Uncommon Common Sense

Time for reflection, at least in our household. Someone asked me once, "What are you thankful for?" A response I heard from a friend at church went something like, "all of the things that didn't happen to me this week." It took me a few minutes to wrap my head around that, but it does present an interesting point of view. I didn't lose my job. No one in my family was diagnosed with an incurable disease. My wife (who has been traveling a bit lately) hasn't been in a car accident. While our financial resources are stretched, God has provided what we need to meet our needs and obligations. While I have a slight touch of a cold/flu, I'm not bedridden. (OK, I am a guy, therefore I must whine when I'm sick!) Gas prices continue to stay lower (except for that $.14 bounce in one day...what's up with that?), our family is healthy, our friends are doing well, and despite all the gloom and doom that everyone is spouting in the media about the economic

Just had another thought I'd like to share. It's interesting what one can find out when they go do a little on-line research in the public domain. My opponent in the recent election raised over $40,000 for his campaign. Awesome! From the financial records posted, it appears that only ONE of those donations ($500) came from an individual, and that individual doesn't reside in the district. All the rest of the donations were from what appears to be political action committees, with some of them being out-of-state entities, and the address of one of the PAC's being the same as the address of the one individual contributor. I raised approximately $4,000, from friends and family, and business owners in the district. Only one of my donations came from a political action committee ($150). My opponent was so flush with cash that he even donated $10,000 to the House Truman Fund. So....was the election about issues and who really will represent the people of the Northeast side

Just a quick observation today. President-elect Obama was all about "change", and "getting rid of the Washington insiders", etc., etc. Interesting that as of today, the majority of the people he has named to prominent positions on his transition team are all Washington insiders and/or previously involved in the Clinton administration.... help me understand how that is "change"? ...just my two cents worth today. --Larry Voorhees

I've always been an avid reader. When I was a kid, my folks would always be getting after me, because rather than doing chores (or homework), I'd almost always have my nose buried in a book. Absolutely loved the Hardy Boys series, and Tom Swift, Jr. I guess I had a real taste for action/adventure stuff. As I got older, and was living out west, I discovered Louis L'Amour, and especially his Sackett Series. In the past year or so, one of my students (who also is a pastor) and I have taken to writing action/adventure novels. These have been a great deal of fun for us, and I thought I'd share them with you. Well, at least with those of you that like reading that sort of thing. How to describe them? Well, action/adventure, with a martial arts twist, drama, intrigue, plot twists, mystery....pretty well sprinkled with a strong spiritual base, as well. If you're truly interested, we've published the first two in the series on Lulu.com. You can see the "brag

That's the difference. I will need to be able to make the time to get out and speak to 2500 more people in 2010 than I did this year. Which shouldn't be too hard, considering I started my campaign in late August this year. Based on the reactions I received from the people I spoke with this year when I was door-knocking, I am convinced that if people have the opportunity to make an informed decision, they will find that I represent ideas and convictions that are more in-line with their own than my opponent does. But, in the absence of information to the contrary, they simply do "what they have always done", which is vote by party-line. One thing I've learned from my years in the ring as a sparring competitor. Every time I lose a match, I learn something. And I make sure that I use that new knowledge the next time I get into the ring with that same person, and I make certain that I win the rematch. There will be a rematch. The result will be different. my tw

Today is your opportunity to make a difference. The big theme we've been hearing from everyone this year is "change". Well, everyone, that is, except those currently in office. Well, for those who wish to keep the government's hands out of our pockets, and who would like to have people in the State House that are willing to listen to and be accountable to the people of the district they are supposed to represent, we believe it IS time for a change. Today, your voice and your vote will be heard. I need at least 3,500 to 4,000 people in our district to decide that enough is enough, and it's time we brought some common sense back into the state house. I need those people...I need YOU...to vote for me today. --Larry Voorhees