Watching young children grow can bring excitement to an adult’s life. Parents, grandparents, teachers, friends and colleagues see the promise in the faces of little ones. We all delight in a child’s creativity and imagination. It is wonderful to think what the future holds. The reality is we need all our children to succeed. By providing our youngsters with quality early learning opportunities, we can help them reach their fullest potential.

Brain research shows that the connectors in our brain for language, math, creativity and self-reliance multiply at amazing rates before the age of five. The experiences a child has, both positive and negative, affect how many neural connections are made. By age five, these connections are harder to make. This is why young children can learn a new language almost effortlessly while their parents struggle. It is also why it is important to recognize the quality early education work underway in Susquehanna County, work that is designed to spark those brain connections.

October is “Pennsylvania Promise for Children Month” in the Keystone state. This is a time set aside to remind us that every child is Pennsylvania’s future. In 15 years, when today’s preschoolers are entering the workforce, job training or college, up to twice as many adults will be retiring. Quality early learning opportunities now are necessary to prepare for all of our futures.

Early education programs are making a difference here in Susquehanna County and across Pennsylvania. Studies show quality initiatives such as Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts, Keystone STARS, Head Start and Early Intervention help all children catch up on their development before they reach kindergarten, when it becomes more difficult to bridge the gap. Teachers and school administrators are reporting that children from quality early learning programs are entering kindergarten with age-appropriate skills and are better prepared to meet expectations throughout Kindergarten.

We can all take part in helping a child achieve. Spend time with young children by talking with them and encouraging them to talk with you. Even infants build language skills when you talk with them. If you need ideas or want to learn more, log onto www.papromiseforchildren.com.

Also, take time during “Pennsylvania Promise for Children Month” to thank an early education provider, teacher or someone who supports such programs. Our future depends on it!

Sincerely,

Stephnie Thornton

Program Manager, Susquehanna County CARES

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s point is that it is not what you name something, it is what it is that matters. Case in point - the presidents “Job’s Plan.” What it is is another stimulus, another almost half a trillion dollars upon the three quarter trillion the first time around. Not to mention the 600 billion in Quantative Easing, a euphemism for printing fiat (unbacked) paper money. How many times does a plan have to fail before you move to something else? Answer - the plan is not failing. What you say? Connecting the dots, it is evident that the plan is beneath the surface. Evidence of the plan is the class warfare embarked upon by the president. Evidence is the anarchy which we are seeing in New York’s Wall Street, promoted by Van Jones, an avowed Communist and former Green Czar in the Obama administration. Evidence is the use of taxpayer’s money to gather more voters dependent upon the government for their survival. Our industrial and financial leaders are sitting on two to three trillion dollars which they will not invest in our economy (and the jobs that would create) as long as the regulatory climate is nothing but a crap shoot - hundreds of new regulations published daily. They are neither dumb nor stupid. Face it - our problems are caused by government but they cannot be solved by government, no matter what the pundits have to say nor how much of your money the administration throws at it. Evidence - start with legislation which forced the banks to loan money to people who could not possibly pay it back. Loan or face the wrath of the Federal Government. That really got the ball rolling. As an aside, did you know that the White House pressured Ford Motor Company to pull an ad in which a Ford owner chose a Ford in part because they did not take the Federal bailout money? Talk about carrying a big stick.

President Obama had complete control over all legislation during the first two years of his administration with Democrat majorities in both House and Senate. With the economy headed south, his efforts were directed at the passage of Obamacare, a medical system which alone will eventually put one sixth of our economy under Federal (bureaucratic) control, not to mention that which they already control. How does this all add up? In my opinion, all of the above leads to the same conclusion - totalitarianism. Ugly word, eh what? We have seen this before, in Germany, Cuba, Venezuela, Argentina and other countries. The plan is always the same. Don’t believe me? Look it up. Can’t happen in America? Don’t bet on it. My money is on the power grab happening before the election of 2012. These are textbook approaches right out of Sal Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.” Are you prepared?

Both the Republican and Democrat parties, by their dereliction of duty, corruption and departure from the word and spirit of our Constitution, have led us to our current condition. In a rapidly accelerating descent from world leader to a third world power, they are all parties to our decline. I’m doing two things to promote my family’s survival. One, I am preparing for months of serious disruption of our government, private sector and services upon which we have become dependent. Two, I am looking seriously at Herman Cain, the only one on the political horizon that seems to have direction and a plan. In 2008, we elected a man without a past on the basis of Hope and Change. In 2012, if we have the opportunity, we had better bet on a man with a record of success and an allegiance to our founding principles.

Sincerely,

Joe McCann

Elk Lake, PA

I have had the privilege to witness some of the most remarkable acts of kindness to others during this bout with flooding.

The people who seem to have a permanent sump-pump running since the end of August, and sadly still running today, show up to help another connect a pump to drain 5 feet of water from the basement.

The volunteer fire fighter who goes to the neighbors to help, and then the neighbors come to him to help pump his water out. The silent anguished look of the older couple who wonder if their life will ever be the same. I hear of a boat rescue in Hallstead, because the folks thought: it won't come this high. The food and water that a group of people gathered together to help keep a body going after 10 hours of removing heavy wet carpets and bedding from their homes to pile on the side of the street.

But then, I drive down Rt. 11 and see the devastation caused by these little creeks and shake my head at the new islands created, and the soon to be petrified wood, and my blood pressure hits the bell.

