Newspaper Page Text
4A
TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2006
Mouston Daily .IJmmtal
OPINION
Daniel F. Evans
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
Don Moncrief Foy S. Evans
Managing Editor Editor Emeritus
New Ambulances are good
news for county
It was good to read last week that Houston
Healthcare has added two more ambu
lances to its fleet - going from 10-12.
One of them, it’s reported will be stationed
at the Houston Lake Med-Stop on Ga. 127
and Moody Road in Perry and the other will
be abased at Houston County Fire Station
No. 1 on Cgrl Vinson Parkway.
It’s good news for the obvious: With
Houston County’s populace steadily on the
rise, it’s - in a secret to no one - important
we equip emergency personnel accordingly.
It was also good to learn Papa John s
Risk Services
Corporation
and Fireman s
Fund
Insurance
Company
(Fireman s
Fund®)
will award
Wednesday a
SIO,OOO grant
to the Houston
County Fire
Department
to purchase
extrication
equipment,
more com
monly known
as the Jaws of
Life
In the case
of both of the
above, it’s
most impor
tant that you
the reader
stand up and
take notice.
You never know. The Lord works in mys
terious ways as the Bible reads. Or, if you’re
not religious, put it this way: Fate never
reveals its hand.
One of those new ambulances - and the
added expedience they bring - or those
Jaws of Life may, heaven forbid, play a vital
role in saving your life one day.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The price of gas is a scam
I was amazed Sunday July 16 as I drove down Watson
Boulevard. Gas at several stores was less than it was on
Saturday!
This was despite the fact that (a) the price of a barrel
of oil was at an almost record price and (2) there seems
to be a small war between Israel and the Hezbollah in
Lebanon.
This helps prove the whole price of gas thing is a scam.
I sure hope a butterfly doesn’t flutter its wings over the
ocean. That would no doubt cause prices to go up.
Harry Stewart,
Warner Robins
Reaching new election low
We are saddened that political discourse in the United
States seems to reach a new low with every passing elec
tion. Just when we ask, “How low can it go?” the ads
just get more vicious. This has been especially true in
the race for lieutenant governor of Georgia this year. For
more than a year, Ralph Reed has been the victim of a
ruthless campaign to smear his good reputation and long
list of accomplishments. For the liberal media and Reed’s
opponents it would seem that a campaign to stop casino
gambling in Alabama is more important than the real
issues Georgians face like jobs, healthcare costs, educa
tion, or threats to private property rights.
We have known Ralph and Jo Anne Reed for years. As
head of the Christian Coalition and Georgia Republican
Party, Ralph has invested his life in promoting and pro
tecting our values. Ralph has been accused of no wrong
doing.
In fact, a two-year inquiry in Washington rejected his
opponents’ accusations and said Ralph was hired by a
respected law firm and did his job well. Casino gambling
did not expand in Alabama because of Ralph’s work, sav
ing countless marriages and families.
Ralph Reed is a proven Republican leader. Congressman
Lynn Westmoreland supports Ralph. Zell and Shirley
Miller support Ralph. Over 750 elected officials and
Republican Party leaders have endorsed Ralph.
And we are proud to support Ralph Reed for lieutenant
governor. We encourage you to reject negative campaign
ing by voting for a proven Republican leader, Ralph Reed,
today, to be Georgia’s first ever Republican lieutenant
governor.
Catherine and Cecil Staton
One of them, it's
reported will be
stationed at the Houston
Lake Med-Stop on Ga.
127 and Moody Road in
Perry and the other will
be abased at Houston
County Fire Station
No. 1 on Carl Vinson
Parkway. It's good
news for the obvious:
With Houston County's
populace steadily on the
rise, it's— in a secret
to no one - important
we equip emergency
personnel accordingly.
Progress brings new WR era
I ate lunch at the busi
est restaurant in Warner
Robins yesterday and did
not see anyone I knew.
Odd? Not so odd?
It seems strange to me,
since I have lived here for
more than 57 years. It would
seem that I would know
someone in the restaurant.
But that is not unusual.
Warner Robins has grown
from a tiny village where
everyone knew everyone else
to a city where almost every
one you see is a stranger.
I’m not sure I like it.
I enjoyed going places and
running into friends and
acquaintances. Now it is as
if I was in a strange city
much of the time. What’s
the difference between eat
ing out among strangers at
home or in another city?
It is that way just about
anywhere I go in Warner
Robins today. I am surround
ed by residents of Warner
Robins and I feel like a new
comer in a city where I have
spent most of my adult life.
There still are some of
the people I call “oldtimers”
around, but their numbers
diminish with each year. A
few have moved a way, but
usually our numbers are
reduced by funerals. Most of
us do not get around much
anymore and it is at funerals
"Election editions are great sellers -winners buy them to
celebrate and losers want to stuff them under their birdcages!"
Your words have immeasurable power
By Gregg Hunter
Vice president of Georgia
Family Council
On a recent PBS special
about Thomas Jefferson,
historian Garry Wills said:
“I think the thing to
remember from Jefferson
is the power of the word
... That words beautifully
shaped reshape lives. That
a person who has certain
disadvantages and flaws
and even crimes, like hold
ing slaves, can transcend his
imprisonment within reality
by casting out words that
take you into a new reality.”
As a “words guy” I was
moved by this statement. If
you weren’t, take a minute
and read the quote again
- slowly.
Thomas Jefferson, the man
credited with crafting the
Declaration of Independence
more than 230 years ago,
obviously believed in the
power of words. In an era
long before computers, e
mail or even electric type
writers, Jefferson carefully
put together words that
had the power, according to
Wills, to take people “into a
new reality.”
Jefferson’s powerful words
helped bring a new nation
into being, and painted a
picture of what this coun
try could be - should be. In
doing so, he cast a vision
of this nation’s future for
both its citizens and those in
power in England.
While Thomas Jefferson’s
words actually helped shape
a country, Wills emphasized
that the important impact
is on the individual. Put
another way, the words we
use as we communicate with
those around us have the
power to shape lives.
Indeed, our words have the
ability to do great good or
tremendous harm, to bring
healing or pain, whether in
politics, business, friend
ships or in our families.
What do your words bring?
If your close associates or
Columnist
that we get to rub shoulders,
share memories and catch
up on what we have been
doing.
I have to admit I miss
small town life. But nothing
can hold back progress and
I doubt that I would want
it to. We have much to take
the place of the life we had
back then. Some sacrifices,
including the laid back small
town life, must be made.
We now have anew Houston
County Warner Robins,
Perry and Centerville to
replace the old.
We have thousands of
people living in our county
who know nothing about the
history of our community
and, unfortunately, most
of them are not interested
in it. They have come from
many places and have new
lives in a vibrant, interest
ing and safe place. They
family were interviewed
about the most common
effects of your speech, what
would they say? Would your
children say your words
make them feel good and
encouraged? Would your
spouse say you frequently
use words to build up, to
praise, to support?
Or would those around
you say you nag, correct,
“harp” too much.
That you consistently show
your displeasure through
what you say? Would people
say your words are nega
tively cast or “beautifully
shaped”?
Experts believe that posi
tive, encouraging words can
make a significant difference
in the lives of children, spe
cifically kids diagnosed with
attention deficit/hyperactiv
ity disorder.
“Children thrive on posi
tive attention,” wrote Robert
Meyers, PhD. “Children
need to feel loved and appre
ciated. Most parents find
that it is easier to provide
negative feedback rather
than positive feedback. By
selecting and using some
[positive phrases] on a daily
basis with your child, you
will find that he will start
paying more attention to you
and will try harder to please.
Recent research shows that
ADHD children may need
more praise than the aver
age child. Unfortunately,
because of their behavior
they often receive less.”
We’ve all heard stories
about kids who were told
things repeatedly in their
formative years that defined
who they became. When
parents, family friends or
teachers repeatedly say to
a kid, “You’ll never amount
to much” or “Can’t you do
anything right?” or “Why
aren’t you more like your
sister?” those messages
sink in quickly and deeply,
often altering what the child
thinks of himself.
A good friend of mine was
are Houston County today.
Some of them would like
to change Houston County
into a carbon copy of the
place they left. It concerns
me that so few of them are
taking a personal interest
in civic, political and social
activities that are the fabric
of any community.
