Community Spirit August 2016 by Community Spirit

Contents

August 2016 PUBLISHER & editor Tom McCloud

FEATURES

CREATIVE Director Ben Allen

6 10 12 14 16 18 29 31

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom McCloud, Randy Cowell, Deniece Adsit, Justin Cowell, Danny Cahill

Allan Trimble - Faith, Family, Academics and Football Lived to Praise About It - Scott Burnett Jim Stoval on Elephants Clear-Tone Testimonial Dream Center Annual Golf Tournament Why Voucher is Spelled with an “Ouch” Celebrity Attractions John Crosiant Backs Tom McCloud for House

COLUMNS 20 22 24 25

Danny Cahill, The Biggest Loser Premier Advisors Dr. Jason Schluter Healthy Smiles Dentistry

26 27

ACT Financial Services Deniece Adsit Column

Special thanks to Steve Ervin of Ervin Photography for cover photo, and Dr. Jerry Freed for the pictures inside the Trimble cover story.

www.mccloudmedia.com • www.communityspiritmagazine.com Distribution Community Spirit Magazine is distributed to churches, schools, restaurants, Christian bookstores, and other businesses. Call us today to deliver to your church. Community Spirit Magazine is published monthly by McCloud Media. Claims by advertisers and the opinions of writers within this publication do not necessarily represent the views of Community Spirit Magazine or its publisher, Equipment Publications, Inc. Philippians 2:1-2 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Our Mission: 1. Build Community – Develop a sense of community among all local believers in Christ 2. Inspire Good Works 3. Support Families 4. Share the Good News of Jesus Christ Fan us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CommunitySpiritMagazine

Yorkshire Publishing Get started on your publishing dream today, Contact Yorkshire Publishing at 918.394.2665. 6271 E. 120th Court, Suite 200 Tulsa, Oklahoma Select Yorkshire Published Titles Include: Sparkling Gems by Rick Renner Your Little Red Wagon by Pastor Alex Himaya A Patriot's Calling by Major Dan Rooney The Priority Promise by Sean Kouplen

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Faith, Family, Academics and Football

Coach Allan Trimble Courageously Faces ALS

ou could have heard a pin drop as Coach Allan Trimble approached the podium. Well over a thousand fans, church friends and community leaders were there to support, pray for and express their love and admiration for this respected and very lovable leader. Only days before, Allan had received a heart-breaking diagnosis. He has ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a debilitating and typically fatal disease that attacks the muscles, gradually taking away the ability to do even the simplest things. On Wednesday, Coach Trimble told his team, as well as the men who serve along side him as elders at Park Plaza Church of Christ. By Friday, what was planned as a simple time of prayer in his front yard had turned into an event that would rival the pep rallies held before any of his 13 state championship games. Honestly and sincerely, yet directly and courageously, Allan addressed the crowd like a true champion. And as he spoke, he gave testimony to all who would listen, that God is bigger than any diagnosis and that we can totally trust Him no matter what might lay ahead of us. Days later, I interviewed him over a barbecue lunch and although I have known him for years, it was a special honor to get to hear his thoughts on life, on family and of course on football. He was of

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course still reeling from the prayer rally and from the literally thousands of messages from ex-players and loved ones. Tough Days “The first two or three days were like getting hit by Mike Tyson,” he explained. “It was the toughest thing I have ever had to do to tell my daughters and mom and Dad. I told the girls (Tylar, age 20 and Tori, 18) on a Saturday night before the 4th of July. They know their dad isn’t the most subtle guy in the world, so I just told them that the doctor did not have very good news. I could tell that it really didn’t fully register to the girls until I explained to them that the life expectancy for 90 percent of ALS patients is 3 to 5 years.” “It may be hard for some to understand, but I am strangely thankful for this time when my whole family was able to gather and draw on the strength of the Lord. That was a special moment in my life where the kids said things like… You already have this beat, trust in God’s promises and we will take care of you.” Allan explained that it is still hard to talk about at times. “Those waves of emotion are still coming. It is still pretty fresh. Two weeks today is when I found out. I told my mom, dad and sister over the 4th. It’s not the news anyone wants to hear. So, the first few days were very emotional and those waves still come and go. But it has also been a blessing because it continues to enhance my trust and faith in God’s promises. I know what I have said all of

these years… we are in an eternal journey. But I will tell you that it has been sentimental and has produced a lot of thought provoking situations. If you knew you had only a short time to live, how should you be spending it for the Lord? I have wrestled with that.”

