UNITY

Daily Devotional for Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

One of the great benefits and blessings of true Christianity is unity. The Lord expressed His fervent desire for unity in His prayer to the Father shortly before His crucifixion (John 17:20-23). This has always been the will of God and will remain so. Unity has become a popular subject in religious circles for the past several decades.

I Corinthians was written to develop true unity based on respect for the authority of God's Word, which is the only way people can be united in anything. There indeed is to be "unity in diversity" in the church, but not about doctrine. The desired “unity in diversity” relates instead to differences in talent and personality. The apostle Paul uses the human body to illustrate the unity and the relationships that are to exist among members. He wrote, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. (I Cor. 12:12-14).

The church at Corinth was sorely divided over spiritual gifts. Many of the members were unhappy with their gifts and talents. They didn't feel important because they couldn't do some of the things others could do. There was envy and jealousy and a great deal of immaturity which led to division. The apostle Paul wanted them to know that each member was important and each member was different for a reason. They could operate more effectively that way. He wrote, “If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body” (I Cor. 12:15-20).

The apostle Paul wanted the members at Corinth to see the absurdity of having a body with only one member. It couldn't function. God has given each member specific talents and abilities to provide a certain function in the body of Christ. Each member is important and needed for the growth and health of the congregation. (See I Peter 4:11). No member should feel INFERIOR to any other member. But on the other hand, no member should feel SUPERIOR to any other member. Paul went on to say, “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Cor. 12:21-26).
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Golden Gods

I read an artical in the news paper the other day about how the price of gold had went up and more people were hoarding gold as an hedge aginst inflation. It got me to thinking about the Israelites and the way they let gold become there master.

God had seized the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a series of plagues. Now they were dying to be rid of their Hebrew slaves. But God didn't want the Israelites to leave Egypt empty handed. After all, they had 400 years of wages due them. So they asked their former masters for articles of silver, gold, and clothing, and they got them. Exodus 12:36 says that the Israelites "plundered the Egyptians."

It wasn't long, however, until God's people fell into idolatry. They used their gold to make a golden calf, which they worshiped while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law (32:1-4).

This tragic experience highlights the tension that Christians are required to maintain in relation to their possessions. There is much in our society that we may enjoy. But material things can also pose grave dangers when we use them uncritically. Guinness says that we are "free to utilize" but "forbidden to idolize." We are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13), and we must not become so enamored with "the riches of Egypt" that we grow complacent and forget our true calling.

Are we using our material blessings to serve the Lord or have we become slaves to them? Gold can be a helpful servant but a cruel master.
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Thank You Lord

1. Every day I am thankful for what I have and who I am!

2. Every day I clutch my blanket and smile when the alarm goes off. Thank you, Lord that I can hear. There are many who are deaf!

3. Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light for as long as possible, thank you Lord for I can see. Many are blind!

4. Even though I huddle in my bed & put off rising, thank you, Lord that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden!

5. Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burnt, tempers are short, and my children are loud, thank you, Lord for my family. There are many who are lonely!

6. Even though our breakfast tables never looks like the pictures in the magazines, & our meal is sometimes unbalanced, thank you, Lord for the food we have. There are many who are hungry!

7. Even though the routine of my job is monotonous, thank you, Lord for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job!

8. I thank you, Lord, for giving me life!

Look back and give the Lord thanks; look forward & trust Him; look around & serve Him; look within & find the Lord! Remember that God closes doors that no man can open & He opens doors that no man can close!
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The Stagecoach

The Story behind the Stagecoach
Who hasn't heard of the Wells Fargo wagon? The very name conjures up images of six-horse stagecoaches thundering across the American West, laden with gold, mail and merchandise. This indelible image is one piece of the Coach's rich history, which, spanning 150 years, tells the story of America's march to the Pacific coast.

Built high and wide with a curved frame that gave it strength, the Wells Fargo Coach sported perfectly formed, fitted and balanced wheels, just right for standing up to drenching mountain storms and parching desert heat. But what made the Wells Fargo
Coach a classic was the leather suspension that cushioned the horses as well as the passengers, imparting a gentle rocking motion, leading Mark Twain to call it, "An imposing cradle on wheels."

In the 1850s, Wells Fargo coaches delivered mail twice weekly between St. Louis and San Francisco, a 25-day journey across vast treeless plains, jagged mountain passes, scorching deserts and raging rivers cursed with quicksand. The coach stopped only to change horses or let passengers slug down a cup of coffee with their beef jerky and biscuits.

