Bill Schuck, a member of the RGNS community, law enforcement officer, loving husband, and expecting father was killed in an automobile accident early Sunday morning. He was out on patrol on Oconee County when his cruiser became stuck. He got out of his cruiser to inspect the situation when the car slipped, pinning him between his cruiser and a tree.

Bill was a wonderful man who embodied, to it core, the grace, love, and temperament necessary to be a true gentleman. He was, and will always be, a man that I look up to, respect, and want to be around. He was, in a sense, a person you wanted to be around because he made you a better person. There are very few people in our lifetime that will have that effect on so many.

When looking at Bill and Carey Ann, it was easy to see that their love for each other was immense. They understood each other as only people who are meant for each other do; one look from either of them to each other could put them into stitches. There is no amount of words that I or anyone else can say to Carey Ann to express our love for her and Bill. However, we can, as we will do, show our love for them by bringing our hands together in prayer; letting Bill and Carey Ann know that he is living in all of our hearts. We will be there for her; not just tomorrow and the next day, but when she needs it most, and when she does not know that she needs us because we are her family. Family, no matter what, takes care of its own.

I choose to celebrate the man, his life, and the principals he exhibited each and every day. I will remember the little things that made him a true gentleman. And when, in time, I am struck by something in my everyday life that reminds me of Bill, I will take a moment and smile, with a tear coming down my cheek, knowing that he is still with us.

To You Bill…

Courtesy of The New Yorker.

Piano Jazz, for those of you who who are unaware of what it is, or have never listened to it before, is a radio program that comes on Friday Evenings from 7 to 8 on NPR. This program is a joint funding between NPR and South Carolina public radio. The host, Marian McPartland, has a truly incredible background as a pianist. She started to teach herself Chopin piano waltzes when she was only three years old. As her career accelerated, she began to start recording jazz piano albums for many large record labels. Tune in to listen to the show sometime, and experience the magic for yourself.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122775344&ft=1&f=1108

Have a listen to the podcast below; there are three separate stories . Sometimes we learn about people in the most mysterious ways. Who would you have a coffee can for? Who has, in a small or large way, made a difference in your life?

StoryCorp All About My Father

Is money so important in life to be content, that people fight wars and break up friendships over it? People always want more money, and that is what they strive to get all throughout their lives, but it seems that we, as God’s creations, can work for something bigger, and more important in the long run. People work to get more money, but why? Does it make them happier? Does it make them better people? People work for money because they believe that it will somehow make them happier or feel better about them selves. It doesn’t though. Money can’t buy happiness; nothing can, we can acquire happiness through love, friendship, family, and nature. Many people seem to believe that getting more money will somehow make them more loved or appreciated, but it really doesn’t, one gets more loved and appreciated through ones actions. Money can achieve someone happiness for a short amount of time, almost like renting happiness. Finally here is a question: do we ever really have money, are we meant to have it, and do we really need it?

-Saoirse Scott

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As a follow up to the original post, What is on your Bucket List?, there is a wonderful video below about these peoples bucket list. What is on your bucket list? How can you help others do something on their bucket list?

What do you like better the first fireflies of the summer or the first snowflakes of the winter? Why? Give us some detail.

“Continuous effort…is the key to unlocking our potential” (Liane Lordes). This is truly significant. This “continuous effort” statement may seem like saying that everyone has potential, but a person needs to fight hard to reach it. Another interpretation one could take away from this is that continuous effort (hard work) can overcome any flaws in nature or nurture. Everybody has potential. This, however, is blocked by a certain amount of nature or nurture. It acts like a layer of rock blocking gold (potential). Hard work acts like a drill to drill through the rock to get the gold. The unfair thing is that, while everybody has a drill, some people have more rock to drill through. Some people drill faster than others. This is why there are so many people who work jobs like person who takes orders at McDonalds their whole life. Part of it might be that their drill is not being turned fast enough, but that is the fault of the person. The really sad things is that the nurture of (lack of it) built up more rock than there should have been. Because of a combination of these two things, many people never find the gold.

-Jacob Calvert

Create a Caption for the cartoon.