A generation or two of
leaders has come and gone
since I came here. Leaders
who grew up here and have
been part of the fabric of
the community all their lives
are being replaced by new
comers who must step for
ward and assume leadership
roles.
They bring with them a
diversity of experiences and
knowledge. There must be
some among them with out
standing potential for lead
ership.
We are in a new era. Those
told in her early teens that
she had an ugly smile. She
believed it because she cared
about the person who made
the comment, and into her
early 20s was still convinced
her smile was unattractive.
For years, she made a con
scious effort to cover it. When
I got to know her I told her
she had a great smile that lit
up her whole face and made
her eyes sparkle. And she
has beautiful eyes - eyes I’ve
had the privilege of looking
into over more than 22 years
of marriage.
My wife, a very strong,
intelligent and confident
woman, had subconsciously
bought into the words deliv
ered at a vulnerable period
in her life, and they had an
impact on her for years.
Are you using your “word
power” to build up or to tear
down? I promise you this:
Your spouse will respond to
your positive words like a
thirsty plant in the dessert
- especially if you’re not in
the habit of paying compli
ments often. And if that’s
the case, you may need a
little help to get started. Try
whichever of these apply:
- I appreciate how hard
you work to provide for our
family.
- You are a great cook.
That was a blue-ribbon
meal.
- You look terrific today.
- I’m glad I’m married to
you.
- I’m proud of you.
- I respect the way you
handled that situation.
- I like your smile.
- Your laughter is like
music to my soul.
- You’re a good mom/dad
- thanks for loving our kids.
- I like you, and I’m glad
you’re my friend.
I’m sure you can think of
additional positive words on
your own. The point is - use
them! Your words, and the
thoughts they convey, con
tain the power to “reshape
lives” and they can reshape
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
of us who have been here
so long and put our stamp
on things are fading from
the scene. Soon the real pio
neers of Warner Robins will
pass away and memories
of them will fade into his
tory. Already many of the
men and women who were
so instrumental in providing
the foundation for Warner
Robins have been forgotten
by many and have never
been heard of by others.
No one is irreplaceable.
But deeds performed many
years ago laid the founda
tion for what we have today.
Some of the forgotten
made tremendous personal
sacrifices in the interest of
keeping Warner Robins from
fading into history more
than 50 years ago. You see
some of their names on signs
and not many who see the
signs know who they were.
For example, the name of
Watson is predominant in
Warner Robins. How many
who read this know that
C.B. (Boss) Watson was this
city’s first mayor and that
when the city did not have
enough money to pay city
employees their salaries he
wrote checks from his per
sonal checking account to
pay them?
More importantly, how
many really care?
a marriage or other impor
tant relationship in your life
as well.
The end of Wills’ quote
above may seem a little lofty
or confusing when he said,
“That a person who has cer
tain disadvantages and flaws
and even crimes, like hold
ing slaves, can transcend his
imprisonment within reality
by casting out words that
take you into a new reality.”
Wills is referring to past
offenses committed by
Jefferson, specifically the fact
that he was a slave owner.
Some historians believe that
Jefferson was influenced by
the life’s work of William
Wilberforce, the British
Minister of Parliament
who fought for decades to
see the British slave trade
abolished. In his later life,
Jefferson was convinced
that slave ownership should
not be legal, and he became
an advocate for abolition.
I include this part of the
quote here because we’ve all
made mistakes, whether in
word or deed.
Mine are too many to
count. And they’ve hurt
people.
But I am encouraged
by Wills’ assessment of
Jefferson’s powerful use of
words to, in effect, break out
of the prison of your former
deeds and bring about a new
reality by using new words,
positive words, that are good
for others. Put another way,
it’s never too late to change.
Our words have great
power - the power to begin
nations, the power to correct
past wrongs, and the power
to reshape the lives of those
around us.
Georgia Family Council
is a non-profit organization
that works to strengthen and
defend the family in Georgia
by impacting communities,
shaping laws and influenc
ing culture. For more infor
mation, go to www.georgia
family.org, 770-242-0001 or
gregg@gafam.org.