The Civil War forced a route change across the Great Plains through the Rocky Mountains and over the Sierra mountains, from California to Virginia City, Nevada, and from Virginia City to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Where the railroads ended
In 1869 at Promontory, Utah, dignitaries hammered in a Golden Spike, which joined the rails of the Transcontinental Railroad - and ended Wells Fargo's overland stageline.

However, stagecoaches continued rolling wherever the railroads did not. Wells Fargo contracted with independent stageline operators to carry treasure boxes and express, even into the early 20th century. Whether in Sierra mountain towns, northern Minnesota villages, Pacific Northwest coastal farms, or west Texas ranches, stagecoaches carried Wells Fargo customers' business wherever they lived and worked.

Wells Fargo Stagecoach on parade
As symbol of our image, heritage and values, the legendary stagecoach is priceless, and Wells Fargo strives to present it to our communities. Every year, people across the nation see the horse-drawn stagecoach of the Old West in their streets. You can experience the sight and sound of the Wells Fargo stagecoach rolling at parades and events. On special occasions, you may even take a ride in this amazing piece of American history!

Every stagecoach appearance speaks deeply to Wells Fargo's history, brand, vision, values and commitment to the communities we serve. It also tells our customers that we're here for them now and over time. As our former chairman Dick Kovacevich once said, "The stagecoach is the visual representation of our values and of coming through for our customers wherever they live and wherever they want to go."

Information 1860

US National Debt in 1860 was $64,842,287.00
Population was 31,443,000


The year was 1861
USA
The US was in the throws of a civil war. President Abraham Lincoln needed money for the war and went with his Secretary of the Treasury Solomon P. Chase, to get loans. The banks offered the Union loans with a 24 to 36% interest. Lincoln refused.

An old friend of Lincoln's, Colonel Dick Taylor of Chicago was put in charge of solving the problem of how to finance the war. His solution is recorded as this.

Unofficial Version

"Just get Congress to pass a bill authorizing the printing of full legal tender treasury notes... and pay your soldiers with them and go ahead and win your war with them also." — Colonel Dick Taylor

There are two versions of how well this worked. The official version in many textbooks states that the union currency became worthless. The Unofficial version states that debts were paid and the money was accepted.

The American Civil War started and lasted until 1865.

Mention the American Civil War and the first thing that springs to mind is the emancipation of the slaves but which was started like so many wars for economic reasons.

The northern elite wanted economic expansion, free land, free labor, a free market, a high protective tariff for manufacturers and a Bank of the United States. The Southern slave owners opposed all that. They viewed Lincoln and the Republicans as making impossible the continuation of their pleasant and prosperous way of life.

The Civil War killed more than 2% of the population of the US.
Two percent would be approximately 628,860 killed.
The 1860 U.S. Census showed a population of 31,443,000
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Biltmore House

George W. Vanderbilt, youngest son of William H. Vanderbilt and grandson of "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, enjoyed visiting western North Carolina for its mild climate and spectacular scenery. During a visit in the mid-1880s, Vanderbilt was inspired by a view from Downtown Asheville so spectacular that he purchased 125,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains for his summer estate. His legacy is the Biltmore Estate, embodying his vision as well as that of architect Richard Morris Hunt, supervising architect Richard Sharp Smith, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

The centerpiece is the Biltmore House, a four-story French Renaissance manor designed by Hunt and completed in 1895. Exterior walls are Indiana limestone brought by rail to the site. Its steeply pitched roof has a copper roofline with Vanderbilt's initials repeatedly inscribed along the crest. Said to be the largest private house in the United States, the interior floor area of the 250-room house covers four acres. It was designed as a country retreat for Vanderbilt, his family and friends, and to showcase his vast collection of art and antiques gathered in world travels--a collection that remains intact today. At a time when bathrooms were virtually unheard of, Biltmore House had 43. There are 65 fireplaces and three kitchens, along with 34 bedrooms, a grand Banquet Hall and a Library containing 10,000 volumes. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the three-mile approach road and the estate's gardens including the Walled Garden, an Azalea Garden with one of the country's most complete collections of native and hybrid azaleas, a formal Italian Garden and a glass Conservatory.

Included on the estate's present 8,000 acres are vineyards that provide more than 250tons of grapes for the Biltmore Estate Winery, as well as farmland, pastures and forests. In addition to Biltmore House, the estate operates four restaurants, eight shops and its award-winning winery. The 213-room Inn on Biltmore Estate opened in spring 2001. Biltmore Estate is still privately owned and operated by George W. Vanderbilt's descendants.

