Dream BIG

"Deep within man dwell slumbering powers;
powers that would astonish him, that he never dreamed of possessing; forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action." - Orison Swett Marden

Happy Independence Day!

This was sent to me, and I thought that I would share.
Wishing you health, wealth, and happiness,
Suz

On July 4th, 1776, the Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence,

which is why the United States celebrates that date each year as its

Independence Day from Great Britain.


4th of JULY
REMEMBERING INDEPENDENCE DAY

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56
men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as
traitors, and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary
Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were
merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation
owners; men of means, well educated.

But they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death
if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the
British Navy. He sold his home and properties
to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that
he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from
him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery,
Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge
and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted
that the British General, Cornwallis, had taken over
the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly
urged General George Washington to open fire. The
home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few
months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she
was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His
fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more
than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning
home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.
A few weeks later he died from exhaustion
and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American
Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing
ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and
education. They had security,
but they valued liberty more.

Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:
"For the support of this declaration, with firm
reliance on the protection of the divine providence,
we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our
fortunes and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America.
The history books never told you a lot about what
happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight
just the British. We were British subjects at that
time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted
but we shouldn't!

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July
holiday and silently thank these patriots. It's not
too much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: Freedom is never free!

For all you who have gone in harms' way and returned,
I say "Thank You for your sacrifice."
and to those who lost loved ones, I'd say
"Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.".
I say this now and will until my last breath.

Unknown Author

Where are the Buyers?

I am fortunate enough to be in a field of work that allows me to combine my two favorite past-times--helping people and helping Mother Earth. Perhaps you haven't thought much about it, but I help others recycle a precious commodity that many Americans pay good money for--their homes. First, I get to help people either buy or sell a home (or help them find someone to refinance their current home), and second, being a Realtor allows me to take my passion for recycling to the next level--finding new owners for previously owned homes. New construction is nice, don't get me wrong; it's just special when I can help keep existing homes lived-in and taken care of.

With interest rates so low (Don't believe me? Ask your parents or other relatives if they ever had a mortgage with a 13%, 18%, or 21% interest rate), plenty of homes on the market, and lenders with money to loan, where are all the buyers? I saw an ad for a credit union the other day stating it had $50 million to lend.

Why would you not want to buy right now? If you are concerned about your credit, call me. We will take a look, see how it is and, if necessary, put together a game plan so you can buy a home in the near future. Is it time to move into a larger home or a smaller home? Perhaps you've been thinking about buying a second home, an investment property, or a building for your company? Are you toying with the idea of refinancing? Now is the time. There are plenty of homes and commercial properties for you to consider.

Whether you hear my 15 year old call me a hippie, my hubby describe me as a granola-eating free-spirit, or even hear me say I'm off to a tree-hugger meeting, please know that I am here to help you in any way that I can. Now is the time.

If you are buying a home, I'm interested in hearing the reason(s) why. If you aren't buying and could, I'd love to hear why you aren't.

Wishing you health, wealth, and prosperity,
Suz