glasses and things sort of progressed from there. The Lord put someone in my life who could tolerate me and my career,” he laughed. Allan and Courtney recently celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary.

A Great Testimony Allan was raised in Cleveland, Oklahoma and continues to have a lot of family in and around the Cleveland/Tulsa area. His mother was the youngest of eight children and his mom and dad still live in the same house they bought from his mom’s mother. His parents are faithful members at the Cleveland Church of Christ, where his dad served as an elder for many years.

The Trimble family are active members at Park Plaza Church of Christ where Allan serves as an elder. He has been playing a key role in establishing a new church branch in the Jenks area.

After graduating from high school in 1981, Allan went to Northeastern State in Tahlequah. He originally thought he would become an engineer, but instead choose a math and education degree. He played as a defensive lineman on the football team. “I was raised in church, yet I have often thought that when I went away to college, I went there with my parents faith instead of my own. But I managed to be involved with the Bible Chair on campus. I did run with the wrong crowd for a year, but I got out of it and fortunately didn’t find much fulfillment in that life. When I came back, I discovered my own faith. God placed a number of really good friends to help me. In fact, a local family adopted me and fed me on Sundays. They kept nudging me to stay involved. I spent three or four years trying to figure it out, but I finally came around,” Allan explained. He met his wife, Courtney, through some friends at Oklahoma Christian University. He explained that he was engaged to a young lady, but that she broke off the engagement. Courtney was a friend of hers from her campus social group. “Courtney broke her glasses one day and I happened to have a friend who owned an optical company. I helped her get some

A Coaching Legacy Allan began his coaching career at Owasso in 1986 where he taught math and was the assistant football, track and wrestling coach. In 1990, Perry Beaver (Hall of Fame Coach) and Joe Holiday (AD) hired Allan to move to Jenks. Coach Beaver retired the next year and brought in Coach Lancaster. He moved Allan to coach offense and two years later, Allan became the Offensive Coordinator. But when Allan and Courtney found out they were pregnant with Tyler, he decided to leave coaching and take a job with Koch Hydrocarbon in Wichita. Not long after he was transferred to El Dorado, Jenks called and invited him to interview for the head-coaching job at Jenks. The rest is, as they say, Jenks Football history. In 20 years as head coach, Allan built a nationally acclaimed program, capturing 13 state championships and 230 wins. He coached NFL standouts such as Rocky Calmus (Titans), Sean Mahan (Buccaneers) and Garrett Mills (Patriots). But more important than the statistics, Allan has mentored literally hundreds of young men. Always helping them keep their priorities in order, he continues to base his coaching on mentoring his players for have a good life. “Help them to be better people and they will be better players,” he says. To this day, he teaches them to prioritize their efforts on Faith, Family, Academics and Football. Now, because of what he refers to as “his recent little journey,” C ommu n itysp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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many of these men are re-contacting him. Allan sees this as a true opportunity to re-open the door to be able to testify to them and mentor them, even in their adulthood. Faith, Family, Academics and Football “Faith, Family, Academics and Football is not just the poster on the wall. We really do try to emphasize it in that order. We do our best to try to put the kids in the position to learn and grow in all of those areas.” When I asked how he gets by with the faith part, he just grinned. “Well, we walk the line a lot. But the school board, principal and administration believe in educating the whole child. Jenks is notorious for the great academic programs and the pursuit of excellence in everything, but I can tell you the core group of people who originally employed me really had a strong faith. I still talk to many of them. In fact, during this latest little journey I am going through, they are all back there, letting me know they are praying for me.” “Recently, I have thought a lot about situations I could have handled better. I feel really good about mentoring kids and we have done a really good job I think, but there are always cases where we could have done better or more. But there have been kids who have written me letters reminding me of when we walked them through a tough situation in their life and how thankful they were, that honestly, I didn’t remember until they reminded me. So, it has been real sentimental lately, as these kids (adults now) express their thanks for some of the things we went through years ago.” When asked about his near retirement this spring, Allan explained that his health had a little to do with it. “Traditionally, if you do it right, you work about 16 straight weeks in a row, 7 days a week during the season. So, you end the season mentally and physically tired. You go without rest, drink a lot of caffeine and you are exhausted, and should be. You work hard. But usually, you make it through Christmas break, you get a couple weeks off and you freshen up physically and mentally. But this year, I didn’t bounce back. Dr. Joe Reese (doctor, friend and fellow elder) tested me, but we really couldn’t quite put our finger on it. So, my health did have some to do with it. As much as I demand from my players and coaches, they deserve a leader who is right there with them. Allan believes now that he has been experiencing symptoms for the last two years. “They first thought it was carpal tunnel and they even transplanted my ulna nerve without any benefit. Then a trail of doctors finally took me to Dr. Beeson in Oklahoma City who specializes in MD and ALS and such. It didn’t take him too long to figure it out.” Burden on the Family is the Toughest Thing “The hardest thing is the burden it puts on those around you. My wife has worked tirelessly to support my coaching habit, raised two children and now the idea that she is going to have to deal with this, is a gut-wrencher for me. I can’t get it out of my mind. Most of us men, if something happens to us we can tough it out, but if something happens to our family that is a different thing.” “When you get that diagnosis, it really will make you go out on the back deck and ponder for a while. But, you couldn’t take a pencil

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and write a story with more blessings and great things in my life. I mean, you couldn’t even imagine… from Cleveland, Oklahoma to 35 years later, with the church we get to go to, with the family and friends we have, plus the community and career… you couldn’t write a better book. That part of it is really comforting and it lets me know how blessed I am. Lets face it, we ALL have a terminal disease. The odds of dying are good (Allan chuckled at the sarcasm), but I would also tell you that when you know, when you really know, at least for me, there is a very sentimental, thorough thought process on what I need to be doing. Where do I need to be impacting people? Is this particular activity worthy of the next two hours that I am going to give it? I will be honest with you, it has almost stress me out a little (I am not a “stressy” guy). I think about it a lot. It has been really tricky for me. I don’t know if it is one of Satan’s darts that he is messing with me or if it is really that I should number my days and be very calculated. I can tell you this, my 401K sort of went down on the list of priorities.” Business As Usual Coach Trimble will be on the sidelines again this year and he says it is “business as usual.” Jenks will have a young team this year, with ten new players on defense and about six or seven on offense. It’s always fun and challenging to have a young team. Our first four games will be against ranked opponents. We will have to get out of the starting blocks early. The kids are working super hard. It will be a fun year and we get to coach a little bit.” “The past couple of weeks have been both overwhelming and uplifting, but things need to get back to normal. I have talked to our staff about it. This thing with me needs to be pushed out of the way. We need to go “live.” I will try to give parts of my responsibility away. I will have to. Every one of our coaches has come to me asking to take some of the workload. It is just hard to figure out how to do it when you are not wired that way.” When asked why he has decided to continue coaching, he explained, “Should I walk away from this platform? Right now, I have a unique sphere of influence that I simply can’t walk away from. My energy level is high and I can’t wait for the new season.” Better buy your Jenks tickets early. I have a feeling you won’t want to miss a single minute of this high drama season.

