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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Hospital visits

Some pastors loathe the hospital. I have come to find it one of the most precious places on earth to shepherd God's people. No one is there by choice. Yet those who end up there need the tender touch and compassionate words of a shepherd. This is one of those golden opportunities to live out 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8:

"But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us."

Hospital visits are deeply humbling moments when we love and treat our flock with dignity, supply the medicine of God's Word, and try to keep our wits and a good sense of humor. Just last week, as I visited a church member in a continuing care facility, the patient next to her kept interjecting into our conversation. She seemed a bit eccentric and kept asking me how to operate her cell phone. Finally, I checked her minutes and discovered she had used them all up. But as I ended the visit, I was able to include the roommate in our prayer time.

I often try to put the patient at ease by talking about the weather, about life, about my family, and about recent church events. I ask how their family is doing, about some of their fond memories, and pleasant conversation points with the outside world. What I avoid is excessive talk about their health or discussing current political events (they're probably hearing about those things all day on their TV anyway).

Toward the end of the visit, before I pray, I often like to ask if I can read a passage of Scripture as an encouragement to them. Brian Croft in his blog today gives four categories and samples of Scriptures which are very helpful:
  • Passages of comfort (Ps. 23, 28, 34, 46, 62, 145; Heb. 4:14–16)
  • Succinct gospel passages (John 11:25–26, Rom. 5:6–11, Eph. 2:1–10, 2 Cor. 5:17–21)
  • Passages dealing with the purpose of suffering for the believer (2 Cor. 12:7–9, James 1:2–4, 1 Pet. 1:6–7, 1 Pet. 4:12–19)
  • Passages related to the reality and hope of eternity with Christ (John 10:27–30, John 14:1–3, Phil. 1:21–23, 1 Pet. 1:3–5)
Finding time for hospital visits and house calls to shut-ins is a challenge in an already busy schedule, but we dare not forget our sheep who are quietly suffering. And I find it is all worth it when I hear those words, "Thank you, pastor, for coming by today."

Related posts:

Monday, March 29, 2010

Yo-yo man

Dylan took a lot of interest yesterday in a couple yo-yos we have at the house. As he held the string high up in the air and watched the yo-yo spin around, he would say with excitement, "Look Daddy, a trick!" Maybe he will be the next yo-yo man.

Here's a great act by the Smothers Brothers going back to the 1980s. Feel the yo.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Faith in the Famine

The last couple Sundays, we've been meeting some of the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. (These men, of course, are not considered "minor" because they are any less important than the Major Prophets, but because their books are much shorter. The terms "minor" and "major" were foreign in the Hebrew Bible and Septuagint, and didn't arrive on the scene until Augustine and the Latin church.)

Two weeks ago, we were introduced to Haggai and Zechariah, a "tag team" commissioned by God around 520 BC to spur on Israel and its leaders to rebuild the temple after the Babylonian exile. We were reminded that joyful obedience to the commands of God comes "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit" (Zech. 4:6).

Then, last Sunday, we turned over to the prophet Habakkuk, who ministered almost a century earlier, before the temple had been destroyed. When Habakkuk grieved over the sin of Israel (Hab. 1:1-4), God told him He was going to use Babylon to discipline His people (Hab. 1:5-11). This came as a total shock to Habakkuk, who couldn't imagine how a holy God could possibly allow an even more wicked people to "swallow up" God's chosen people (Hab. 1:12-2:3)! God then reassured Habakkuk that the righteous would endure by faith (Hab. 2:4), and that Babylon too would be severely humbled -- as soon as they completed God's assignment (Hab. 2:5-20). Habakkuk closes the short book with a song describing God's glorious appearance (Hab. 3:1-15) and a commitment to trust in God no matter what (Hab. 3:16-19).

Last Sunday, we focused on the final four verses of the book. We noticed three points:
  1. The prophet's fear (Hab. 3:16). Habakkuk staggered as he saw the vision of God (vv. 1-15) and considered the full weight of the judgment that was about to land upon Judah. But he resolved to wait quietly for whatever trials the Lord had prepared.
  2. The nation's famine (Hab. 3:17). God was about to devastate Israel not only with an invading army, but with a severe famine. Things would gradually worsen as figs, grapes, olives, grain, flocks, and cattle all died. Habakkuk paints a bleak picture, but doesn't stop to worry. He immediately takes these concerns and says, in spite of it all, "I will trust in God!"
  3. The prophet's faith (Hab. 3:18-19). Here we have a dramatic shift in tone, to one of triumph, victory, safety, and joy. God becomes the focus, rather than Habakkuk's circumstances. Just like a deer or a bighorn sheep, we are kept safe in dangerous places. We can "rejoice in the God of our salvation" even in life's darkest moments.
Questions for thought and discussion:
  • The name "Habakkuk" means "one who embraces." Why is that significant in this book?
  • Have you ever "trembled" inwardly like Habakkuk (3:16)? When?
  • What are your greatest fears in life?
  • What are your greatest physical, financial, and spiritual difficulties?
  • Try re-writing verses 17-18 in your own words, inserting trials that you have or could face
The last two week's sermons have been uploaded to our  podcast site and are available for free download.

Photo credit: brtsergio

What is the Gospel?

I first learned about the upcoming release of What Is the Gospel? in January at the Truth & Life Conference. From the moment I heard of it, I have been intrigued and highly anticipating it. And from the sound of its endorsements, it's going to even exceed my expectations.

D.A. Carson says, “Read it, then buy a box of them for generous distribution.” But perhaps the best summary that expresses why I was immediately interested is written by J.D. Greer:

“‘Gospel-centeredness’ has become the new, vogue term for pastors and churches. Greg Gilbert does a masterful job in this book explaining what that gospel actually is. He shows us that many well-meaning churches have distorted the gospel through false teaching, and others have abandoned the gospel because of embarrassment or simply neglect. This is a profound analysis of the gospel, expressed in a poignant, relevant way. I am very grateful for Greg’s prophetic call to return to the straightforward message of the cross.”

To watch a short video, read a sample, or learn more about the book, click on Justin Taylor's blog here. Or, just go ahead and click here to buy one now (or a whole boxload, as Carson recommends).

Thursday, March 25, 2010

First SBC open forum

Today was our first SBC regional forum. Walter Price, Bret Capranica, and I piled into a car together and drove down to East Clairmont Baptist Church in San Diego. There we met up with Blake Withers and several Southern California pastors (and one high school student).

There was no real agenda; just a time to chat about the state convention and learn how we can cooperate more effectively. As our state president Walter Price has said many times, "There are some things we can do better together than we can do separately." In particular, the way we cooperate in missions, education, and compassion (i.e. disaster relief) seem to be worth preserving. But how do we get the next generation on board? What excites them about our convention? What turns them off? These are the kind of questions we're trying to answer.

Several good thoughts came out of today's meeting. We definitely need a more robust church planting strategy, including better training, funding, oversight, and support. We also see major room for improvement in communication, social networking, and online resources.

Several like the idea of associations and state conventions serving the local church more as "clearing houses" of information and resources. These entities do not need to be manufacturers as much as conduits that will connect people and resources together.

Clearly, no one in the younger generation is going to "buy in" to a program simply because it's got the SBC label. The days of brand loyalty are gone. Now, pastors are consumers. SBC programs are like dishes at the buffet table. Each program will be weighed on its own merits. Some are chosen, while others are overlooked.

Our next regional forum will be in Fresno on May 18, followed by meetings in L.A. on July 22, and both Sacramento and San Francisco on September 16.

If you have any interest in the Southern Baptist Convention and would like to join the conversation, please join us for one of these meetings.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

New blog for pastors

I picked up with great excitement two little ministry books by Brian Croft at Shepherds Conference last month. One is Visit the Sick: Ministering God's Grace in Times of Illness. The other is Test, Train, Affirm, and Send Into Ministry: Recovering the Local Church's Responsibility in the External Call.

And today, I just realized Brian also has a blog called Practical Shepherding. There is some great, practical stuff here for pastors. Here's an excerpt from Brian's opening post back in January...
Why another blog?  For the same reason I write the books I write: To address issues of pastoral ministry that are largely neglected in the younger generations of pastors being raised up today.   The problem isn’t a lack of opportunity to be taught and develop biblical and theological convictions, but applying those convictions to the daily grind of pastoral ministry and many of the “outside the box” scenarios that local church pastors face on a daily basis.  Lord willing, this blog will act as a voice to serve to that end.   I pray it will serve both pastors in the “trenches” of this glorious work as well as those aspiring to this call to shepherd the redeemed.
Welcome to the blogosphere, Brian. May God bless this new endeavor and your desire to equip pastors for ministry.

Friday, March 19, 2010

IMB to give more emphasis to theological training

The International Mission Board is setting up an advisory team of four men to help oversees church plants with theological training. This is an excellent direction to move in. Churches are so often planted overseas without adequate follow-up, discipleship, and equipping of leaders. More emphasis on sound doctrine is always a good thing.

Here's an excerpt from the news release:
What happens all too often is that we come in and we blow the Gospel out there … and pop the question really quickly, ‘Will you trust Jesus?’ And the person may respond, but that DNA from the beginning is unhealthy. … We don’t want to see that believer or church fall away.”
Arnett has witnessed firsthand how dangerous a lack of theological training can be. While teaching at a seminary in Togo, West Africa, he started a church with a national Baptist partner. But Arnett didn’t realize this man, who was leading the new church, was mixing the Gospel with elements of African traditional religion — the worship of spirits in nature and of ancestors.
 You can read the whole IMB article here.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Which came first -- the love or the forgiveness?

