out of our life.

Regardless of the Roy Disneys of the world, just like Mickey, Jesus is still influencing millions of lives all over the world. Even without theme parks, although there are several in the works or already operating in the United States, Jesus is still alive and well in 2008.

Related articles

Zemanta Pixie

No Record- by Julie Arduini

Allen Frederick 2 Comments

 

This post is by quest author Julie Arduini a fellow writer at Faithwriters.com. Take some time to stop by the website and read the thousands of posts by fellow travelers. And now for No Record by Julie Arduini.

 

Psalm 130:3: “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?” NIV

1Corinthians 13: 4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” NIV

MacDonalds sign in Times Square, New York

Image via Wikipedia

 

We went out to dinner as a family moment before my husband left for a work trip. Of all the places to go, we chose McDonalds. I know, big shock with small kids, right? My order is standard, always the chicken wrap with barbeque sauce. Problem is,they don’t agree with me.

 

Case in point: last month I took the kids there for dinner and while talking along I let out a sound that I can’t even define as a burp because the humiliating act had an echo that turned heads. The kids cackled and cackled. They bring it up often, even during this most recent Golden Arches meal.

As our trip to the airport progressed, we paid tolls. I wasn’t even in my husband’s life then and even I recall the same story his older children told from years ago: he went to pay the automatic toll and missed the catch, dropping his money. After all this time, no one forgot.

Same for when we needed an elevator to get my husband to the correct gate. Even our oldest says, “remember when” and tells the tale of when my husband’s older children used to sit on elevator floors. My elevator recollection is from a few years ago when I was in a performance of “Heaven’s Gates and Hell‘s Flames”. My character perished in an elevator accident. If I ever hear the music that accompanied my dramatic death scene, I can assure you I’m off that real elevator!

Embarrassing sounds. Clumsy actions. Uncomfortable moments. Our kids don’t forget those times and most likely, spouses don’t either.

I’m so thankful to serve a God who does not keep a record of our wrongs. It isn’t because He’s ditsy and He forgot, it’s because He loves us so much He chooses not to. As Psalm 130 states, who could stand under such a recollection if the Lord did such a thing?

I’ve been watching online evenings on God.TV. services out of Lakeland, Florida. God is using a man the world would never think of because his record of shame is etched in his skin with colored ink. Todd Bentley by his own account was saved in his drug dealer‘s trailer. He used to cut himself and was an alcoholic.

Then Jesus came.

I blush over a traffic stopping burp. Todd Bentley remembers the smells and sounds of artificial highs. Perhaps your account of deeds lie somewhere in the middle. No matter what you’ve done, are doing, or are even tempted to do, you can live a true clean slate free of shame.

Call on the Lord today. The Lord who forgives. The Lord who is Love.

The Lord who keeps no record of wrongs.

Julie Arduini, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/, is devoted to writing for Christ in ways that encourage and inspire. Happily married to Tom, they have two children: Brian and Hannah.

@2008 by Julie Arduini

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com CHRISTIAN WRITERS

Zemanta Pixie

The Power of Persuasion

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Matthew 15:14 (KJV) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

SheepNEAR THE VILLAGE of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death…

Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.

The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36). Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.

Mass media merchants long have held the notion that public opinion can be shaped and manipulated through the power of the press. Say something often enough and loud enough and sooner or later people will start to believe it. Advertisers spend big money on ad campaigns in attempts to persuade people to buy what they are offering. Political leaders spend huge sums of money on marketing in order for their messages to be heard.

Continue reading “The Power of Persuasion” →

Truth or Consequences

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV)

truth1From the very beginning of time certain activities were considered off limits. The very first inhabitants of this planet understood that there were things they could and could not do. God had set in motion immutable laws that continue even through today.

From 1940 until 1987 an American quiz show originally hosted on radio by Ralph Edwards became a hit television show. That show was truth or consequences. Hosted from 1956 until 1975 by none other than Bob Barker of Let’s Make a Deal fame.

The idea of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts. On the show, people had to answer a trivia question correctly (usually an off-the-wall question that no one would be able to answer correctly) before “Beulah the Buzzer” was sounded. If the contestant could not complete the “Truth” portion, there would be “Consequences,” usually a zany and embarrassing stunt. In addition, during Barker’s run as host, “Barker’s Box” was played. Barker’s Box was a box with 4 drawers in it. If a contestant was able to pick the 3 boxes with money in it, they won a bonus prize.

In many broadcasts, the stunts on Truth or Consequences included a popular, but emotional, heart-rending surprise for a contestant, that being the reunion with a long-lost relative or with an enlisted son or daughter returning from military duty overseas, particularly Vietnam.

Citation: Truth or Consequences. (2007, September 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 00:17, September 12, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Truth_or_Consequences&oldid=156188604

Although it made for entertaining TV the idea that wrong choices yielded sometimes unpleasant surprises was not a new concept. Most people if honest will admit to times in their life where a wrong turn, a wrong choice, a wrong answer landed them in less than favorable conditions.

The embarrassment of being seen on TV not knowing the right answer to some obscure game show question is not as important as not knowing the right answer to a midterm test question.

Although both wrong answers had consequences one could be considered more life changing then the other. Getting blasted with whipped cream on the game show although embarrassing was not life altering. Missing questions on a midterm exam could mean the difference to passing or failing.

Making the wrong turn while driving could get one hopelessly lost. Thank God for GPS units which are ever ready to help a hapless driver find his or her way back to civilization. Heading the wrong way on a one way street could cost you a handsome fine or loss of license.

Choosing to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs could end a life, yours or someone else.

In a culture which hates consequences there is an ongoing attempt to remove all truth, all absolutes in order to eliminate consequences of wrong choices. IF there are no wrong choices then logically one could assume there are no consequences. Morally if there is no RIGHT or wrong then no matter how I choose to live my life there is no consequence.

Man’s best efforts to root out all laws and opposition to wrong choices only end in futility each and every time they are tried. There are certain laws in place that just can not be avoided. Take for instance the law of gravity.

Even if one wishes to ignore the laws existence it does not take a person long to know that jumping from a high elevation without the aide of wings or some other flying apparatus plummets them to the earth where they will meet another law, that of an irresistible force and an immovable object.

History is riddled with humankind who have chosen the wrong direction and learned the consequences of such action.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, legendary early American writer, penned these prophetic words in “The Golden Legend”:

“No action, whether foul or fair, longfellowtheman
Is ever done, but it leaves somewhere,
A record, written by fingers ghostly,
As a blessing or a curse.”

All of us leave footprints in this world a record of where we been and the direction in which we are headed. The question that needs to be asked if someone was following in your footsteps would they find blessings or curses along the way? Would the path you are leading lead others to a greater good? Does the road you are following lead to greatness or disaster?

There is a way that seems right to a person, but eventually it ends in death.
Prov 14:12 (GW)

Each day we are faced with choices and each day we need to choose a path. But choose wisely because a wrong choice will have consequences. In this life the consequences may not seem too unbearable but in the life to come a wrong choice could land you in a destination unfit for human habitation.

A gullible person believes anything, but a sensible person watches his step. A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is careless and over confident. Prov 14:15-16 (GW)

Tags: , ,

Zemanta Pixie