Brush Creek Ranch – A Cause Worth Celebrating!

hen Shawn and Shannon Blankenship open their mail or log on to their FaceBook account, it is not unusual for them to hear from “family,” kids who were once students at Brush Creek Youth Ranch. The messages warm the couple’s heart as they read of babies being born, graduations, job advancements and healthy marriages. And they praise God as they look back to see His hand in rescuing the kids through the ministry of Brush Creek Ranch. Brush Creek is a 915-acre working ranch in beautiful Northeastern Oklahoma. Located just outside Jay, Oklahoma on the southeast corner of Grand Lake, the property provides a picturesque atmosphere where horses and wildlife run through the rolling hills and drink from the meandering spring-fed creek. But Brush Creek is more than a ranch. It is a boarding school where countless lives have been changed. Typically, they have been boys with life controlling issues who have been given the opportunity to move from their environment to a peaceful place to start fresh. Shawn Blankenship, Executive Director for Adolescent Programs explained that Brush Creek was originally started 35 years ago by a group of people with a heart for youth. Nine years ago, they joined together with like-minded, Teen Challenge of Oklahoma, a ministry of the Assemblies of God, with roots back to David Wilkerson’s famous story of The Cross and the Switchblade. The association with Teen Challenge allowed them to join with a girl’s school called New Life House. The two programs operate independently but are supervised by the same administration. The boys ride a bus over to New Life to attend school. Brush Creek is fully accredited and includes a respected athletic program. In fact, the boys are the raining state football champions in the Christian School Association’s 8-man league. The team combines forces with Cookson Hills Ranch to compete in basketball and football and the girls compete in basketball and volleyball. The kids range in age from 13 to18 and they generally attend Brush Creek for 12 to 15 months. During their stay, they enjoy a structured environment that helps foster personal growth. The students have the opportunity to learn various vocational skills such as welding, basic carpentry, plumbing, lawn care, fence repair & building, livestock care, and other ranch duties. They are also involved with various community service projects, helping to build a strong work ethic. But the real key to the success of Teen Challenge has been the spiritual component. The Brush Creek Youth Ranch Staff and Administration are committed to ensuring that students understand God’s love, forgiveness, and His ability to restore relationships. The ultimate result? Changed and redirected lives. Brush Creek accepts no governmental support but instead operates on the donation and tuition from its students. Tuition is $2300 a month, about half of the actual cost. Donations provide

scholarships to assist families according to need. Visit their website for month information –www.okteenchallenge.com.

Support these kids! Come to The Brush Creek Bazaar! The Brush Creek Bazaar is an annual Tulsa event that boasts fun for everyone. Over a three-day period, enjoy shopping, entertainment and carnival activities in a family environment. The outdoor festival features more than 80 vendor booths. Shop row after row of craft supplies and locally made art while your children play in the kid zone. Take a break from shopping to enjoy some quality time with the family over some live music and fair food. It is old-fashion fun with a wonderful cause. Expect to have a great time!

THIS YEAR'S EVENT WILL BE HELD OCT 14-16 Friday-Sunday Friday, October 9, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Saturday, October 10, 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sunday, October 11, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the gate $3 for Senior Citizens Children 12 and Under are FREE The Brush Creek Bazaar is an outdoor festival that has something for everyone. It is an "arts paradise" showcasing more than 80 craft vendors. We will have artists of wood, home decor, soap, jewelry, outdoor decor, metal, clothing, candles & much, much more. The 3-day event also features live music of all genres from bluegrass & jazz, to contemporary and & country, as well as clogging & other dance styles. There will also be a "kidzone extravaganza" awaiting all children with face-painting, pony rides, a pumpkin patch, as well as other specialty activities for the children to enjoy!!! C ommu n itysp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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Lived to Praise – A Series to Remind Us that Miracles Still happen

Scott Burnett – “My Stroke was a Blessing!”

cott Burnett walks with a staff. It supports his right leg, just in case it should “act up.” But the staff serves an even greater purpose. It opens doors.