Father's Day

Have you ever been drawn into a debate about which parent is the most important, the mother or the father? The question is sometimes asked, "If you had to grow up with just one parent, which one would it be?" In reality, this debate cannot be won. Each parent brings something to the table by God's design that the other cannot provide. Parenthood is a team effort! The spiritual, psychological, and emotional nurture of children is dependent on both father and mother in order to achieve the desired results! It should therefore surprise no one that the major contributor to the turmoil in our nation is the steady disintegration of the God-ordained family.

The role of the father in America has taken some devastating blows in the last half century. As we celebrate another Father's Day, we are made aware once more that millions of our children have no idea who their father is. Millions more are estranged from them by divorce and or abandonment. One of the difficulties incurred in evangelism is the inability of many to comprehend the concept of the Fatherhood of God inasmuch as they have no earthly counterpart with which to relate it. Revival in America is a virtual impossibility apart from repentance in the hearts of derelict fathers. Abortion, the legalized murder of the unborn, has also contributed to the hostile national climate.
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Helen Steiner Rice

Sometimes when faith is running low
and I cannot fathom why things are so,
I walk alone among the flowers that
grow and learn the answers to all
I would know.


For among God's flowers
I have come to see
Life's miracles and its mystery.
And standing in silence
and reverie my faith
is renewed to me.
~Helen Steiner Rice~

Lawrence Co. Tennessee

The Best Kept Secret in Lawrence County

Most Lawrence County citizens are probably unaware that
presently much of Lawrence County Tn. looks more like
Kansas than Kansas.
Short drives off highways 43 and 64 into the countryside
anywhere in Lawrence County one sees
endless fields of corn and grain.

The sight is most reassuring, not only does it confirm we
have a bountiful supply of food crops, it will also soon
provide the stuff we pump into our automobile's fuel
tank.
This was copied from a Lawrence Co. Tennessee website.

Reputation and Character

The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character.

Reputation is what you are supposed to be; character is what you are.

Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.

Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.

Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like an oak.

A single newspaper gives you reputation; a life of toil gives you character.

Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.

Reputation is what men saw about you on the tombstones; character is what the angels say about you around the throne of God.
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Stanford Reunion 2010

The 2010 Stanford reunion was a great success.
The picture is part of the 2010 group.
Left click on the picture.

Happiness

One day, one friend asked another, “How is it that you are always so happy, you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?”

With her eyes smiling, she said, “I know the Secret!”

“What secret is that?”

To which she replied, “I’ll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others. The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to His riches. I have learned most of the time I don’t need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that Secret I am happy.”

The questioner’s first thought was, That is too simple! But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn’t! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn’t! When did she realize her greatest happiness? While sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God brought her true happiness!

Now you know the Secret too! We can’t depend on people or things to make us happy. Only God in His wisdom can do that. Trust Him! He will never let you down.
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Stanford Reunion

SECOND SATURDAY IN JUNE 2010

LOCATION IS LORETTO CITY PARK

LORETTO, TENNESSEE

START TIME IS 10:30 A.M.

PLEASE BRING LAWN CHAIRS JUST IN CASE WE NEED THEM

PLEASE BRING SANDWICHES & DRINKS

WE CAN PLAN A MEAL FOR 2011

FAST FOOD AND RESTURANTS ARE CLOSE BY

HOTELS ARE AVAILABLE IN LAWRENCEBURG

RICHLAND INN 931-762-0061

CALL FAMILY MEMBERS

FAMILY FRIENDS ARE WELCOME

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW

TOM STANFORD 931-766-0319

PLEASE BRING PICTURES, ETC

Potted Plants

This story is true—only the names and places have been withheld to protect the guilty! A congregation moved into a new building with gleeful delight and some degree of pride over the elegant surroundings in which they would worship. Someone supplied two beautiful five-foot plants to adorn the front of the new auditorium.

Some months following the opening service in the new building, to the dismay of the elders and building committee, the plants disappeared. Said elders and said committee sounded the alarm. The congregation was bombarded with announcements. Men were deputized to seek the where about of that which was lost. Apologies were made to the donors of the decorative plants. For two months the missing potted plants became the conversation piece of the church at worship and at home. The search was intensified and the announcements and pleadings seemed unending.

