It was on March 2, 1861, that President James Buchanan signed into existence Dakota Territory — which included present-day North and South Dakota, along with most of Montana and Wyoming — and named Yankton its capital.
It was shortly after the formation of the Dakota territory that the US we engulfed in a Civil War.  Some of the Civil War Generals (rejects) and troops were assigned to the Dakota’s.  I wonder how much different things would of turned out if more attention was placed upon the Dakota’s.  Then Custer types would not of caused problems for the Native Americans. 

You are on a jury and you have to bring back a guilty or innocent verdict. (Based on a real life scenario)

A guy using the internet admits he helps people commit suicide.  He hunts down people and then talks them through the process. He lets them know what to expect.  A few people have actually committed suicide because of his encouragement.  (If you can use the word encouragement in this context)  He’s going to court.  His defense:  I can do this because it’s freedom of speech.

Does this guy have freedom of speech to do this?  How far does freedom of speech go?

If you’re interested I’m reading and reviewing a book in our Signet Group.  Here is my review of Chapter 2:
Relational Intelligence

I’m reading and reviewing a book in CM group.  Here is my review of the introduction: Postmodern Children’s Ministry

I use to have a sign on a jar that sat on my desk: “If you don’t like change, please leave it here.”  Well I’m not talking about that kind of change here.  I feel this year I personally and at my job have to make some changes.  I personally like to have things in routine and in order.  Summer is ok for me but not my favorite season because of routine gone wacky.  I do want a different outcome, thus my thoughts of why things have to change.  I will make the changes neccessary but I’m not going to like it.  The definition of insanity is: Expecting a different result without changing anything. 

How about you, Does change come easy for you? or do you fight change?

I have over 17,000 credits.  What does one do with credits?

Kalli had to have some dental work done on her teeth. While that was happening Kim & I waited in the waiting room.  Here are my observations:
Lady puts public use pen in her mouth – yuck
2 ladies having a conversation about dogs
Little girl whining to her mom about wanting to brush her teeth
Most of the magazines are for women – what does that tell you? 
Lady felt the need to say that she didn’t see the no food sign until after biting into her apple
Lady just said, “They could of arrested me”  (Not the same lady with the apple)
The guy that keeps walking past me really needs to pull his pants all the way up.
A woman spoke to us from across the waiting room telling us she was alergic to balloons.  “My throat swells up,” she said (after telling the lady in uniform not to give her kids balloons.)

OK, Close your eyes and think about an imaginary waiting room.  What are your observations?

I looked for something apposite to write today, but chose this topic anyway.
Word of the Day – apposite
Psalms

This is not a post about whether you believe in same sex marriage or not. 
President Obama has chosen not to uphold a law about marriage because he does not agree with it. The law was signed into exsistence by President Clinton.  

Do you think it’s right that Obama can order the DOJ to not uphold a law just because he doesn’t like it? 
Does it make Obama look like he is above the law?
Is it right for the President to choose which laws to obey and which ones not to?
Is it the responsibility of the President to uphold all laws of the land? 
Can the President in disregarding this law have serious consequences for the USA? 

The first thing I thought of when I woke this morning is thankfulness.  It helps me put everything in focus when my focus becomes blurry.  Here is some of the things I’m thankful for:

Jesus
Wife
Family
Foster Children
Home
Friends
Ministry
Work Place
Co-workers
Health

What are you thankful for?

As Christians we may live precarious lives, but we’ll have peace in the midst of it.
Word of the Day – precarious
Psalms

Bad inner ear infection – dizzy

I think it was in 1995 when the government shut down.  I was working for the Federal Prison.  I didn’t get a paycheck during the shut down.  I remember my representative Tim Johnson (D) called me and talked to me.  He didn’t know I wasn’t getting paid.  I was really surprised that he didn’t know.  It wasn’t too big a deal to me at the time because we didn’t live pay day to pay day and I believed in the reason why it was shut down. I was just bothered that my representative was in the dark about it.  March 4, 2011 is another D day for government shut down.  Many people believe we have to stop spending money and even the liberal media has criticized Obama’s present budget.  Congress is taking time off soon and will convene with only days left before the shut down.  I really believe that we have to stop spending money.  Here in Yankton there is 20 million allotted to put sand in the Missouri  river for a bird habitat.  The sand already washed down stream once and it will do it again this spring because of flooding.  It’s this kind of spending that is destroying America.

Should the government shut down if the budget can’t be decided upon?  How would the world view America?

Since I’m not feeling the best today, I’m glad I don’t have a cornucopia of things to do.
Word of the Day – cornucopia

Psalms

I wonder what was on this 9 year old boys mind.  It was the spring of 1968.  He may have been thinking of his Grandfather who was living with him. He may of been thinking about his Dad, who was running the gas station. Or he may of been thinking about his little brother or sister.  He may of been thinking about playing in the corn field behind the house or the old garage that had many car parts.  He could of been thinking about the marble game that was next to him.  His Dad made it and it was so fun.  What did he do after homework? What was the next scene after looking at the easter present?  What was his birthday present that year? 
My Mom gave me all my photo albums and I’ve been loving going through them.  It caused me to wonder, what was on his mind?

What are your memories when you were 9 years old?

Saving Money?

A good saying:  You have to have money to make money.  We use to live pay day to pay day.  We couldn’t get ahead.  We don’t do that any more.  We saved and have an emergency fund that can’t be touched accept for emergencies.  We have a car fund.  I call it our reverse car loan.  I put what I think we would pay for a vehicle in the savings on a regular basis.  We’ve paid cash for our vehicles for over a decade. We have never just pay for our home mortgage. We pay a few extra dollars on it every month.  Now after several years of doing that the principle amount is much lower. We also have a cushion fund – about a pay day ahead.  My wife is a master penny stretcher.  When she finds things on sale she buys several months worth of the item.  Cans of vegetables went on sale yesterday.  We bought several months supply.  It was over ½ price off.  Kim has been known to get gas for under a dollar a gallon. 

Hy Vee gas station has a promotion that gives us so much off a gallon of gas for purchase in the Hy Vee store.  My wife gets the meds and food together and very cheap gas.  I don’t make a lot of money and getting the money saved for the different funds took a lot of sacrifice but it has paid off.

What ways do you use to save money and make your pennies go further?

We always have to be on the alert for the guile, but not to the extent we fail to love people.

Word of the Day- Guile