When people ask about it, Scott smiles, whispers a thank you to God and then begins to share his story… God’s story. By all appearances, Scott had it all together. He had a successful business, a great marriage and family, and was active in his faith, in his church and in his community. His doctors said he was healthier than any mid-fifties man they knew. An avid marathoner, on any given day, you could find him running the trails around his home. No one, especially Scott, would have expected he had a ticking time bomb in his brain. It happened one Saturday in 2012 and it very well could have killed him. Instead, in a strange way, it would ultimately make him better. “I was at the office on Saturday because the Men’s group from church was meeting there. After the meeting, I called my wife, Kim, and told her that I was going to stay and work a bit and hang out with the guys. I was supposed to take her to New York that next Thursday, so I thought I would catch up on some work. I was feeling good. About two o’clock, I called her again to tell her that and I was heading home and that I planned on taking the dogs out for a run. She asked me to stop by the store on the way home. As I approached the counter, my right leg twitched. Then, boom, my entire right side went. The store clerk asked me if I was okay. I couldn’t talk. I just started mumbling. He sat me down, called my wife and 911.” “Lord, I am having a stroke aren’t I,” asked Scott. “Yes you are son,” God replied. “Well, okay, if this is when I am going to meet you face to face, then I am ready,” Scott said. Scott explains that he had a total shalom peace come over him. “I was just sitting there thinking, okay Lord, I am ready. But then, I started thinking about my wife and grown kids.” “Lord, I will make a deal with you.” (I have made a lot of deals with God through the years. He has always kept his end of the bargain. I haven’t always kept mine.) “If this is my appointed time and you want to take me home, I am good with that. But if not, please heal me. I don’t want Kim to be having to feed me and change my diapers and so forth.” Scott knew he was in bad shape and was getting worse. They rolled him into the Stroke ICU at St. John’s Hospital. His right side was totally shut down and he had mumbling speech. Two nurses got him all set up and just as they started to walk out of the room, Scott’s pastor, Chris Buskirk, walked in.

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“Scott, I am here to lay hands on you and pray for you,” Pastor Buskirk said. Scott mumbled back a garbled thank you. “About halfway through his prayer, I felt this bolt of lighting shoot through my right side. My right leg and my right arm shot way up in the air. It startled me and I opened my eyes. I looked over at the two nurses and they are freaking out cause they knew my right side was dead, yet I was waving my arm around. He was still praying and I waited until he was done. Then, as clear as ever, I said, ‘Pastor, I am healed. Lets go home!” “Unhook me from all of this stuff,” I screamed. “No, Scott. Lets let these doctors check you out,” said Pastor Buskirk. Scott’s speech was clear, but the paralysis returned down his right side in about 15 minutes. It was much like it was before, but this time, he had a bit of movement in his leg. Scott remembers that he thought it was good news that there was at least a bit of connection getting there.

Scott was confused. “Lord, you healed me, but now I am paralyzed again. What is the deal? God’s answer was clear, “Yes, son, I have healed you. Now work it out.” “But wait Lord, what do you mean by that,” Scott asked? Days later, God took Scott to the scripture. “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Scott tried to explain the significance of the scripture. “In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul talks about the fullness of the Godhead. It tells us that the fullness of the godhead indwells us and because of that, we are complete in Christ. All three live in us. So, all the goodness and love indwells me and I am to work that out. When you work that out to others, they are blessed and God is glorified. That is what we are. We are his witnesses. God made it clear to me that it was going to be a process and that I should stay in the Word, meditate on what Jesus did on the cross, and doing everything my therapists told me to do and then some.” “So, I had to ask my pastor, ‘Is healing instantaneous or a process?” “Yes,” Chris Buskirk replied with a smile.

do it all over again. “People think I am crazy when I say that. No, it hasn’t been fun. It has been very hard, but it also has been very good,” Scott says. He now feels the experience has given him a responsibility like never before to witness to others. “To whom much is given, much is required. I was actually given a stroke as a blessing. Now, God requires me to tell my story…His story everywhere I go, to anyone who will listen.” Now, in front of all sorts of groups, Scott preaches a simple truth. “If we really trust the Lord, it doesn’t matter what happens. He is on our side. He has got our back. Are we going to face tough stuff? Absolutely! Jesus said that. ‘In this world, you are going to have troubles, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.’ But it is all temporary. Our God is THE God. He is the King of the Universe. His will WILL be done. We are His kids and He will take care of us in this life and in the life to come.” Scott Burnett is owner of Burnett Windows and Siding. He can be reached at 918-286-7600.

The healing of Scott’s speech was immediate. The rest, he was going to have to work out. “I attempted to come to grips with my stroke right away. I didn’t like it. I had a lot of pain. I couldn’t sleep. In fact, I was miserable. Any movement hurt. It took everything I had just to make a finger twitch. It was mentally and physically exhausting. One day, I was reading out of The Message Bible in James where it said, “Count it as a gift when you are tested and tried.” I said, “Lord, come on, really? You want me to see this as a gift?” “Yes,” He answered. “Okay, I will do that,” I promised. It became apparent to Scott that God wanted him to understand that He is in total control. “Did He cause the stroke? No, but He allowed it,” Scott insists. “God taught me that if I would count it as a gift, even a stroke could all be to His glory. Since that moment, God has just blown me away, first by what He has done in me through this process and then, how He has allowed me to be His witness through this. It has opened more doors than I could ever dream of, with all kinds of people in all kinds of places, even in foreign countries. People ask about my staff and then I get to tell them my story. “Let me tell you how awesome God is,” I begin. In fact, my staff has opened so many doors that I really don’t know if I want to have a complete manifestation of healing or not. Do I want it? Of course! I would love to run again. It has always been my hobby and thrill. But do I want to trade my testimony in just to be able to run? I am not so sure.” Scott also explains that the stroke has given him the ability to truly be empathetic to others. So much so, that he insists that he would C ommu n itysp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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Stalking the

Elephant by Jim Stovall

any people would claim to believe that anything is possible, but when it comes to their own life, career, and success, they don’t believe everything is possible.

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The concept of anything being possible is random and ethereal. It includes ideas such as “I might win the lottery,” “We might get hit by a meteor,” or “If I’m lucky, I could get the perfect job and meet

Mr. or Miss Right.” In these examples, believing in anything being possible assumes that the outcome is not within our control but it’s possible. On the other hand, when we believe that we control our destiny and our fate is in our own hands, we understand that everything is open to us based on the choices we make and how hard we want to work. I am an entrepreneur and run a small business called the Narrative Television Network. Recently, due to a lot of hard work by our team, we landed a contract to do business with one of the largest corporations in the world. Many well-meaning, well-intentioned, and knowledgeable people would assert that a little company from Oklahoma with less than 10 employees couldn’t do business on a level playing field with a multinational, multibillion-dollar giant. In reality, if they believe it’s impossible in their circumstances, they are right. If I believe it’s possible for our team, I’m right. Success is a self-fulfilling prophecy. In my book, The Millionaire Map, I explain that if you want to be successful, you need to surround yourself with a group of people who have what you want. I call these people your Dream Team. I’m a firm believer in being willing to be turned down or rejected by the very best. At the start of any endeavor, if you will simply believe that everything is possible and open to you, you can list the candidates for your Dream Team. When we started the Narrative Television Network, we had no background, training, experience, or resources in the industry. When I asked myself, “If I could have anyone I wanted on my Dream Team to advise and assist us, who would I pick?” The answer was as simple to me then as it is now. Ted Turner. When we got involved in the financial planning and investment arena, the potential Dream Team member I listed first was Steve Forbes. When we got into the field of leadership training, the first name that came to my mind of someone I wanted on our side was the legendary Coach John Wooden. When my novels began to be sought for movie projects and I was looking for people on my Dream Team, I thought of people like James Garner, Peter Fonda, Raquel Welch, and Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett, Jr. I am pleased to report that each of these special people has contributed and continues to contribute to our success. As the ancient wisdom tells us, “You have not because you ask not.” As you go through your day today, set your sights high, and you might just get what you aim at. Today’s the day! Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor

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Brushhogs, Rodeos and Hearing Aids A Very Real Commercial from an Unpaid, Regular Oklahoman

ennis McAlister (Age 71) is from Checotah, Oklahoma. Although he says he is officially retired, he stays pretty busy taking care of his cattle and keeping up with the brush hogging around his land. There is great wisdom in his advice, namely for all who need them, not to put it off, but to get a quality pair of hearing aids from someone who specializes in it.

runnin’ bad. Cause I could hear the engine for the first time in years. Like that one commercial, I thought it was a joke at first, but I could hear the birds. Now, I can hear my neighbor a half a block away when my neighbor down there slams a door shut on his truck or something I never heard before.

This is his unsolicited and very real story, just the way he told it… I finally got tired of saying “huh?” and missing out on a conversation or two. I was saying “yes” to things I should have said “no” to and vice-aversa. After not being able to hear for years, I finally decided to just go try ‘em.

Now, I can hear people talking across the room. Not that I am ease-dropping or nothing, but I can hear them making noises. Now I hear things. In fact, I had to go by a can of WD-40 to go around spraying stuff around the house that probably has been squeakin’ and bothering other people for years. I can talk to the grandkids better now that I can hear ‘em.

Don’t listen to all those old folks in your life who complain and tell you hearing aids are “no good, and complain about how much money they spent on them and so forth. I went to Clear-Tone cause I watched the TV commercial. I told my man, Monty, who took care of me… Partner, I wanna find out about these hearing aids and I’ll tell you something, if I don’t think they are going to work, I ain’t buying none.

“I am a strong believer in Clear-Tone and I am trying to get a couple of my buddies to go try ‘em. They would like their self a lot better if they would.” He assured me that I would probably like ‘em and I did. Still do. I wouldn’t take for them now. Everybody likes it better cause I don’t have the TV up so loud and I can hear when they talk to me with my back turned and all that stuff. I guess I started noticing that I couldn’t hear 8, 9 or 10 years ago. But it really got to workin’ on me the last two years. I just went for it and I am sure not unhappy. I like’em. There is a little gettin’ used to them, like anything else, but the key is (and it is written there on the wall at Clear-Tone) that you put ‘em in and wear ‘em. Don’t put ‘em in a couple hours and take them out. I get up every morning about 6:30, put ‘em in and don’t take them out until after the news, when it is time to go to bed. Like Monty told me, at the very first, I heard things I didn’t expect, like the air conditioner running and stuff I wasn’t used to. But I quickly got used to that. On the way home, I stopped twice cause I thought my truck was

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It is just a whole lot better than I thought it was gonna be. My dad is 94 and is in decline. I wished he was even four years younger. I would make sure he went to Clear-Tone. He lives up by Kansas City and he spent a bunch of money for hearing aids that weren’t any good. I am a strong believer in Clear-Tone and I am trying to get a couple of my buddies to go try ‘em. They would like their self a lot better if they would. Now, when I go to a rodeo and set in the bleachers, I can hear so much better. The loud speaker sounds better than it has for years. And the sounds around me didn’t bother me a bit. My wife is tickled to death. She says it is great that I can hear that TV at the 20 volume instead of 40 to 50. And I can hear her when she says things. Like before, she might ask me what do I want to eat from across the room. And I would either not answer or answer the wrong way. That doesn’t make for a good marriage. Sure, they are comfortable. They don’t bother me at all. I used to apologize for myself and I missed out on the stories the guys at the end of the table used to tell, like about a horse of theirs or something that happened to them the day before. Now I can hear them and if it is something that trips my trigger, I am more likely to comment. I don’t know what to really tell ya. Except that this is not a paid commercial. It is all real. Do you know what I am sayin’?

