The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior

The rules of civility and decent behavior
Are now being reviewed, discoursed, and favored
When one focuses on manners- how to be courteous to others
One is governing actions as it's through respect one honors

Ever as one who would honor and obey natural parents
We, also, ought to speak of God seriously and with reverence
Let us labor to keep alive in our breast
That celestial fire, sparking as our conscience

look at Foundation Magazine...
http://www.foundationsmag.com/civility.html
and see a summary of what applies to civility

By age sixteen, Washington had copied out by hand, 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. They are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595. Presumably they were copied out as part of an exercise in penmanship assigned by young Washington's schoolmaster. The first English translation of the French rules appeared in 1640, and are ascribed to Francis Hawkins the twelve-year-old son of a doctor.

Who Will Dare to Leave their Comfort Zone?

Who will dare to leave their comfort zone
And go after a way not passed before
To reach a potential that's now unknown
And find what truly breathes at the core

Each man has something alone to do
Which lies uniquely ahead to find
By stepping off the fishing boat, trusting God anew
There is hope in Christ to become our own one of a kind

Thank you Joel Osteen
and your soft spoken ministry
go to his site by click the above title
or read fox news interview where he
spoke kindly of Mitt Romney and accepting
Mormons as Christians
Pastor Osteen got a lot of persecution
from many religions for what he said.
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,318054,00.html

God's Promises For You

Philippians 4:13

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."

Matthew 19:26

"Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."

Joshua 1:9

"This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

An Interview with Mitt Romney - 5/25/2010

There is nothing inevitable about decline
As it is now and ever has been a choice
The future of our country is ours to decide
Though doing what is right might stir up some noise

Let us be true to our American heritage
As we have faced challenging times before
This is what gives us the leading edge
As then our resolve for unity is reborn

We are a shining city on a hill
Though our example is not as bright as it could be
We have glorious works to fulfill
And must meet our problems head on...honestly

The American spirit is being rekindled
Through tea parties and community action
For we recognize that we have been swindled
And refuse to leave our future to the hands of a socialist faction

In the Public Arena- Civility

In the public arena
It's an ambiguous task
To decide who is civil
And who's being an *ass

The language, the tone
The color of faces
Our character's shown
During political races

Civility is when
Opinions are spoken
With the playing field even
And minds laying open

As we separate issues
From factions or people
We debate and progress
And soar with the eagles



*as in the biblical meaning- donkey
Civility lecture tour at Salt Lake library Thursday night
By Amy Choate-Nielsen

Deseret News
Thursday, May 27, 2010


Incivility can be manifested "in the language, the tone, the shouting and the red faces and the malicious glee at someone else's discomfiture," said Alexander Morrison, executive director of the Alliance for Unity in Salt Lake City.

Determining what qualifies as civil or uncivil behavior in the public arena is an ambiguous task, said Republican Senate candidates Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee...

Civility in separating issues from people when discussing differing opinions is a precursor to compromise and progress, and it's a necessity, Lee said.

But public protests and being involved are just as important, Bridgewater said.

"I think by and large the ability to protest is as American as apple pie and can be done very civilly," he said. "People must speak up."

But they must be careful about what they say, says BYU political science professor Kelly Patterson. More people are paying attention to politics these days because of more easily accessible media. The average person is turned off by shrill politics, he says.

Though it is essential for Americans to be involved and voice their opinions, there is one way to know if the discourse is civil, Patterson says.

"Follow the golden rule," he says. "That kind of internal restraint probably couldn't do much harm."

I Am Only Half Awake

I am only half awake to what I can be
Habitually, I fail to use that other side of me
There's great force in intellectual distraction
However, the great aim of education is not knowledge but action

Inspired by passages from Dale Carnegie's book
How to Win Friends and Influence People
page xix

Annual Reagan Lecture Featuring Mitt Romney - 5/25/10

I Have Confidence in God

I have confidence that God's light shines down upon man
When we search within and shut out the world- thoughts inside us land
So who knows what hopeless problems we will solve
When we seek His hand and humble ourselves and become one, involved

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I have confidence that He is watching over us
Who knows what wonders He'll lead us to find as we ask and seek
Then watch out world, for we are generous
As we help others we'll find what we've lost that makes this fine country


I believe in people
I believe in love
I believe in families
And God's help from above