I recently received this question about Luke 7:47 from a student in our Greek class,
I know this is a bit beyond where we're at but its there away to tell from the Greek if her love or being forgiven came first? "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

There are a few questions that may help us answer this question:

1. What are the verb tenses? Do these tip us off to the timing?
2. What is the meaning of the conjunction "for"?
3. What seems to be the logic of Jesus' statement?

To answer question 1, we would definitely be getting ahead of ourselves in our Greek class, but the short answer is - there is nothing I can see that dictates that love came after or before the forgiveness. "Loved" is a simple, aorist verb that is undefined in time; it is just a generic past tense idea.

Regarding question 2, the Greek word is "oti" (or "hoti" with the rough breathing mark). Mounce defines this conjunction as "that, since, because." This might suggest the woman was forgiven BECAUSE she loved God so much. Most translations simply say "for."

However, notice these two translations:
Holman Christian Standard Bible Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; THAT'S WHY she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.

NET Bible Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, THUS she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.

These two translations see her love as the RESULT rather than the CAUSE. This is one legitimate use of "hoti." Daniel Wallace in his Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics says this about result conjunctions: "This use gives the outcome or consequence of an action. The focus is on the outcome of the action rather than on its intention. Major conjunctions used this way are: ὥστε, ὡς, ὅτι, and less frequently, ἵνα. This use can be translated that, so that, or with the result that. By far the most common is ὥστε."

When we come to question 3 (Jesus' logic), I think the idea clearly is that the woman kissed and anointed Jesus' feet BECAUSE she loved Him so much, and she loved Him so much BECAUSE she knew her many sins had been forgiven by God.

Thus, from both a logical and a grammatical standpoint, it seems best to see love as the result to forgiveness. May all of us be equally grateful to Christ for the forgiveness He bought for us with His blood.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Preparing for worship

Several folks have suggested we take the final few minutes before our Sunday service to quietly prepare our hearts for worship. I really like this idea, and here’s why.

Bob Kauflin, in his book Worship Matters, says,
In the Bible, when various people encountered God’s presence, they were never flippant or casual. At Mount Sinai the Israelites ‘were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off’ (Ex. 20:18). Seeing God’s throne, Isaiah cried out, ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’ (Is. 6:5). When John encountered the risen Christ in his vision of heaven, he ‘fell at his feet as though dead’ (Rev. 1:17).

Reverence is essential to worship. Because ‘our God is a consuming fire,’ we are to ‘offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe’ (Heb. 12:28-29).

It’s not natural on Sunday morning to approach the Lord with reverence and awe. We won't do it if we slip in late or let our minds are passive. Sleeping in, rushing about, scarfing down breakfast, getting ourselves and the kids ready, finalizing ministry plans, driving to church. All of these can distract us from approaching the Lord with reverence and awe. I’m convinced that Satan doubles his efforts on Sunday mornings to get us anxious and flustered – anything to keep our minds off Christ.

So, to better prepare our hearts before the Lord, we encourage you starting this Sunday to take the final minutes before our service to focus and quietly prepare yourself for worship. You may find it helpful to open your Bible, bow your head, and use the A-C-T-S method of prayer: A – adoration and praise to God through Christ. C – confession of your sin before Him. T – thanksgiving for who God is, His past acts, and His future promises. S – supplication for the Spirit to bless our worship leaders, our order of service, and all attenders this morning.

So join us this Sunday in the sanctuary. Anticipate the great privilege we have of encountering God’s presence. Please do enjoy great fellowship with your church family before and after the service. But at 10:25, let’s all do our best to be in our seats, preparing our hearts to encounter a holy God.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Quotes from the 2010 Shepherds' Conference, Part 2

Yesterday, I posted some of my favorite quotes from last week's Shepherd's Conference. Here are the rest...

"Don't just teach principles to apply. Teach the Savior we are to follow" -- Carey Hardy

"Preaching is calling people to live out who you are" -- Carey Hardy

" The more heavenly minded we are, the more earthly good we can be" -- Carey Hardy

"Legalism is a cheap substitute for true spirituality" -- Carey Hardy

"The greater we want to be used by God, the greater we must be willing to suffer for Him" -- Steve Lawson

"The taller we stand, the more we will draw the enemy's fire" -- Steve Lawson

"I believe in the devil, because I did battle with him this morning...Even the devil is God's devil. God will draw a straight line with a crooked stick" -- Martin Luther, quoted by Steve Lawson

"Job doesn't need to understand why. He only needs to understand who." -- Steve Lawson

"I make the sovereignty of God the pillow on which I lay my head at night" -- Charles Spurgeon quoted by Steve Lawson

"The greatest demonstration of the compassion of God is the incarnation of Christ" -- John MacArthur

"The funeral is not the end of our responsibility to bear people's grief" -- John MacArthur

"Jesus could not be defiled. He was like a rainbow in a dump" -- John MacArthur

"How does this bring us (1) to God in Christ (2) together? These two questions could be asked for every element of a worship service." -- Andy Snider

And lastly, though I don't have any pithy "quotes" from Michael Vlach, his lecture on dispensationalism was clear and compelling, and one of the highlights of the conference for me.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Quotes from the 2010 Shepherds' Conference

Here's part 1 of some of my favorite quotes from the main sessions and breakout seminars of last week's Shepherds' Conference:

"God embraces those who separate themselves [from the world]" -- John MacArthur

"God chose a foolish message, method, and messengers to demolish all human pride" -- Tom Pennington

"Preachers, you can't be clever, and Christ be mighty to save" -- James Denny, quoted by Tom Pennington

"Do not think that Jesus did the same thing on the cross for all those who are in hell as for all those who are in heaven...Unless we're universalists, we all believe in limited atonement. The only question is whether we limit it, or God limits it" -- John MacArthur

"Christ's aim is not to keep His soldiers from danger, but to equip them for it" -- Rick Holland

"Hypocrisy is hiding your sins from the faithful, or hiding your faith from sinners" -- Rick Holland

"Hell is truth learned too late" -- cited by Rick Holland

"Satan is not the captain of hell. He is the chief captive of hell" -- Rick Holland

"There are no little people, no little places, and no little sermons" -- Al Mohler

"There is only one 'faith.' Theology is not lego bricks we can tear apart and put together when we get tired" -- Phil Johnson

Today's evangelicals favor feminine themes. 'Let's talk about our emotional hurts. Our personal relationships. Our felt needs. We're hurting people.' And the church has begun to look weak and effeminate, frightened, sissified, like a bunch of fops and milksops. And we're supposed to be soldiers. We are told relentlessly that we have to be "always agreeable no matter what," you know? Seeker sensitive. Gender neutral. Effervescent. Transparent. Sentimental. And delicate in everything we say and do. Those sound like rules for figure skaters, not warriors." -- Phil Johnson

Part 2 of this post will appear on Friday.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Volunteers needed for Haiti trips in April

This has just been announced by California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief...
We want to put together two more teams to serve in Haiti.
First Team:  Medical team: 2 MDs, 2 RNs, 1 pharmacist, one chaplain (CISM), and 2 others (LVNs, paramedics, or more RNs)
Dates needed:   April 14-20

Second Team:
  Demolition: (Does not need DR training) 5 strong men (be able to swing a sledge with no problem), 1 chaplain (CISM), 1 EMT or nurse. This team must go in totally self-contained (tent for rainy weather, sleep bag or sheets, heater meals and snacks, Water bottle, hand towel for showering under a bucket, two changes of clothes, and heavy work boots. It is to plan to go back-packing for 7 days. Don Hargis will be the team leader for this team
Dates needed:  April 17-24.

To volunteer for one of these teams, please contact Judi Cook, our Off-site coordinator by e-mailing

Jerry Rankin on our priorities

Jerry Rankin, retiring president of the International Missions Board, shares some very candid thoughts on the convoluted priorities and cooperation of Southern Baptists.

Many denominational events and programs have grown aimless and ineffective. Cooperation has become an end in itself, rather than a means to some greater, transcendent end. Rankin writes...
Cooperation is about us; it is self-centered, self-promoting and maintaining everything every entity is doing without any concern for priorities or results. The Great Commission is not about us, our programs and sustaining what we have always done; it is about others. It is about a lost world. It is about consolidating our resources and focusing our energies to proclaim the gospel to those who have never heard, to win the lost and see the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of our Lord.
As I listen to Rankin's heart, I honestly don't think he is ranting. I think he is grappling with the reality that we live in a lost world, where three people are dying every second, and most are going straight to hell without Christ. Rankin is genuinely heartbroken over the lost, and putting our petty denominational bickering into perspective.

I wholeheartedly agree that cooperation is not an end in itself. It is a means to promote something of value. Something exhilarating. Something transcendent. Something Christ Himself commanded us to do while on this earth: to fulfill the Great Commission.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

De-cluttering your life, your ministry, and your file cabinet

Ever wonder if you should keep that old bank statement? Tax return? Employment application? Insurance policy?

The Getting Things Done blog has made a helpful list of how long to hold on to paperwork. This could be a valuable reference for both family and church records.

Happy shredding!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Shepherds Conference Day 3

Shepherd's Conference is going great. Phil Johnson just preached on 1 Corinthians 16, "Be alert. Stand fast in the faith. Act like men. Be strong." He was really on fire this morning, full of passion and wit in the true style of Spurgeon, challenging all of us to be men of character.

I've had a chance this week to catch up with many college, seminary, and Placerita Baptist friends, and to make some new friends from places like Chico, Texas, and Mexico. A recurring theme for me has been to keep Christ at the very center of my ministry and worship. My life and ministry are all by His strength, because of His sacrifice, and for His supreme glory.

Later I will share later some of my favorite quotes from the conference.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Church activities may be hindering your prayer life

I drove to Santa Clarita today and will be attending Shepherd's Conference on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, so my blogging schedule will be lighter than normal.

MacArthur, Mohler, Lawson, Pennington, Holland, and Johnson are all scheduled to speak as keynotes this year. Add to that some great breakout sessions, great food, and great fellowship, and you've got the makings of an all around great conference. This is one of my favorite times of the year to be spiritually fed and refreshed.

I recently started reading through E.M. Bounds' book The Weapon of Prayer and discovered this quote which is a good reminder for all of us...
The Apostles were as dependent upon prayer as other folks. Sacred work,—Church activities—may so engage and absorb us as to hinder praying, and when this is the case, evil results always follow. It is better to let the work go by default than to let the praying go by neglect. Whatever affects the intensity of our praying affects the value of our work. “Too busy to pray” is not only the keynote to backsliding, but it mars even the work done. Nothing is well done without prayer for the simple reason that it leaves God out of the account. It is so easy to be seduced by the good to the neglect of the best, until both the good and the best perish. How easily may men, even leaders in Zion, be led by the insidious wiles of Satan to cut short our praying in the interests of the work! How easy to neglect prayer or abbreviate our praying simply by the plea that we have Church work on our hands. Satan has effectively disarmed us when he can keep us too busy doing things to stop and pray.

This is certainly no excuse to be uninvolved at church! But it is a reminder never to let church activity crowd out prayer.

New Blog

Today I'm closing up shop and launching a new blog called Pinch of Clay. You can visit it by clicking here . Please stop by and...


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Western/Regional-Supported Terrorist Groups Invited to Syrian Peace Talks

Farcical Syrian Peace Talks: Dead on Arrival
January 30, 2016
Biowarfare? Genetically Modified Mosquitos Spreading the Zika Virus
January 30, 2016
Western/Regional-Supported Terrorist Groups Invited to Syrian Peace Talks
by Stephen Lendman
A separate article called them farcical, dead on arrival, orchestrated to fail, not succeed.
Anti-Assad US-led Western and Saudi-led regional states’ claims about wanting conflict ended, peace restored, things resolved diplomatically ring hollow.
Endless conflict continues. Scheduled talks change nothing. Violence, instability and chaos serve Washington’s agenda. Peace and stability defeat it.
On Friday, Tass said Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee spokesman Andrey Przhezdomsky blasted Turkey’s continued “organized system of transferring addition(al) (gunmen) to the ISIL,” along with regularly supplying weapons cross-border.
Russian special services knows routes taken, Istanbul the “key” one. Turkey, complicit with Washington and other rogue allies, fuels continued war without mercy in Syria.
Assad’s UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari accused “the Erdogan regime that rules Turkey” with directly aiding ISIS and other terrorist groups, its armed forces involved in supporting them, Syrian refugees subjected to “cruel tyranny and terrorism” by Ankara officials.
Russia’s Defense Minister said Turkey lets ISIS and other terrorist fighters move freely cross-border to and from Syria. It continues with talks about to begin, dooming them.
New fighters arrive daily, heavily armed and equipped on Turkish territory, moving freely through so-called UN-monitored checkpoints, the world body complicit with Obama’s war on Syria.
How can its envoy Steffan de Mistura moderate peace talks bias free? He serves Western interests. Neutrality isn’t his mandate.
If talks begin and continue, long futile months lie ahead going nowhere. Washington orchestrated things to fail.
Nothing in prospect suggests relief for long-suffering Syrians, victims of US imperial viciousness.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.
Stephen Lendman
Stephen Lendman
Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. In 1956, he received a BA from Harvard University. Two years of US Army service followed, then an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960. After working seven years as a marketing research analyst, he joined the Lendman Group family business in 1967. He remained there until retiring at year end 1999. Writing on major world and national issues began in summer 2005. In early 2007, radio hosting followed. Lendman now hosts the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network three times weekly. Distinguished guests are featured. Listen live or archived. Major world and national issues are discussed. Lendman is a 2008 Project Censored winner and 2011 Mexican Journalists Club international journalism award recipient.

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Natural Ways to Treat Gingivitis

· July 10, 2015
If you've been dealing with gingivitis for a while now, read our article and find out how to treat gingivitis using natural remedies.

You need to treat gingivitis if your gums bleed every time you brush your teeth, however, this is not necessarily a sign that you have gingivitis.

If you don’t act fast, the plaque on the teeth turns into tartar, which is much more difficult to remove. Both of these erode the enamel of our teeth and can cause tooth loss.

If you notice that the gums are swollen or reddish, it’s another sign. This causes a build-up of plaque, a sticky film that is found between the teeth and at the gum line. Find out how to treat gingivitis naturally in the following article.

Read also: Reduce Wisdom Teeth Swelling After Removal

What is gingivitis and how is it caused?

The symptoms of gingivitis are swelling and bleeding of the gum tissue caused by plaque, a sticky substance that’s a product of the food we eat and bacteria in the mouth.

This condition can also be caused by poor oral hygiene or an excess of certain foods (like coffee, for example). Plaque eventually gets converted into a yellow-ish compound we call “tartar”.

This process produces toxins that irritate and erode the gums, causing gaps between the teeth and gums and forming “pockets” where infection can occur deep down – all the way to the bone.

This can loosen teeth and even cause them to fall out.

gumsSome causes of gingivitis are:

  • Improper cleaning of the teeth, like using a hard toothbrush, not brushing after eating, not flossing, etc.
  • Emotional stress
  • Hormonal imbalances, like during pregnancy, adolescence or menstruation.
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Diseases such as osteoporosis and diabetes
  • Consumption of certain medications and foods, like blood thinners, antibiotics, and antihypertensive, immunosuppressive, or anti-epilepsy drugs.

appleWhat are the best home remedies to treat gingivitis?

  • Make a mixture using equal parts hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, and brush thoroughly with this paste. Especially concentrate on the area around the gum line. The baking soda helps remove plaque, deodorize, and polish your teeth, which leaves them whiter.
  • Rinse your mouth with a mixture of warm water and a half a teaspoon of salt every night.
  • Rub the gums several times a day using figs cooked in milk or aloe vera gel.

Read also: 5 Home Remedies to Remove Plaque From Your Teeth

And then…

  • Have a piece or two of aged cheddar or swiss cheese after your main meal (lunch or dinner). You can also have a piece of raw, unpeeled apple.
  • Make a tea using a teaspoon of dried mint, anise, rosemary, and 3/4 cup of water. Boil the mixture for ten minutes, strain it and rinse your mouth with the liquid once every hour.
  • Make a mouthwash to use every morning with a cup of water and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. You can also drink this with a meal.
  • Rinse your mouth with a tea made of three drops of lavender oil and a tablespoon of pure honey, diluted with cold or lukewarm water.

  • Make a solution using a cup of hot water and two drops of myrrh. Drink this before and after each meal as a rinse.
  • Place a handful of sage leaves in a cup of boiling water. Cover and let cool, then gargle with the liquid. This mixture has antiseptic and anti-fungal effects that help relieve gum inflammation and keep teeth clean.
  • Add two tablespoons to a cup of boiling water. Cover and wait a few minutes before swishing as a mouthwash to fight the bacteria to treat gingivitis.
  • Add two tablespoons of geranium leaf to a cup of boiling water. Let steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid and use as a rinse twice a day.

  • Boil a cup of water with two tablespoons of dried mallow root for five minutes. Rinse while the liquid is warm, several times a day.
  • Blend half a cup of berries, half a cup of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a chopped banana until smooth. Serve first thing in the morning. The berries can help kill the bacteria and treat gingivitis.
  • Add a handful of mango leaves to a liter of boiling water. Cover and let cool. Gargle with this liquid once a day. You can also wash and mash two slices of mango and chew them for five minutes.
  • Mix an ounce of honey with 7 drops of lemon juice and 7 drops of peppermint essential oil for a daily rinse.
  • Heat a tablespoon of arnica with mallow root and horsetail grass, in one cup of water. Let this stand for ten minutes. Filter the liquid and add 5 drops of sage essential oil. Pour this into a glass container (a jar or a bottle), top with the lid, and shake well before using as a rinse anytime your gums bleed.

  • Mix an ounce of aloe vera gel with an ounce of honey and 8 drops of hydrogen peroxide. You can rinse your mouth with this twice a day.
  • Make a tea using a liter of water and a handful of rue leaves. Use this mouthwash three times a day in the morning, afternoon, and night.
  • Mix a chopped tomato, spinach, parsley, two cloves of garlic, and broccoli in a blender and add one cup of water. Drink one glass a day.
  • Blend a handful of strawberries with mint. Add some water if it’s too thick. Drink it after your main meals.

Did you enjoy reading this article on natural ways to treat gingivitis!?

  • Atwa, A. D. A., AbuShahba, R. Y., Mostafa, M., & Hashem, M. I. (2014). Effect of honey in preventing gingivitis and dental caries in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Saudi Dental Journal.
  • De Vries, K. (2015). Gingivitis. Australian Journal of Pharmacy.


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Friday, February 26, 2010

Raid on St. Michel - Game 3 - "The Battle of St Michel" did it remain peaceful??? Of course, it didn't.... read on for an account of the ensuing struggle!

This game is the third in the linked series of five games that make up the "Raid on St Michel" mini-campaign, so casualties and effects from the first two games have been carried over... rules used for the game were Will McNally's Seven Year War rules, modified for the War of the Spanish Succession (details of those changes are on my project blog).

So, once DG and I had worked out casualties and the saving throws from game two ( "Rear Guard" which you read by clicking here), I then added in the additional forces that come into play in this scenario (no extraneous details - you need to pay the purely nominal amount this excellent little booklet costs to get those!)

Having done that we ended up with the following - in this campaign the British fill the role of the Vereinigte Freie Stadte (VFS) and are the "invaders" - you'll note that some of the British units are carrying casualties from the action described in "Rear Guard"... We agreed between us before the game that DG could combine units if he wished, so he decided to move the remainders of Regiment Goor (who were badly mauled in the last game) into the Beinheim Regiment in order to build them up into a meaningful force.. as a reminder full strength units in my games are 5 points (6 for over strength), once you start getting less than 4 then it starts to affect firing, and of course morale, so overall it was a good move.. please click on any of the graphics for a more pleasing, and bigger, view:
The forces of Lorraine were played by the French, who for this campaign are the "invaded"... again - casualties are notable (though in both cases are casualties were slightly less than those suggested for the one of game in the book). As my last action I threw a dice and received a length of timber breastwork as additional defensive strength..
All in all then fairly evenly balanced in terms of points, but the British are right bu**ers when it comes to melee and shooting... I'm an adherent of national characteristics, so in a balanced fight, I would always expect the British to have a slight advantage - but that's based on my reading into the history of the time rather than rampant jingoism...!

Here then we have the starting positions for the game... the French forces are nearest us, table was 8' x 4'. Deployment area's were as per the book....

In the distance DG had organised his troops into two brigades of infantry, with the cavalry split between the two.

On his left, so further away from us in the picture, is the British brigade comprising all the regiments of British foot except Derring's, with two regiments of British cavalry in support. On his right was an Allied brigade comprising Dutch (2) Swiss (1) and British (1) regiments, most of his artillery, and the remaining regiment of British cavalry. In the centre, however, was not very much at all - one gun, a regiment of cuirassiers, and the wagons to (hopefully) take away the loot...

The British Brigade in all it's glory... Ingoldsby's and Howe's in the front, Meredith's and the Guards in the second rank..

I had the advantage of hidden deployment, as there were at least two hilly area's to shield my preparations from prying eyes... I'll be the first to admit that I had made my preparations primarily to protect St. Michel itself so all my artillery was either on the hill (left and right front edges), or guarding the entrance to the town (behind that timber breastwork). Of my foot, other than one regiment (Bourbonnais) on the hill top, along with one regiment (Agenois) protecting my left flank (you can just see them behind the barn in the next picture) there was just one regiment on the smaller hill to my right (Toulouse - just out of picture) the rest were hidden - five regiments of surprises was my ardent hope...

The cavalry were split equally between the two flanks as I figured those could be usable to protect both due to their manoeuvrability, again though, three of these were hidden - two squadrons of cuirassiers in St. Michel, another squadron of French horse hidden in the gullet behind the small hill to my right.. His deployment of the large British brigade opposite my right flank came as a bit of a surprise then!

So how did the game turn out - well it was a bit of a game of two halves as our soccer pundits are want to say... with a little bit of artillery naughtiness at the beginning.

The artillery naughtiness was over fairly quickly to be honest, with both my guns on the hill silenced after some typically accurate firing from DG! I have to admit to being a little downhearted at this point, as I'd just lost most pf my ability to hit at distance.. ah well, I ordered the Bourbonnais to lie down behind the wall, so that they got complete cover from the artillery (but couldn't fire back), and waited for events too unfold....

Right Flank - First Half

The first part of the game then started out with a strong advance by DG on his left flank with the British Brigade and accompanying cavalry.

Sensing things were going to get out of hand, and with only two regiments of foot to DG's four, I decided to pull them back towards St. Michel. I sent out my two French cavalry squadrons to cover the retreat - in the picture above the first of them has trotted out to face the British squadrons...

Cover the retreat?? How wrong could a man be.....!

So the first regiment (de Montreval) faces up to the British squadron and charges, while the second squadron lines up behind - and whammo... the first British squadron is sent reeling! The French squadron then halts, gives fire, causes the second British squadron to halt shaken, and in the subsequent morale check they rout and flee... two down and none to go!

Leaving the other squadron to pin the British infantry, I sent de Montreval round to the rear - a target rich environment if ever there was one - while in the meanwhile the two infantry regiments I'd sent to St. Michel were wheeled to face the other British regiments of foot. From a position of strength the situation had changed completely, and following some exchanges of volleys, further British retirements led to a collapse on this flank.

Left Flank - Second Half
On the left flank, after an initial advance, DG had been happy happy to halt while he focussed on the British advance.. in the picture following my artillery has been neutralised, he has halted his infantry and is pushing forward with his cavalry to try and hook around the barn, and my flank..
A quick volley from the Agenois regiment in the barn, and an advance from one of the foot regiments I had behind the hill saw off the British cavalry..

DG then unleashed his attack up the hill; lead by Beinheim's and Derring's they came storming up the hill - in the next picture Derring's face up Bourbonnais, Beinheim are about to enter the farm..

At which point the second astonishing event of the night occurred - not only did Bourbonnais hold, but with the Beinheim regiment having taken the farm house, Nivernaise threw all caution to the wind, attacked, and threw them straight out and down the hill..!

...and that was largely it for the Allies - de Montreval had routed the wagons, and got the central British artillery on the run, I'd unleashed my cuirassiers against the shaken British Brigade, and DG decided enough was enough and departed the field...

Post Match Analysis:
  • DG's plan was good, I'll be the first to admit that in this game the dice turned my way (for a change!) but everything hinged on the dramatic first successful charge of the French de Montreval cavalry - the rest was like a domino effect...

  • Next step is to roll some safety throws to see how many troops return to the colours - I'll do this is in the next few days
  • No glaring inconsistencies in the rules this game - we've been playing them long enough now that they play pretty much as we want them to... I will add an update to the rules to allow men to lie down for improved cover (I'd read somewhere in the week before of an account of Marlborough letting his men do this at Blenheim to spare them the worst of the enemy artillery barrage)
  • Tea on this occasion was PG Tips decaffeinated, of which two or three breaks were taken to consume, whilst friendly banter was exchanged, the loft ladder rebuilt (don't ask - at one point I thought we'd be stranded!), and Border Strawberry & Cream Shortbread eaten (very nice!!).

Thursday, February 25, 2010

George Nafziger collection...

I'm slightly perplexed as to why more people haven't mentioned this, but there was an announcement on the The Miniatures Page ("other hobby related forums are available"..) the other day, that the George Nafziger collection has been made available for free at the US Army's Command and General Staff College's Combined Arms Research Library website!

Now I know Rafa mentioned it on his blog [click here] but I've not really seen it mentioned anywhere else... I'm amazed.... this must be one of the worlds best known sources for orders of battle, and it's now available for free....!

The announcement can be found here:

The actual orders of battle can be found here:

...and to help you identify which one you want there is an index here:

...or try this one:

Someone has counted them and there are approximately 7000 documents there dating from the 1600's to the end of WWII.... astonishing...

As the website says

"The Nafziger Collection contains a compilation of orders of battle from 1600 to 1945 with over 7000 individual pdf files. It began with the author's interest in Napoleonic Wars, and steadily grew to other areas because of the gaming public's interest in these highly detailed historical orders of battle. Sources range from published works to actual archival documents, which represent the largest single source. Nearly all orders of battle break down to the regimental level. The availability of strength figures and artillery equipment varies from period to period.

This collection was provided through the generous donation of George Nafziger to the Combined Arms Research Library."

As one of my fellow gamers said on the The Miniatures Page, Nafziger deserves a sainthood! Now go and fill yer boots...

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

A warm and sunny morning in St. Michel...

...but can it last??

The sun rises over a quiet and peaceful scene... in the foreground the water ripples quietly over water smoothed stones...

..but dark clouds are gathering...

Rumours of war have been circulating for a week, stories of bloody battles and skirmishes on the frontier, and just yesterday evening tired and bedraggled couriers, riding sweat stained and hard-ridden horses were seen arriving at the town hall....

...and now the local garrison has mobilised..

...and seem to be paying particular attention to the treasury....

Quelle domage!! (As they say in all the best French language books).. it looks like the peace has come to an end....

I make no apology for totally copying the style of the esteemed Msr. Chevert (a.k.a Bill Protz) and his brilliant story board type games which can be found at the "Campaigns of General William Augustus Pettygree" blog.. when describing the start of this game - I suspect I won't be able to keep it up!

Stay tuned - however - as after something of a hiatus (both on this blog, and the campaign), DG and I got together on Monday evening to fight the third in the linked series of games that make up the "Raid on St. Michel", the mini campaign written by Charles Grant and Phil Olley.

As a taster for this, it was an absolute blinder with battle honours won by two regiments!

Apologies for the lack of posts in the last few weeks - although it's only February I think it safe to say that there may be a sniff of spring in the air (although that may be wishful thinking) as boating matters have begun to bite - delightfully - into my available time....

The mast went away this winter to have all the standing rigging replaced - this is a 10 yearly task, and by some strange case of serendipity, just after I'd arranged for this to be done, I found some old paperwork in the little pile that came with the boat that shows it was actually last done 10 years ago...

It's now back so the last two weeks have been involved with rounding up the innocent for a little mast lifting exercise - which was successfully completed last weekend. It looks like the rigging needs to stretch a little (being new, and made of twisted wire it does) as it was a tight fit - but the boat looks "complete" again...

Tick that one off from the 10 year plan then - that was the "big" project for this winter - next winter there'll be something else to do...

There's also been sailing club membership to renew, a new mooring to check (it was renewed by the club this winter), voluntary duties to perform (I was making cheese and onion toasties and Ploughman's lunches for a couple of hours last weekend, and I'm breaking up the old gentlemen's conveniences this weekend in readiness for new one's being built!) and boat insurance to source...

All of which is guaranteed to make you start thinking about getting back on the water, the current target for which is the first week of April - just 7 weeks away!

...and that's enough for now...

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Black Sabbath...

Now I bet that picture takes (some of) you back... can you believe it's just had it's 40th Anniversary though??!!

This was their first album, "Black Sabbath" (by Black Sabbath) was released on the 13th February 1970... whatever did they start!

I can't tell you how many times I must have listened to this album while doing various bits of homework, "O" level revision, "A" level revision and the rest... even now I still have "The Wizard" and "N.I.B" on my MP3 player....

Happy memories, and happy birthday...

Here's my favourite - even now the lyrics make me laugh...

Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Battery L 1st Ohio Light Artillery..

Just to let you know I haven't been completely idle in this fairly long interval between posts, can I now introduce you to the first Union artillery element, namely Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery.. the poster by the way, is an authentic, actual, recruiting poster for the battery! Click on it, or any of the other pictures in the post, for a much larger view...

Like the other American Civil war units I've so far painted and researched, there is a pleasing quantity of information available for this unit, including a unit of re-enactors solely representing this battery!

The regiment came into being in 1860 under the Ohio Militia laws, and was commanded by Colonel James Barnett. It consisted of twelve batteries in total, and after doing their initial service in West Virginia the regiment was enlisted for three years service on September 3, 1861.

Each Battery in the regiment went on to have a separate history, as the regiment was split up amongst the various Union armies.

Batteries A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and M were with the Army of the Cumberland under Buell, where they served at Shiloh, and took part in the battles of Stone River, Perryville, Chickamauga and Mission Ridge. They also served during Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and with Thomas in the battles about Franklin and Nashville.

Batteries H and L (of which we have particular and most interest) were with the Army of the Potomac and fought all through the first battles (including Kernstown).

Batteries I and K fought both east and west, as they were transferred with Hooker's Corps to the west in 1863.

Battery L were commanded by a certain 44 year old Captain Lucius N. Robinson until he resigned on November 11th, 1862 (8 months after Kernstown and just two or three weeks before Fredericksburg), on account of physical disability. If you look on the poster you can see he was originally a Lieutenant.

He was superseded by Captain Frank C. Gibbs (a mere 26 - war is young mans occupation!) who commanded the battery until the end of the war. The battery comprised six 12pdr Napoleon's....

The following is excellent and is repeated verbatim - from this site

"From Dyer's Compendium

Organized at Portsmouth, Ohio, and mustered in at Camp Dennison, Ohio, October 8, 1861, to January 20, 1862.
Moved to Patterson's Creek, Va., January 20-27, 1862.
Attached to Landers' Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862.
Artillery, Shields' 2nd Division, Banks' 5th Army Corps and Dept. of the Shenandoah to May, 1862.
Artillery, Shields' Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862.
Alexandria, Va., Military District of Washington, D.C., to September, 1862.
Artillery, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862.
Artillery, 2nd Division, 5th Army Corps, to May, 1863.
Artillery Brigade, 5th Army Corps, to April, 1864.
Camp Barry, Defences of Washington, D.C.. 22nd Army Corps, to May, 1864.
2nd Brigade, Hardin's Division, 22nd Army Corps, to July, 1864.
Artillery, 1st Division, 19th Army Corps, Middle Military Division, to August, 1864.
Reserve Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to September, 1864.
Artillery Brigade, Dept. of West Virginia, to January, 1865. 1st Separate Brigade. 3rd Division, West Virginia, to April, 1865.
Artillery, 2nd Division, Dept. of West Virginia, to July, 1865.

Advance on Winchester, Va., March 7-15, 1862.
Reconnoissance to Strasburg March 19-20.
Battle of Winchester [a.k.a Kernstown] March 23. [At Kernstown they were part of the Artillery Corps under Lt. Colonel Daum, in Brigadier General James Shields First Division of V Corps, Army of the Potomac]
Occupation of Mt. Jackson April 17.
March to Fredericksburg May 12-21, and return to Front Royal May 25-30.
Moved to Alexandria June 29, and duty in the Defences of Washington till September. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October-November.
Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15.
At Falmouth till April. 1863.
Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6.
Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5.
Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24.
Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3.
Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan till October.
Bristoe Campaign October 9-22.
Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8.
Rappahannock Station November 7.
Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2.
Duty at Camp Barry and at Forts Sumner and Kearney, Defences of Washington, till July, 1864.
Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 11-12.
Expedition to Snicker's Gap July 14-23.
Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
Berryville September 3.
Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19.
Fisher's Hill September 22.
Battle of Cedar Creek October 19.
Duty at Winchester till December 28, and at New Creek till June 30, 1865.
Ordered to Columbus, Ohio, June 30.
Mustered out July 4, 1865.

Battery lost during service 1 Officer and 7 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 15 Enlisted men by disease. Total 24."

Very pleased with these guys as the uniforms came up particularly well... hell... I even managed to get the stripe on the side of the trousers!

Figures are Newline Designs, and are 20mm. For this limber I tried the alternative basing method I mentioned in my last post, and rather than have the limber as one long base I split it into three - two pairs of horses, and then the horse and limber.. I think it works well and I may still go back and re-base the Confederate limber at some time.

The artillery is based so as to be able to remove the guns from the base - it was a bit of a close fit with these guys as I also painted up some barrels and a crate to add interest!


text:
Three Things I Learned on Commencement Day

In the last five years I’ve been at Commencement Day at universities around the world – a few times to receive awards and three times as the commencement speaker. But attending both my daughters’ college graduations this year helped me to see how things look from the other side of the podium.

CommencementFirst, college graduations fall in the category of “life cycle” events. At some major events– your birth and death for example, while you may be the center of attention, the events are managed by others and are more important to the people around you. Other events, like coming of age celebrations, getting your driver’s license, getting married, the birth of your children – are more important to you, and those attending are the celebrants at your event.

While our daughters’ graduations felt important to us, on top of mind was that this day was about honoring their accomplishments not ours. We were there to celebrate with and for them. And we were incredibly proud of what they achieved – through their years as college students, they grew smarter, wiser and more prepared for the world in front of them.

Second, for most students, our kids included, college was a halfway house to independence. The morning they stepped onto campus as freshman it was the first day of their own life –they were no longer just a child of their parents. College was the first place they could taste the freedom of making their own independent decisions – and in some of those “mornings-after” – learn the price of indulgence and the value of moderation.

At school they had their first years of taking responsibility for themselves. While it may not be obvious to them yet, their college years were a transition from having their parents make decisions for them to making decisions for themselves. Through those years, we lived through a few crises, tried hard not to be helicopter parents and helped when we were needed.

But as independent as our kids and their classmates felt, going to college is still a known path for 21 million U.S. college students. Commencement Day has a sobering finality in that it’s the end of the prescribed path. From that day forward each of these 21 million students now has to search for his or her own path through life

That brings up my third and final observation. At the commencements I attended, graduates were classified by their academic rankings. Outstanding academic performance was noted in the programs and awarded with special honors. Schools reward their students for a combination of intelligence, perseverance and hard work, in the classroom and on the playing fields. But these metrics don’t help kids understand that great grades are not a pass for a great life.

How many of those “A” students will find that after their first job, few employers care about grades and customers don’t ask for your transcript? In fact, in a decade or two, a good number of those “A” students may well be working for those supposed losers who barely graduated.

It’s at the back of the hall where there were a few who see things differently. Who have no fondness for rules or respect for the status quo—these are the kids who are more likely to grow up to create new companies and new industries and push the envelope in directions not visible to those who follow a more conventional path. Successful founders and technology entrepreneurs have at best a zero correlation with great grades.

Colleges may not reward resiliency, curiosity, agility, resourcefulness, pattern recognition and tenacity. But as an entrepreneur, they matter a whole lot more than following directions, playing by the rules and getting top grades.

Congratulations to those in both the front and back of the room. Your lives are going to be interesting – through very different paths.

Lessons Learned

  • Graduation was their day. We were there to help them celebrate
  • Commencement Day is the end of the prescribed path. Now they have to find their own
  • Great grades are not a pass for a great life
  • After their first job, few employers care about grades and customers don’t ask for your transcript
  • Successful founders and technology entrepreneurs have at best a zero correlation with great grades

Download the podcast here

12 Responses

  1. Dear Steve,

    I always enjoy reading your posts and the âThree Things I Learned on Commencement Dayâ was no exceptionâ¦.

    You mentioned that: Colleges may not reward resiliency, curiosity, agility, resourcefulness, pattern recognition and tenacity. But as an entrepreneur, they matter a whole lot more than following directions, playing by the rules and getting top grades.

    How true! I can only add that being genetically pre-disposed to OPTIMISM is probably a very important trait and indicator as well.

    I think that Daniel Kahneman, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and the author of the fabulous book: “Thinking Fast & Slow” said it the best about being optimistic:

    Optimism is normal, but some fortunate people are more optimistic than the rest of us. If you are genetically endowed with an optimistic bias, you hardly need to be told that you are a lucky person â you already feel fortunate.

    An optimistic attitude is largely inherited, and it is part of a general disposition for well-being, which may also include a preference for seeing the bright side of everything.

    If you were allowed one wish for your child, seriously consider wishing him or her optimism. Optimists are normally cheerful and happy, and therefore popular; they are resilient in adapting to failures and hardships, their chances of clinical depression are reduced, their immune system is stronger, they take better care of their health, they feel healthier than others and are in fact likely to live longer.

    Optimistic individuals play a disproportionate role in shaping our lives. Their decisions make a difference; they are the inventors, the entrepreneurs, the political and military leadersânot average people. They got to where they are by seeking challenges and taking risks.
    Their confidence in their future success sustains a positive mood that helps them obtain resources from others, raise the morale of their employees, and enhance their prospects of prevailing. When action is needed, optimism, even of the mildly delusional variety, may be a good thing.”

    With warmest regards,

    Oleg Feldgajer – BASC, MASC, EMBA
    President & CEO
    Canada Green ESCO Inc.

  2. So well done and true Steve. Very profound. Look forward to talking with you soon. Congrats to you, Alison and your family.

    Best, Michael

  3. Interestingly, most of my entrepreneurially minded college students were B or B- students at best. It didn’t take me long to recognize this pattern.

  4. Great and thanks.

  5. This is a GREAT post – especially the third point that echoes the evidence of the difference of high EQ vs IQ in terms of life success. And I am not just staying that because I was a back of the room kid now turned entrepreneur!

  6. This is the reality of life. Unfortunately many struggle through it without ever understanding how these issues affect us! Thanks.

  7. Hi Steve, it is awesome to encourage students with entrepreneurial tendencies to go out and make it happen, to never give up, to stay curious, stay frosty, to not let the man get you down. However, you don’t have to throw the idea of good grades under the bus to do so. In fact, doing will probably just end up ruining a cherished mythology.

    I sat in the back of the room, when I attended classes at all, because I have little fondness for rules or status quo. And I got great grades because I had the capacity to do so and I love to kick ass at whatever I do, not because I was a sheeple or thought good grades were some sort of magical pass to success.

    Saying that entrepreneurship and good grades have “at best” a zero correlation (and thus implying they probably have a negative correlation) seems like an un-lean, data-free view. Gates, Jobs and Zuckerberg are sexy, empowering and bias-inducing stories. They are not evidence that the list of highly successful tech entrepreneurs with college degrees and above average grades is shorter than the list of those without. They are proof that degrees and grades are not required, but not proof that degrees and grades are at best “meh” and at worst evidence of a millstone.

    If anything, what those famous examples show is that people with enough vision and enough drive to drop out or skip class despite all the pressure to continue, the crazy ones, are showing strong “entrepreneurial rules and status quo resistance.” But that is correlation with personality traits that become evident because the rules and status quo exist to be ignored in the first place, not causation due to some ethereal benefit derived by skipping class, punting homework or dropping out.

    If it is suddenly considered totally OK to get so-so grades and drop out, then I bet you $1 that any entrepreneurship correlation that may exist will disappear. Strength requires resistance to emerge.

    So, although I am confident I would win that bet, I’d rather you give the $1 you’d owe me to your university of choice for scholarships so more kids to get the privilege of deciding to skip class, make lifelong friends and perhaps even sharpen their minds a little along the way. And if they just end up getting bored, dropping out, sticking it to the man and starting the next MSFT, AAPL or FB, all the better! Somebody has to star in “The Crazy Ones v2 – More Different.”

  8. I see another point on your list Steve – they move from dependency to self-dependency… now grading that ability could be fun 😉

  9. “From that day forward each of these 21 million students now has to search for his or her own path through life”

    Arguably, how reality is presented to us by our forebears is too often that we’re executing a known business / life model, whereas we probably never get to problem / solution fit and should always be searching. Mmm, what would the actionable metrics be, I wonder [that’s enough Lean Startup metaphors – Ed. ;)]

  10. @Eric Larson: Jobs, Bill and Zuckerberg are not good examples as bad students.

    Specially Bill Gates was a very good student. The people from the University wanted him to finish the degree he started several times, specially after becoming super rich and famous(his father was already rich).

    Jobs had no money, but he was dam smart.

    When you are out in the world and meet hundreds of entrepreneurs, like I did, you know that the expression [“at best” a zero correlation] is totally correct. Yes, In reality is negative correlation but Steve wanted to be kind with good students. 😀

    I bet Steve knows thousands instead of hundreds so he has way more data than me.

    @Steve: Nice speech.

  11. I really think there needs to be a bigger push for kids to start generating ideas for businesses while in college. I know that many of the pristine schools encourage this, but I would like to see a bigger push nationwide. You have such an advantage on the fil

  12. of course, a bunch of A students are working for a couple of PhD’s from Stanford, at Google. I know it is fun to extoll the virtues of not being a great student, but the more accurate point is that college isn’t only about grades – it is about more than that – and that our best leaders of companies have more to them than just their excellent academic track record. So, those B students who make time for other interests and personal development (in the broadest sense) may well turn out to be better entrepreneurs than the straight A students. But don’t smugly assume it is so – many who get straight A’s find they still have plenty of time for all the extra curricular activities the dropouts and B students attend.

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Gold Stevie Award Winner 2018, Click to Enter The 2019 STevie Awards for Great Employers

Company: Mirus Promotions, Inc., San Diego, CA USA
Category: Employer of the Year - Advertising, Marketing, & Public Relations

Nomination Title: Mirus Promotions

Julie Seal-Gaustad, founder and CEO of Mirus Promotions, a national experiential marketing company, has always been a hands-on leader who understands how important it is to work collaboratively with her team — providing them with the tools they need to succeed and ensuring their work environment drives loyalty and encourages them to enjoy what they’re doing. Julie understands making her company a great place to work is the best strategy to keep enhancing the bottom line.

Opportunities for growth through education and training is one way Mirus is a great place to work. The company’s virtual training program enhances field team members’ readiness to serve clients and produces greater results in the marketplace. In 2017, Mirus launched Smarty Pints®, a brand ambassador program offering members of the team the opportunity to obtain their Cicerone® Level 1 certification – augmenting their knowledge of and supporting their passion of craft beer. Her internal team benefits from ongoing training in organizational and growth standards such as productivity, upselling, and ways to wow customers — giving them a strong sense of ownership and encouraging family spirit, a core value.

An environment of camaraderie is maintained through weekly internal team meetings, during which kudos are presented, help is provided, and specific topics are covered. The team is encouraged to participate in webinars related to the industry and present what they learn -- all with a focus of supporting the growth of team members in their work and personal lives. Every quarter, Julie hosts two all-hands meetings and a retreat to further bond her team, giving them the opportunity to help develop business strategies, offer feedback on company systems, and recruitment strategies that align with the company’s core competencies.

Julie trains her internal team to be leaders instead of managers to help them build loyalty among the field team. She encourages questions, growth and safety in decision-making. Everything she does is focused on building team members’ confidence, which supports a positive work environment, employee satisfaction and the growth of the business.

The company maintained the Mirus Marvel of the Month recognition program to encourage motivation for the field marketing team to do their very best and feel connected to the company. One field team member per month who displays the company’s core values before, during, and after marketing activations is highlighted to create loyal team members and recognize those who work hard to best represent clients, the company, and themselves. This year, Julie instituted a partial tuition reimbursement program for internal employees to encourage two core company values, lifelong learning and leadership.

In addition to letting her team members know how vital they are to Mirus’ success, Julie also educates them on the importance of giving back. She involves employees in community activities such as raising funds for cancer research and leads by example by volunteering for local non-profits. And, in partnership with Buy1Give1, a charitable giving community that allows the company to give back on a global scale, the company made over 6,000 social impacts in 2017, including education to disadvantaged children, business training for women and clean water —further demonstrating the value of altruism to team members.

Julie’s confidence in her team was tested by her maternity leave after her son was born in late 2017. She made sure they were ready to take the reins — even doing a one-week “maternity leave recon” as a test run — and she was rewarded by seeing the business not just run successfully without her, but also have a record year. Because she’s worked so hard to provide a positive environment that includes opportunities for growth and engagement, her team stepped up to the challenge of ensuring she could enjoy her time as a new mother, rather than stress about the business.

Employer of the Year Summary

· Revenue growth of more than 100% from 2016 to 2017
· Hired 6 employees (for a total of 11)
· Completed more than 7,000 field marketing activations nationwide in 2017 — a 107% increase over 2016
· Smarty Pints® launched in 2017 and featured in San Diego Magazine’s May 2018 beer issue and
Brewbound’s digital newsletter, distributed to more than 19,000 subscribers
· Represented 163 brands at 1,909 venues in 42 states, selling more than 92,000 products
· Awarded “Fastest Growing Company” at the 2018 Business Excellence Forum and Awards
· Recognized by the San Diego Business Journal in the top 100 fastest growing private companies
· Received bronze Stevie American Business Award in 2017 — Company of the Year, Marketing, Advertising &
Public Relations
· Received silver Steve Award for Great Employers in 2017 — Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations
· Developed and launched a virtual training and assessment onboarding system for new field team members

Why Today’s Top Brands are Investing in Live Events

Team Testimonials


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The St. John Genealogy - created and maintained by The St. John Genealogy Copyright © 2008-2019 All rights reserved. | Data Protection Policy.

This site is for the preservation of the St. John families. Material on this site is intended to educate those interested in St. John Family History.


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on the edge logo

World music festival on Richmond Riverside, Terrace just North of Richmond Bridge

Richmond Riverside comes alive from 1 to 8pm, Saturday, 20 August 2011 to the sights and sounds of live music and dance from across the globe. Now in its sixteenth year, this much-loved festival offers the borough’s residents and world music enthusiasts eight hours of fantastic free entertainment.

Grab your picnic basket and dancing shoes and head down to On the Edge.

From the Caribbean beats of Tropical Storm and the sultry Jesus Cutino & Son de Cuba, to Karan’s Bollywood performance and workshop which will have everyone their feet! Zambula change the mood with music from Uganda and the Congo before Toby Nowell’s Runaway Wedding Band bring their own riotous melee of Balkan bebop, with Serbian songs, high speed coceks and Balkan brass classics. Dancing will be unavoidable!

For more information: www.richmond.gov.uk/home/leisure_and_culture/arts/music/on_the_edge.htm


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know your place logo 2016

Tickets are still available for the annual ‘Know Your Place’ Heritage Festival which celebrates Richmond’s rich and vibrant history.

Organised by Richmond Council’s Library Service, the ‘Know Your Place’ festival is the annual programme of activities that celebrate the history of the borough throughout September.

The festival is a month long series of workshops, walks, talks and activities and there are also a number of hidden treasure ‘trails’ around Richmond Town and East Twickenham. Win a gold medal if you manage to track them all down to discover the area’s amazing history. The first clue is available on the Know your Place festival web page.

Particular highlights include:

  • Open House tours of the Old Town Hall, Richmond
  • Tales from the Thames - Join the Q2 players in a dramatic celebration of the River Thames as it flows through our Borough. Listen to visitors’ impressions and enjoy extracts from fiction with the river as a backdrop. Learn about working life on the river and delight in beautiful descriptions of the landscape.
  • Talks on Ham in the early 20th Century, Twentieth Century Richmond, Richmond Park during both World Wars and Six Tudor Queens.
  • Exhibitions include the History of Kew Gardens; Contemporary British Painting Prize and the Life and Works of Lancelot Capability Brown.
  • Workshops include Researching your house - a beginner’s guide, WW1 Homecoming and My Favourite Things.

Cllr Meena Bond, Richmond Council Cabinet Member for Libraries, said:

“This year’s Know your Place festival is bigger and better than ever! Richmond upon Thames has a wealth of cultural heritage and there really is no better way of unearthing its hidden secrets than taking part in this festival.

“With an action packed programme of activities for children, young people and adults, this exciting Festival really has something for everyone. Book your tickets now…before they are all gone!”

* See the full programme and book your tickets

– from a Richmond Council press release 9 September 2016


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Stock photo: washing machine and laundry basket
Stock photo: 3D render of a washing machine and laundry basket

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Autumn-Winter 2018/19

Professional sports gear redesigned for boys, to be the best companion for playground games. The Chaumont is a winning combination of velvet and high-performance fabrics featuring high-tech elements, including a double hood that offers optimal protection from the elements. Ideal for running around and having carefree fun.

Read more
Product details
  • Down quilted velvet jacket
  • A down filled exterior hood with boudin quilting and an additional hood in nylon technique and eco-fur, both detachable with buttons
  • Die-cast zipper and concealed snap front closure
  • Snap-welt pockets
  • Cased elastic side hems and cuffs
  • Medium length
  • Felt Moncler logo
Item Composition & Care

EXTERIOR: 100% Cotton; LINING: 100% Polyamide / Nylon; HOOD LINING: 78% Polyester, 18% Viscose / Rayon, 4% Elastane / Spandex; HOOD: 100% Polyamide / Nylon; PADDING: 90% Down, 10% Feather; 1 MATERIAL: 100% Polyamide / Nylon

Hand wash; Do not bleach; Do not tumble dry; Do not iron; Do not dry clean; Do not professionally wet clean; Dry flat; Wash separately; Do not twist or wring; do not soak; Remove detachable accessories before washing

Shipping & Returns

We provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.

Thanks to the "Pick up in Boutique" option you can choose to pick up your order in one of the Moncler boutiques. This service is complimentary.

MONCLER CHAUMONT - Outerwear - men
  • Dark blue
    Dark blue
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Autumn-Winter 2018/19

Out of stock

Perfect for winter walks in the city or snowball fights while braving the cold. These cute gloves with a nappa leather palm and fleece lining are made in high quality wool to guarantee warmth and function to withstand the most bitter temperatures.

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Product details
  • Two-way stretch nylon gloves with nappa leather palm and fleece lining
  • Elastic cuffs
  • Embroidered Moncler lettering on tab of left hand
  • Unisex accessory
Item Composition & Care

LINING: 100% Polyester; Embroidery: 100% Polyester; BASE FABRIC: 87% Polyamide / Nylon, 13% Elastane / Spandex;LEATHER OUTER APPLICATION: LAMB

Do not wash; Do not bleach; Do not tumble dry; Do not iron; Do not dry clean; Do not professionally wet clean; Dry flat; Wash separately; Wash in professional laundry for leather

Shipping & Returns

We provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.

MONCLER GLOVES - Gloves - Unisex
  • Black
  • Bright blue
    Bright blue
  • Bordeaux
EUR 220,00
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Autumn-Winter 2018/19

For the first days of spring, Moncler designs a t-shirt that nostalgically evokes winter and lets the imagination fly high over enchanted snowy landscapes. Created to deliver practicality and style, this is a must-have of childrenswear.

Read more
Product details
  • 100% cotton jersey t-shirt
  • Rib-knit collar
  • ‘’M’’ with mountainscape graphic on front
  • Felt Moncler logo
Item Composition & Care

BASE FABRIC: 100% Cotton; Ribs: 100% Cotton

Wash max 30°C - Mild process; Do not bleach; Do not tumble dry; Ironing maximum temperature 110°C - without steam; Do not dry clean; Professional wet cleaning - mild process; Dry flat; Wash separately; It is advisable to wash and iron the garment on reverse.; Do not iron printed part

Shipping & Returns

We provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.

MONCLER T-SHIRT - T-shirts - men
  • White
  • Red
Selected colour Red
One size
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The size shown for this item is the size indicated by the designer on the label.
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The fusion between the importance of a metropolitan classic and the cutting-edge style with which Moncler Craig Green, collection nº5 of the Moncler Genius project, continues to reinvent itself. An item which starts as a basic and is transformed into a designer piece through the new Moncler logo and contrast materials. An must-have for style.

Read more
Product details
  • Double-faced long sleeve crewneck sweatshirt
  • On chest, attached canvas Moncler logo patch with contrast shiny nylon details
Item Composition & Care

BASE FABRIC: 76% Cotton, 24% Polyester; Ribs: 82% Cotton, 16% Polyamide / Nylon, 2% Elastane / Spandex

Hand wash; Do not bleach; Do not tumble dry; Ironing maximum temperature 110°C - without steam; Dry cleaning in tetrachloroethene - mild process; Do not professionally wet clean; Dry flat; Wash separately; Do not twist or wring; do not soak; It is advisable to wash and iron the garment on reverse.

Product Advice
Our style advisors are available for tips and information about this item from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 7pm CET
Shipping & Returns

We offer both Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at Checkout. We also provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.

MONCLER SWEATSHIRT - Sweatshirts - men
  • Red
  • Military green
    Military green
Selected colour Military green
One size
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Autumn-Winter 2018/19

To walk the city streets or to hike the trails along the mountain ridge. The Egide is a leap into the world of high altitude hiking, featuring a high-tech outsole to urge you to keep up the pace like a climbing partner, and high-performance details ideal for the city or in the middle nature.

Read more
Product details
  • Suede and nylon hiking boot
  • Rubber outsole
  • Laced upper
  • Mountain climbing inspired d-rings
Item Composition & Care

UPPER: 100% Polyamide / Nylon; SOLE: 100% Elastodiene;UPPER: COW; LINING: COW

To protect your purchase over time, we recommend the shoes be cleaned using a brush with soft natural bristles or a slightly damp soft cloth. Before cleaning, make sure that the shoes are completely dry. After brushing, apply an appropriate amount of cleaning product to the leather and create small circular motions with a soft dry cloth. For suede shoes, please use a special rubber brush. We also recommend the use of a suitable water-repellent product before wearing the shoes in wet conditions. Dry away from direct heat. Finish the cleaning using a dry clean cloth. Store in the felt bag provided at the time of purchase.

Product Advice
Our style advisors are available for tips and information about this item from Monday to Friday, from 10am to 7pm CET
Shipping & Returns

We offer both Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at Checkout. We also provide free pick up for your returns: you have 15 days from delivery to follow our quick and easy return procedure. For further information visit the Returns and Refunds section.

  • Black
Selected colour Black
One size
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The size shown for this item is the size indicated by the designer on the label.
Select your location

Please be advised that changing your location while shopping will remove all items from your Shopping Bag.


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SAVE 50%

PlayStation Plus
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File Size
358.22 MB

Gnomes Garden 2

8Floor ltd
PSN Game Released Nov 13, 2018

The wicked queen of the trolls has returned from banishment! Using her evil magic, she has kidnapped the princess of the gnomes and taken her to a distant kingdom. In those lands, none know of the power of the magical gardens! The gnomish people who live there have suffered long at the hands of the queen of the trolls and her subjects. The princess decides to help her brothers and sisters and return the power of the magic trees.

Key features:
- A multitude of varied quests,
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- Over 40 unique levels,
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10MB minimum save size

Software subject to license ( Online features require an account and are subject to terms of service and applicable privacy policy ( & One-time license fee for play on account’s designated primary PS4™ system and other PS4™ systems when signed in with that account.


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Weather Forecast: Winter Arrives in the Southeast

— Written By

Dear strawberry community,

With the arriving winter conditions this weekend some asked the questions of whether or not to use row covers.

Right now it looks like it will start to snow and rain from Saturday and Sunday, with precipitation possibilities of 30-40% into Tuesday. The snow itself does not pose a reason to use row covers for protection and no extended time of freezing temperatures or temperatures in the teens are predicted.

A cold snap is predicted for Wednesday morning in the Piedmont region. However, temperatures are predicted to be in the mid-twenties, which should be still fine. Let’s have a look at the temperatures for the coming days:

7-day temperature image

Sunday temperature image

MOnday temperature image

Tuesday temperature image

Wednesday temperature image

Thursday temperature image

Fig.1: Predicted minimum temperatures for Sat (Dec. 8) to Thursday (Dec. 13). A cold snap is predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday in the Piedmont and Mountain region with temperatures below 25F.

We will watch the weather closely, but at this point, we are not recommending to use any row-covers for the next days.

As always, I hope that helps,


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Bukittinggi Televisi

Tivi-nyo Urang Awak

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Visit Website More info

Bukittinggi Televisi is a broadcast television station in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia, providing Community Lifestyle shows. Also known as BiTV, Bukittinggi Televisi produces and airs ... See more health, home and religious lifestyle and educational shows.

Bukittinggi - West Sumatra, Indonesia - Indonesian

Visit the Station's website

+62 752 626035

Jl. By Pass No. 11 Aur Kuning, Bukittinggi, Indonesia


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Save your marriage!

Retrouvaille is a peer ministry.  Couples who have had problems in their own marriages and have recovered from those problems, share their experiences with couples in troubled marriages with the hope that they too will see that their marriage can be saved.  Thousands of couples all over the globe have found hope, help and healing by participating in the Retrouvaille program.   YOU CAN SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE NOW!  For more information about the upcoming Retrouvaille weekend that begins on Friday, February 25, 2011 at the retreat house in Douglaston, Queens–please call 1-800-470-2230 and you will be connected (confidentially) to an experienced couple from Long Island/Metro Retrouvaille who can help.


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Heavy Equipment Training in Wisconsin with Degree Summaries

Research heavy equipment training in Wisconsin, which currently has seven public schools offering programs. Read an overview of training programs, tuition info and other program options for these eight schools to decide which program is right for you.

Find schools that offer these popular programs

  • Heavy Equipment Operation
  • Truck, Bus and Commercial Driver

Essential Information

Heavy equipment training is offered for students interested in the repair and operation of commercial and agricultural equipment like graders, excavators, construction equipment, heavy-duty trucks and diesel engines. In Wisconsin, heavy equipment training is offered through certificate, diploma and associate degree programs. Some programs include coursework that helps students prepare for the commercial driver's license (CDL) exam.

Blackhawk Technical College

Blackhawk Technical College, located in Janesville, offers a diesel and heavy equipment technician program that prepares students to repair diesel trucks and diesel-powered heavy equipment. Offered through the Center for Transportation Studies, the two-year diploma program teaches students about the latest diesel technologies and helps them become familiar with technical manuals. Course topics include hydraulics, diesel engine heads and blocks, inspection and maintenance procedures, truck steering and suspension, heating and air conditioning, engine fundamentals and diesel fuel systems. Applicants to this program must pass the S/P2 Safety and Pollution Test and take a student success course.

Chippewa Valley Technical College

Located in Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College offers a two-year diesel construction equipment service technician program that helps provide students with troubleshooting skills and teaches them to inspect and repair heavy trucks and equipment. The ASE-certified instructors provide training in suspension and steering; heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; brakes; preventative maintenance inspection; electronic and electrical systems; drive train and diesel engines. Upon graduation, students will have a Wisconsin Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Each applicant must have a valid driver's license, complete a drug screening, pass an entrance exam and complete a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) medical/physical form.

Madison Area Technical College

This technical college in Madison has two programs that provide students with training in heavy equipment technology through the School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology. The two-year diesel and heavy equipment technician diploma program trains students in a simulated shop environment to manufacture, maintain, diagnose and repair commercial and heavy equipment vehicles. The curriculum equips students with the skills to adjust wheel alignments and suspensions, perform tune-ups and repair major vehicle systems, including air-conditioning, hydraulic, fuel and transport refrigeration systems.

The 67-credit associate degree program trains students in repair, maintenance and adjustments through lecture and labs in a simulated shop environment. The curriculum includes general education courses, simulated shop training and a paid internship, which allows students to develop practical skills and diagnostic expertise. Both programs hold ASE and National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) master certification in medium and heavy-duty trucks and are available at the Truax Campus.

Mid-State Technical College

The diesel and heavy equipment technician program at Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) in Wisconsin Rapids requires completion of at least 67 credits and takes approximately 27 months. Topics of study include mobile hydraulics repair, hybrid systems, preventative maintenance, engine repair, fuel systems and emissions, engine performance and metal fabrication. Students obtain hands-on training maintaining and servicing on-site equipment, using state-of-the-art tools and equipment. This program's curriculum is based on NATEF standards.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College offers two diesel equipment technology programs at its Sturgeon Bay campus. The 65-credit diesel and heavy equipment technician diploma program teaches students to service diesel-powered equipment and vehicles, including heavy equipment used for construction, agriculture and trucking. Through course assignment and lab work, students develop the skills to maintain and repair engines, engine systems driveline, chassis components and braking, steering and hydraulic systems.

The two-year associate degree program in diesel equipment technology provides students with the technical skills to diagnose, repair and maintain diesel-powered engines, as well as the management training to own or supervise an automotive shop. In addition to technician courses, students take general education courses, in which they develop math, communication, technical reporting and organizational skills. Both programs prepare students to earn their CDL and are certified by ASE, NATEF and the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED).

Western Technical College

The diesel and heavy equipment technician program at Western Technical College in La Crosse teaches students to inspect, maintain and repair diesel engines, transportation equipment, construction equipment and various other diesel-powered equipment. Applicants must have adequate assessment scores in math, reading and English. Through the expertise of four instructors, students learn about diesel safety and industry practices, diesel power trains, diesel electricity, diesel preventative maintenance, basic and advanced diesel engines and diesel engine repair. Students obtain hands-on training working on equipment such as trucks, backhoes and loaders and develop a maintenance schedule.

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College offers an agricultural power and equipment technician program at its New Richmond campus. The 60-credit program teaches students to service, assemble, repair and operate various types of machinery and tractors. Through coursework and practical experience, students examine air conditioning and electrical systems, transmissions and hydraulics. Applicants interested in enrolling should be proficient with computers, blueprints, auto mechanics, drafting, welding and basic math.

This program includes courses in mobile hydraulics, diesel engine theory, basic tools, welding for mechanics and engines for agriculture mechanics. Participants are required to obtain forklift licenses. Students will also be able to take a state-approved training program that can help them obtain certification as operators of refrigerant/recycling equipment leading to a mobile air conditioning license.

Career Information

Heavy equipment operators or technicians might find employment with a high school diploma and receive on-the-job training. However, most employers prefer to hire individuals who have completed a training program, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Students who successfully complete such programs might be eligible for voluntary certification through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Programs below combine hands-on experience and training geared to prepare students for licensing exams in this state.

School Comparison: At a Glance

School Name School Type and Setting Heavy Equipment Training Programs Offered Undergraduate Tuition and Fees (2015-2016)
Blackhawk Technical College Two-year, public; small suburb Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician Diploma $4,045 in-state; $5,971 out-of-state*
Chippewa Valley Technical College Two-year, public; small city Diesel/Heavy Equipment Technician Diploma $4,159 in-state; $6,085 out-of-state*
Madison Area Technical College Four-year, public; midsize city Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician Diploma,
Associate in Applied Science in Diesel Equipment Technology
$4,217 in-state; $6,143 out-of-state*
Mid-State Technical College Two-year, public; fringe rural Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician Diploma $4,211 in-state; $6,137 out-of-state*
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Two-year, public; midsize city Diesel and Heavy Equipment Diploma,
Associate Degree in Diesel Equipment Technology
$4,280 in-state; $6,206 out-of-state*
Western Technical College Two-year, public; small city Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician Diploma $3,779 in-state; $6,050 out-of-state*
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Two-year, public; distant rural Agricultural Power and Equipment Technician Diploma $4,545 in-state; $6,598 out-of-state*

Source: *NCES School Navigator

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