The quest ended quite abruptly when the local preacher dared to solve the problem. It took nerve to do it! Since the potted plants had not been found and obviously were not going to be, he arose following a long announcement about the lost decorations and said, “We have heard a great deal about the missing plants that were lost. For two months, at every service, announcements have been made and people have earnestly looked to that which is lost. For years we have known that sheep have strayed from the flock. Prodigal sons are away form the worship and the Bible declares that they are lost. Each soul missing here today is more valuable than the whole world—and yet we have not heard one announcement nor have we seen anxious concern about Mary Smith, John Brown, or Sam Jones whose eternal welfare may hang on our concern. If we had put forward one-tenth the energy in locating the lost souls of this flock that we have the lost potted plants, surely the angels in heaven would rejoice!”
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Screening Phone Calls

A dad explained to his young son how his office secretary helps him by screening his incoming phone calls. If the young boy’s mom phones the office the secretary would let her know what her husband was busy with and this way his mom could decide whether or not to disturbed him.

The dad continued talking to his son telling him that if he called the office his secretary would put him though immediately. He wanted his son to know that he had total access to his dad because he is his son.

Several days later, a phone call came in and the secretary immediately forwarded it to her boss. There was no screening necessary in this case because it was her boss’ son calling. The child’s father answered the phone immediately knowing it was his boy on the line. His dad asked him if anything was wrong! His son was merely testing what his father told him about his calls not being screened!

I said all of that to say this: Christians always have instant access to our heavenly Father! Our Father has no one screening our calls. There is no need to leave messages to Him so that He can call you back later. I am talking about our only means of communication with an awesome God. A God who loves His children so much that His line of communication is always available to us … no matter what time of day or night! This line of communication is called “prayer.” You will never have to wait, be screened by anyone, nor be put on hold. The Psalmist stated: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to our cries.” (Psalm 34:15). Think about this for a moment. The world’s population is well over seven billion people and yet God will spend personal, quality time with each of us! We are never bothering Him. Each prayer call is most important to our Father.

Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus the Christ provided the way for us to communicate with Him. The Bible tells us that “we can approach God’s throne of grace with boldness.” Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:22). Christians need to communicate with the Father often because He knows what help we need. Also remember that we should give God thanks for what He does for us too. Are you communicating with your heavenly Father?
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Football Time in Tennessee

Tennessee completed its 2010 football schedule Tuesday with the announcement that the Vols are hosting UT Martin to open the season, marking Tennessee's first game against a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 27 years.

“"The University of Tennessee always has placed a priority on scheduling FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) opponents in football,"” UT athletics director Mike Hamilton said. “"FBS buy games are becoming much more difficult to acquire. As we began to review the possibilities of playing an FCS opponent, it made sense to schedule a game against a school in the UT System and keep the money in state."”

“"While this will not always be a possibility, it worked for 2010 and we look forward to welcoming Skyhawk fans to Knoxville."”

Tennessee becomes the last Southeastern Conference member since expansion in 1992 to schedule an opponent from the FCS, formerly Division I-AA. The Vols defeated The Citadel 45-6 back on Oct. 1, 1983, in Memphis. Since then, UT has maintained a schedule of major college opponents.

The Vols also welcome Oregon, Florida and UAB to Neyland Stadium in September, and then host Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky to complete the home schedule. Away dates are against LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Memphis and Vanderbilt.

UT Martin finished 8-4 last season, 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference and just out of the NCAA playoffs. The Skyhawks are 21-14 in four seasons under head coach Jason Simpson and were 2006 league champions.

“"Coach Simpson and the team are looking forward to the challenge,"” UT Martin athletics director Phil Dane said. “"This is a great opportunity for our school. We look forward to the trip."”

FELLOWSHIP

Fellowship means "sharing," "communion with," "companionship with," or "association with." We have been called into an association—a companionship, a fellowship, a communion—with Christ. All these words are synonyms. The only difference might be the degree of the intimacy that is expressed. In addition, fellowship indicates people having things in common—they do things together because they share common interests. What we have in common is our love for Christ.
We are drawn to the brethren because of the common tie—the common love for the same Person. Even when we meet people in the church for the very first time, we do not feel as though they are perfect strangers to us because of that commonality. We recognize the spirit or attitude that emanates from them. It is almost something that we can feel or see because our senses seem to be attuned to it. This is why world travelers with the church say that they can go into another congregation and know that it is of the same Spirit as the one that they traveled from.
There is a bond or union between us because we love the same Person. To the Christian, then, Christ's friend is our friend. We are members of the same body. We are children in the same Family. We are soldiers in the same army. We are pilgrims on the same road. These same analogies are used many places in the Bible
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A FACT ABOUT EACH STATE

