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4A ♦ TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2006 Houston djmmutl OPINION Daniel F. Evans Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Vice President Don Moncrief Foy S. Evans Managing Editor Editor Emeritus Who really believes this? Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, speaking for public consumption, said that the cease fire between Israel and Hezbollah is the beginning of “permanent peace.” She is too smart a woman to believe that. In past decades, since the state of Israel was created, we have had several agree ments that were supposed to result in “peace during our lifetime.” The word “lifetime” was used loosely, because it never lasted very long. There probably never will be real peace in the Middle East. The Islamic, as stated by the president of Iran, will not be pleased until Israel is wiped from the face of the earth. As long as there is a United States, regardless of who is in power, this will not happen. Stalemate and eternal conflict? For the time being, there is a shaky peace between Israel and Hezbollah, which will end sooner or later. Probably sooner than later. Americans, footing most of the bill to destroy much of South Lebanon, now will foot most of the bill to rebuild its cit ies and villages before they are destroyed once again. Our generation has done a good job of helping create a world of uncertainty and danger for future generations to endure. Plenty of land is left Finally, after watching Warner Robins grow at a remarkable pace, Perry now is receiving attention as a major growth area. Residential developments are moving farther south, with the demand on infra structure from the city of Perry increas ing and more requests for annexation. Mayor Jim Worrall said recently that growth “may be coming too fast”, as his city prepares to meet the demand for services. Worrall said the city wants to protect what he describes the “old city” from the effects of the growth while at the same time gearing up to deal with subdivisions that could almost double Perry’s popula tion within a few years. The mayor made an interesting obser vation when he said he does not believe that major growth south of Perry is in the offing, though there are two major developments in that area. He believes, as do many observers who have ridden around our county, that there is sufficient undeveloped proper ty suitable for residential developments between Perry and Warner Robins to meet the demand for many years to come. This observation flies in the face of con ventional wisdom that the Perry-Warner Robins corridor is “almost fully devel oped.” It isn’t. So far, growth continues unabated, and there is plenty of land still available to accommodate the demand. Worth Repeating “Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action, and bidding an affection ate farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life. Speech The Continental Congress, Philadelphia, December 23, 1783” George Washington, 1732-1799 Ist President of the United States (VA) There probably never will be real peace in the Middle East. The Islamic, as stated by the presi dent of Iran, will not be pleased until Israel is wiped from the face of the earth. Courthouse short on customer convenience Some buildings are constructed for convenience of the public. Some for looks. Some for the conve nience of people who work in them. It has been obvious, from the begin ning, that the public was not given much consideration when the new Houston County courthouse was designed and constructed. The first time I saw it I was sur prised to learn that the rear of the building faced Perry Parkway. When I visited the courthouse I saw that it was not designed to be customer friendly. The long walk from the parking lot was a surprise.lt wasn’t even designed for the convenience of government work ers, and that is something that you expect at any government facility. Handicapped persons could be dropped off at the front door, which was convenient, until recently when the driveway was blocked for security reasons. A handicapped person driving himself to the courthouse could park with everyone else and endure the long walk to get inside the building. To offset the inconvenience of park ing a nice stroll from the entrance to the building something is being done, thankfully, by providing a ride in a golf cart from the parking lot. It helps, but it would have been more helpful to everyone, the handicapped as well as others, if convenience for customers had been taken into account when this ”31 ft J sssfi "I can't believe Canada, geese are that big a problem!" Now's a good time to prepare for tomorrow' By Randy Hicks President of Georgia Family Council A few months ago I received a campaign e-mail from a friend who is running for public office in Georgia. The theme of the e-mail was direct: “You don’t actu ally win a campaign on Election Day, you find out the results on Election Day. The actual winning starts much, much earlier.” That principle holds true for every significant endeav or in life, doesn’t it? It even applies to marriage, a truth I want to discuss momen tarily. But first, let me give some other examples of this concept. When a can of soda is picked up and purchased, the sale wasn’t just made that day. Rather, the sale was earned over an extended period of time in the pro duction, marketing and dis tribution of that product. Careful thought, hard work and attention to detail by a lot of people preceded the simple act of grabbing a can off a grocery store shelf. When a final exam is taken by a student, with rare exception, the grade she receives was earned over the course of the semester and in the days immediately pre ceding the actual timeframe of the test. The grade simply reveals her level of prepared ness. When the University of Georgia (plug in your favor ite college football team if you’d like) wins a football game on a Saturday in the fall, the coaches will tell you that the game was won during practice that week. Simply put, through their hard work during the week they were prepared for what game-day action brought. I could go on with other examples, but let me “unpack” that football OPINION courthouse was designed. Question: Would any private busi ness make it so inconvenient for cus tomers (visitors) to get inside to do business? ■ ■■ My county taxes are going up this year. Am I outraged? No. I am not happy about it, but when I compare the taxes we pay in Houston County with other growing areas (as well as some surrounding counties) I do not feel that I am a victim. For the record, the valuation on a house I own went up about $20,000 this year. I have the house for sale. It may or may not bring what I am asking for it, but I suspect that I will be able to sell it for a few dollars more than the valuation for tax purposes. A common statement by outraged taxpayers, who object to the taxes they pay, is that “if they will give me what they say it is worth I will sell and move illustration a little more. As football fans, we see a great throw, catch, run or game-saving tackle and are amazed by the quality of the single play. But in reality, what the athlete achieved at that moment was made possible by his hard work. Yes, he has superior ability and instincts, but it is through days and weeks of sweat and preparation that the athlete develops the ability to do automatically under pressure what he otherwise might not. Back to marriage, and all our family relationships for that matter. There’s not a question of whether we will face challenges, but when. We just will. The only ques tion is, “Will our marital habits and practices today steel us against the chal lenges of tomorrow?” For some, the trouble will seem to be nothing more than the typical bumps in the road common to every human being and every mar ried couple; trouble that is difficult to endure, but not the kind that threatens to ruin our marriages. For others, the trouble will become more severe and more threatening over time and, for many, will destroy their marriages. And in almost all cases, the destruction was preventable had they known a simple principle: The battle for my marriage is won today, not when trou ble comes. Some people reading this are thinking, “I know what you mean. We’re facing a bigger challenge than I ever imagined. And it’s hard - really hard; I wish I had been prepared for it.” Others can’t imagine it. “Sure we’ve got our prob lems from time to time, and we certainly don’t always communicate well, but it all usually blows over after a HHk . a lIH Foy Evans Columnist foyevansl9@cox.net while and we’re fine.” That’s not good enough. What may seem like a minor problem today may grow into a significant one later. If I fail to make myself available for deeper, pro longed conversations with my wife now, I’m going to be less likely to do so in pressure-packed situations. If I haven’t learned to honor and esteem my wife while things are good and calm, what makes me think I’ll do so when stressful times hit? If I haven’t learned how to resolve little conflicts, I’m going to have a harder time when the stakes are higher. What pressure-packed, high-stakes situations could cause this much trouble? ■ The death of a loved one ■ The natural pressures associated with raising chil dren ■ A wayward child ■ An increased workload or high-stress job ■ Illness ■ A big move from one town or state to another ■ The loss of a job Now I’m not suggesting that you live with an omi nous feeling of impending doom. In fact, if anything, it’s the opposite. Too often we go around living life as if everything is as serious as a heart attack. We need to slow down, enjoy life and enjoy our spouse. At the same time, it is important to understand that life is relentless - it just keeps coming at you. And because it keeps coming at you, you need to be prepared for what it brings. So what do we need to do in order to be in a position of relational strength when high waters flood our lives? First, communicate. Honestly, along with a deep sense of commitment, there’s nothing more impor tant. Communication pro vides the pathways to under- HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL away.” Though I have heard that state ment many times none of the people I know have followed through on that threat. Many years ago Florida had a law that kept this kind of complaint at a minimum. If a property owner filed an appeal claiming his home or property was worth less than the valuation for tax purposes he would have to be will ing to sell at that price. Property own ers thought twice before appealing. ■ ■■ Residents along Langston Road are upset that growth is encroaching on their lifestyle, and I can sympathize with them. Growth is coming. Landowners will sell when the price is right. Those who do not sell will find themselves sur rounded by subdivisions and all the undesirable things that encroach on their way of life. It happens everywhere. If I had a home in a rural part of the county I would feel just as those people do. But I also would know that there is no way to put the brakes on growth, here or anywhere else, and there is no way to get away from it without moving to some isolated wilderness. That, unfortunately, is how it is. Growth is like kudzu. There’s no way to stop it. standing desires, needs, hurts and expectations, all of which are intricately tied to marital satisfaction and health. Your spouse can’t meet a need or expectation they don’t know you have. They can’t soothe a hurt they don’t know exists. Take the time - make the time - to communicate. Second, learn to resolve conflict. Though this could have been a sub point under communication, it warrants special attention. A habit of unresolved con flict builds resentment and distrust and ultimately eats at the foundation of marriage. Troubled times require high doses of trust - trust that your spouse’s intentions are good and trust that the two of you “can work through anything.” In resolving con flict, you’re developing the “muscle memory” that will enable you survive more dif ficult times. Third, get in the habit of accepting your wife or husband’s advice and taking what they say seriously. This helps to build trust. In high pressure times, we want to know that we’re not just being listened to - we want to know that we’re being heard. Finally, honor and respect your spouse. Remember the good qualities that drew you to your wife or husband, and verbalize it. When you place his or her needs above your own, then seek to meet those needs, your actions will prove that you care, which will help to cement the relationship for the long haul. 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 greeg@gagam.org.