I have always been a firm believer in dredging water-ways. I know that isn't politically correct and there are those who argue my ignorance in defense of crayfish. I know that every drop of water that passes, drops off fine sand which over a short period of time, builds an island in the stream. Back when I was a girl, our township supervisors removed the excess build up of gravel, and ran it through a crusher. The washed material was then re-laid on the gravel roads and helped solved the problems with pot-holes. And in a happy by product of dredging, almost eliminated the occasional flooding this township received. That's pretty good considering this whole area is one big flood plain.

I read where our Governor is spending 15 million dollars to dredge the Delaware River, amongst protesters who do not want responsible water way maintenance, and we can't shame him into coming here to look at the high quality streams, and how they aren't so high quality anymore. Since the first 100 year storm Ivan came through this county, we have allowed the streams to meander, the word used by fish and game and army corps, to justify what I consider to be just plain neglect.

I have experience with the devastation flood water causes and have had permits to maintain bridge openings, and in every case I have had the army corp. come from Maryland and try to shame me for wanting to disturb the creek water. Here is a fact that will surprise you for its ignorance. If you have the money to hire a contractor, get the permits, buy the rip rap rock, and think you are good, that is when the trouble begins. According to the clean water act 404, you can be in violation of polluting the commonwealth’s water when the bucket of the loader breaks water surface. Its true. You put the bucket in to install your rock and when you bring it out of the water... bingo.

You polluted it. I really get upset at those memories. While most people can not afford to pay to have the creek side rip rapped, the government certainly can't afford it, and the environmentalists, who don't live near water, won't allow it, they just find it better that people won't be living near the river. Being that is the case, maybe the townships and boros should be allowed unfettered access to the streams to reclaim the excess gravel for road use. I think its an old idea worth re-visiting.

Do you want to know another act of generosity I've seen? The gas industry has really showed up and helped out. I saw water trucks pumping water out from houses, and thought to myself, others may criticize the industry, but they probably don't know how nice it is to have these young guys help you get your feet back under you. I hope seeing water trucks pumping out homes isn't a future trend.

Still it was a side of the industry you don't hear much about, and it reminded me that despite your opinion on the industry, it was wonderful to witness the kindness that was there on these days of flooding.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Allen

Summersville, PA

Well, Bruce Moorehead, your letter in the September 28 edition of the Transcript inspired a wealth of thought. We have much in common yet some in dispute.

Can the existence of God be proven as you suggested? I think not. It is written that “the fool has said in his heart 'there is no God'” (Ps 53:1). To argue with a fool is to be a fool. No amount of evidence will ever convince an atheist to abandon his faithless way.

You cited several artifacts supposedly proving the existence of God and confounding nonbelievers, foremost of which is the Shroud of Turin. To many who are familiar with this historical artifact (not holy relic) it is a most convincing piece of evidence. But proof? I'm afraid not.

The 14 by 4 foot burial cloth that covered the body of a crucified man bears the marks of scourging, puncture wounds in the hands and feet, a deep penetrating wound in the side, wounds ringing the head, severe bruising on the face, part of his beard pulled out, even a bruised knee where he apparently stumbled perhaps under the weight of a cross; they most compellingly mirror the suffering of our Savior. Even the age of the shroud once thrown into doubt by radiological tests to be of 11th century origin can be substantially refuted. But, nevertheless, all this falls short of iron-clad proof.

But faith is not built on evidence regardless of how convincing it might be. Wasn't it our Lord who said, “they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Lk 16:31)? A prophetic statement. For later when Christ rose from the dead the Pharisees still did not believe save one, Nicodemus.

Faith does not come by reason, intelligence, knowledge, evidence, or even by sight; it is a treasured and rare gift. “It is by grace you have been saved... and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

Remember when Simon first confessed the Lord as the Christ, He replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven” (Mat 16:17). It was not the many miracles the Simon witnessed that convinced him; it was the gift of a divine revelation.

Now you mention a church, a “true” church to which you belong. I once belonged to three of them.

Looking back on these experiences I see two commonalities in these true-church organizations:

1) They were and remain in complete ignorance of what constitutes a church. The word church is translated in the New Testament from the Greek word “ekklesia,” meaning “called out ones.” Ekklesia is not capitalized; it is not a proper noun. It refers to any assemblage of people secular or religious.

God's true church or “called out ones” has nothing to do with membership in any earthly organization. Neither is a church a brick and mortar building. It is a spiritual edifice of believers “called out” by God.

And 2) The other trait common to these corporeal true-church organizations is a body of written material that is at least equal to the Scriptures. Historically, this was true in the time of the Christ when the Pharisees added their commentaries to the Scriptures. Our Lord said of them, “Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition” (Mk 7:13).

Finally, you wrote about your admiration for Mother Teresa, Mary, and I presume others, too, whom you deem to be worthy. Well, from a human perspective, some indeed are exceptional stalwarts of the faith exemplary in word and deed.

But judged by God's inflexible standard of righteousness “everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard” (Rm 3:23). “As the Scriptures say, 'No one is righteous - not even one'” (Rm 3:10). And that includes Mother Teresa, Mary, and every one else except our Lord, “the sinless, spotless Lamb of God” (1 Pe 1:13).

But despite the many differences among Christians there is one common belief that overwhelms all disputes and unites all believers, faith in God's sacrificial Lamb, the Crucified One.

Sincerely

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA