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By Jacob Bembry

The past month has been one crazy month for me. A few weeks ago, it seemed that my death sentence had been pronounced. A few weeks later, I’m back at work.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who prayed for me, sent me cards, visited me in the hospital, visited me at home and have helped me financially during my walk with my illness. God heard those prayers and saw the kindness that was bestowed on my family and me. He honored those prayers and that kindness.

The support that I’ve gotten from everyone is wonderful. Although I have lived in Madison County for most of my life, I am still amazed at the wonderful people here and how they are always willing to help. I thank God for you each and every day.

I do not remember what happened and do not remember the first few days in the hospital. My sister, Debbie, said that I awoke on Sunday night, wanted the remote control to the TV and wanted to watch Chuck. She said she had no idea what TV show that was. That does sound like something I would do, though. I love that TV show, which is basically a comedy about a spy, and the TV show Criminal Minds. Those are my two favorite shows currently airing and I don’t like missing them.

I don’t know where my mind and my heart wandered during those first few days, because I have no memory of them. I do not remember what happened at work and my co-workers’ valiant attempts to revive me. I do not remember the trip to Tallahassee on the ambulance and how the paramedics and EMTs worked with me. I do not remember being in the emergency room or being on a respirator. I do not remember the doctors and nurses striving so hard and working with me. I do not remember my family and my friends being there for me. I do not remember the visits that I had. What I do know, however, is the love that I felt and the security I felt. I was safe in the love of God and of others and I was also secure.

As I head into the next year, I pray that I will never forget the love of God and the love of others and I want to proclaim to everyone about my miraculous healing that if God did it for me, He can do it for others.

By Becky Bennett
Guest Columnist

As the 2011 calendar year comes to an end, 4-H members are just getting warmed up. Each member is planning and preparing for the project goals they have set for themselves this year. Project goals are what a 4-H member decides to work toward during the year, based on interests and community involvement.

During the spring, each member has the option to present what they’ve learned to their peers in both competitive and non-competitive events. Some choose to do a demonstrative or illustrative talk during County and District Events. These talks are a show and tell, and are related to the project the members are enrolled in. Have you ever shown anyone how to tie a knot, lay out a pattern, or identify insects? If so, you have given a demonstration. Members usually show and tell about something they enjoy doing in their project.

For example, a member could talk about what it is like to raise a steer – some of the positive experiences as well as what they have learned. These talks are usually 3 to 7 minutes long and give members an opportunity to gain valuable experience in public speaking. Having members do a demonstration at the club level is a great experience for them before going to County Events. This is a good way for members to give others in their club first- hand experience as to what their project is all about. It also allows members to gain feedback from their peers and leaders.

With the dawn of a new year approaching and those dreaded “New Year’s Resolutions” looming on the horizon, take a page from a 4-Her’s handbook on how to reach your goals and have fun in the process! Here are some suggestions:
• Adopt goals and suggest ways to reach them.
• Have a trusted friend or family member suggest ways to improve.
• Set milestone dates for those small accomplishments your reach along the way to achieving your ultimate goals.
• Make a tentative schedule for achieving your goals. Don’t worry if you stray from the schedule…that’s why it’s tentative!
• Set tentative plans to meet with a friend or family member to go over where you are at reaching your goal. This will make you take responsibility and be held accountable.
• Teach others about what you are doing.
• Celebrate your accomplishments!

Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a blessed and happy New Year!

Becky V. Bennett
4-H Youth Development Agent
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment Opportunity—Affirmative Action Employer authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A.&M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.

By Joe Boyles, Guest Columnist

When tackling Social Security’s nagging problem of under funding and future insolvency, there is a steady drumbeat to raise the limit of income subject to the tax, also known as the Social Security wage cap. Most of us don’t reach that cap with our monthly wages and salary, so we’re not aware of the limit. This year, the cap is $106,800. Next year, it rises to $110K. Any income (wages and salary) above that amount is not subject to the 12.4 percent FICA tax.

It sounds so easy to advocate raising or even eliminating the wage cap. Why not do it? Let me give you a couple of important reasons why we shouldn’t.

Let’s review a little history. That’s always a good place to start when considering any problem. Here are two important questions to ask before we “jump off the wage cap cliff.” First, how long have wages been subject to a Social Security wage cap and second, why was a cap originally put in place?

Ever since Social Security was enacted and signed into law in 1935, there has been a cap on income subject to the FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) tax. In 1939, the limit was the first $3000 of income. Today, it is more than $100K, but inflation takes its toll.

Why did the originators of Social Security establish an income cap in the first place? For one thing, they correctly reasoned that high earners were planning for retirement on their own without government assistance. But even more importantly, they guaranteed that everyone enrolled in Social Security would receive all they put in to the program plus interest. Without the income cap, that guarantee would fall apart.

Don’t believe me? In 1936, a well-meaning New Dealer by the name of Ethyl Smith wrote a four-page pamphlet explaining Social Security to the average American worker. It was given to every working American enrolled in the system. In the pamphlet, Ethyl wrote this: “What you get from the government plan will always be more than you have paid in taxes and usually more than you can get for yourself by putting away the same amount of money each week in some other way.”

Ethyl wrote some other pretty amazing things in that pamphlet which incidentally, you can find on the Social security website. It is easy to critique and criticize her statements, but I’m certain that when she wrote these words 75 years ago, she meant everything and believed it to be true. Ethyl was looking into a crystal ball and predicting the future. Today, we have the advantage of three-quarters of a century of experience – the crystal ball is much clearer.

But this much is clear – if there had been no cap on earnings subject to the payroll tax, Ethyl Smith could not have written those words in her pamphlet. Likely, there would have been no Social Security either. The income cap was a fundamental element of the original FICA.

If you’re an ardent student of what I’ve written about Social Security over the past six years, you know that I’m an advocate for reform to update the Depression era program to something that will work in the 21st Century. So this is what I would say to those who want to eliminate the income cap – fine, but my price is total reform of the system. To use the existing system and eliminate the payroll cap would be akin to removing the cornerstone from the foundation of a building – it undermines the foundation.

The income cap was a fundamental assumption that the FICA was based upon 76 years ago. I will fight its elimination tooth and nail.

By Jacob Bembry

When I finally came to myself again, I saw my father along with my friends, Benjie and Denise Dyal, and their daughter Cali in my hospital room. Soon, I was out again. I had regained my memory but there is a part of it that I will never get back again.

I do not remember much of what happened on December 8, 2011. My boss and my friend, Emerald Greene, said that I had been texting her some questions I had about a story I had proofed for someone in Monticello. All of a sudden, the texting stopped. She wondered what had become of me. She said that Kristin Finney, one of my reporters, began texting her that they were on the phone with 911 for me and that I was blue. Dana Williams, a sales associate, had begun mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and Lynette Norris, another reporter, and Dee Hall, a graphic artist, had begun chest compressions. Kristin gave them the instructions from the dispatcher. I remember none of this – I only share what has been shared with me.

In Monticello, apparently shaken by the news about me, Emerald started to head to Madison before she realized that she was 40 minutes away from me. She said that Russell Williams, one of our freelance photographers, had gone to the office and told her he had never seen anyone so blue in his life as I appeared to him.

EMS arrived on the scene. I was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where the prognosis didn’t look good. Doctors did not give me much hope but they started a process to bring my body temperature into a hypothermic state. This helps preserve brain function and is called Arctic Sun. Apparently, Arctic Sun worked on me.

I think of the women who helped me at the office, the EMTs who helped and the doctors and nurses and I am overwhelmed by it. More than that, I am overwhelmed by the fact that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost were in the background, directing each hand and each action and keeping me safe and protected.

Over the next few days and nights, a parade of pastors and a parade of Christian lay people walked through the doors of my hospital room. They were led by the steps of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Gently, each of them whisphered prayers of hope for me. Gently, they breathed prayers of hope for my family who breathed their own prayers for me. Even friends who I have not met in person also prayed for me. One friend named Pam had plenty of photos that she had taken of places, people and things and each looked a prayer and resounded in my heart like a prayer.

God has promised never to leave us alone or forsaken. He has delivered on his promise to me time and time again and this year just in time for Christmas.