ALABAMA.................. Was the first place to have 9-1-1, started in 1968.
ALASKA..................... One out of every 64 people has a pilot's license.
ARIZONA................... Is the only state in the continental U.S. that doesn't follow Daylight Savings Time.
ARKANSAS................ Has the only active diamond mine in the U.S.
CALIFORNIA.............. Its economy is so large that if it were a country,| it would rank seventh in the entire world.
COLORADO................ In 1976 it became the only state to| turn down the Olympics.
CONNECTICUT........... The Frisbee was invented| here at Yale University .
DELAWARE............... Has more scientists and engineers| than any other state.
FLORIDA................... At 759 square miles, Jacksonville is| the U.S. 's largest city.
GEORGIA................... It was here, in 1886, that pharmacist John Pemberton made the first vat of Coca-Cola.
HAWAII..................... Hawaiians live, on average, five years longer than residents in any other state.
IDAHO....................... TV was invented in Rigby, Idaho, in 1922.
ILLINOIS................... The Chicago River is dyed green every St. Patrick's Day.
INDIANA................... Home to Santa Claus, Indiana , which get a half million letters to Santa every year.
IOWA......................... Winnebago get their name from Winnebago County . Also, it is the only state that begins with two vowels.
KANSAS..................... Liberal, Kansas, has an exact replica of the house in The Wizard of Oz.
KENTUCKY................ Has more than $6 billion in gold underneath Fort Knox .
LOUISIANA................ Has parishes instead of counties because they were originally Spanish church units.
MAINE....................... It's so big, it covers as many square miles as the other five New England states combined.
MARYLAND............... The Ouija board was created in Baltimore in 1892.
MASSACHUSETTS...... The Fig Newton is named after Newton , Massachusetts .
MICHIGAN................. Fremont, home to Gerber, is the| baby food capital of the world.
MINNESOTA.............. Bloomington�s Mall of America is so big, if you spent 10 minutes in each store, you'd be there nearly four days.
MISSISSIPPI.............. President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear here ... that's how the teddy bear got its name.
MISSOURI................. Is the birthplace of the ice cream cone.
MONTANA................. A sapphire from Montana is in the Crown Jewels of England .
NEBRASKA................ More triplets are born here than in any other state.
NEW HAMPSHIRE...... Birthplace of Tupperware, invented in 1938 by Earl Tupper.
NEW JERSEY ............. Has the most shopping malls in one area in the world.
NEW MEXICO............ Smokey the Bear was rescued from a 1950 forest fire here.
NEW YORK................ Is home to the nation's oldest cattle ranch, started in 1747 in Montauk.
NORTH CAROLINA..... Home of the first Krispy Kreme doughnut and Pepsi Cola (New Bern)
NORTH DAKOTA........ Rigby , North Dakota , is the exact geographic center of North America .
OHIO......................... The hot dog was invented here in 1900. OH !!!!
OKLAHOMA............... The grounds of the state capital are covered by operating oil wells.
OREGON.................... Has the most ghost towns in the country.
PENNSYLVANIA......... The smiley, :) was first used in 1980 by computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University .
RHODE ISLAND......... The nation's oldest bar, the White Horse Tavern, opened here in 1673.
SOUTH CAROLINA..... Sumter County is home to the world's largest gingko farm.
SOUTH DAKOTA........ Is the only state that's never had an earthquake.
TENNESSEE............... Nashville 's Grand Ole Opry is the longest running live radio show in the world.
TEXAS....................... Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco back in 1885.
UTAH........................ The first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened here in 1952.
VERMONT.................. Montpelier is the only state capital without a McDonald's.
VIRGINIA.................. Home of the world's largest office building... | The Pentagon.
WASHINGTON........... Seattle has twice as many college graduates as any other state.
WASHINGTON D.C..... Was the first planned capital in the world.
WEST VIRGINIA......... Had the world's first brick paved street, Summers Street, laid in Charleston in 1870.
WISCONSIN............... The ice cream sundae was invented here in 1881 to get around Blue Laws prohibiting ice cream from being sold on Sundays.
WYOMING................. Was the first state to allow women to vote.
I hope you enjoyed this. I found it interesting

SATURDAY MORNINGS

How Are You Spending Your Time?

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it’s the quiet solitude of the early morning. Saturday mornings are most enjoyable. My wife (Gail) is home on Saturday. That is it.