Play Golf…Help Kids.

The Tulsa Dream Center Golf Tournament, Monday, October 3rd Sign up Today Online at DreamCenterGolf.com!

kay all you golf lovers. Pull out your smart phone and hit the calendar button. It’s time to schedule a must-play golf tournament. It will be the perfect time of year, set on a challenging course, run by an experienced team, packed full of fun, like-minded players… and the money it raises will make a huge difference to kids in North Tulsa. What’s not to like! Nuff said? Need more info before you are sold? How about the fact that this is the 9th Annual event. Golfers keep coming back year after year because this is a well-run and very popular tournament. How about the fact that it is held at the challenging Oaks Country Club (picture perfect this year!) And, how about the prizes? Four guys won cars last year! Maybe you will be one of them this time! Bottom-line, you and your friends are going to have a great time at this tournament. And, as you play, you will feel good about your investment in our community. After all, the Tulsa Dream Center Golf Tournament is about much more than a day of golf. It’s about kids, desperate for mentors and thirsty for learning to read. The Cause Because of the tournament, doors have been opened that were once closed to the futures of kids right here in Tulsa. The funds from this tournament go to helping kids learn, raising their reading scores and setting them on track to graduating from high school and even attending college. The Education Programs at the Tulsa Dream Center are truly changing lives and YOUR investment will make a difference. Sixty-eight percent of third graders in north Tulsa over the last two years failed the mandatory reading proficiency test. Forty percent will not graduate from High School, making them five times more likely to end up in prison. But working with a committed group of teachers and tutors, the statistics for the kids involved in the after school and 6-week summer day education program at the Tulsa Dream Center continue to improve. In fact, 97 percent

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of the third graders at the Dream Center passed the same test and advanced to the next grade! Pastor Wendell Hope hopes that by this time next year, they will be able to report a 100 percent pass rate with every child enrolled in the program.

Oklahoma is ranked 48th in the nation in Public Education and the public schools in North Tulsa are among the highest of risk. Over the last two years, 68% of third graders in North Tulsa FAILED the mandatory reading proficiency test. At the Tulsa Dream Center, over 450 kids have come through the program and 97% of our third graders have PASSED THE SAME TEST! Kids are not only coming to the Dream Center to help get caught up in school, many of our kids are now reading beyond their grade level and excelling past their peers that don’t come to the Dream Center. What is the Tulsa Dream Center? It is a unique community center placed in what was once thought of as the worst part of Tulsa. A God-given vision, Pastor Sharon Daugherty of Victory Christian Center, watched God make the seemingly impossible a reality, acquiring the land, building the facility and staffing it year after year. Ever since it opened, ministry has taken place here. People find wholeness and healing in their lives because someone cared and prayed. At the Dream Center, people can receive much needed clothing, food, medical attention, as well as encounter people who can share the Good News of Jesus. The Tulsa Dream Center is a ministry of Victory Christian Center, yet churches and believers from all over town get involved in the ministry of reaching the lost and the least here. At the tournament, you will meet people from churches all over town and have the opportunity to make lifelong friendships.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS REGISTER ONLINE AT DREAMCENTERGOLF.COM

More about the Tournament!

Sign up Today Online at DreamCenterGolf.com! Challenge your friends and gather your team! Incredible prize opportunities… There are Prizes on EVERY Hole! Including: 4 Cars Closest to the Pin!

2 Vacation Home Time Shares! (Cape Cod and one to Punta de Mita, Mexico) Plus 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Team Prizes! A Mulligan Package is available which offers an extra shot at the Par 3 Prize plus a chance to win the Grand Prize… a Vacation to Myrtle Beach! *These prizes will be given away on select Par 3s. They will not be hole in one prizes. All of the above prizes will be given to the closest to the Pin

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Why “Voucher”

is spelled with an “Ouch” By Tom McCloud

hey have been a major topic of political discussion for decades. Here in Oklahoma, vouchers and their counterpart, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) come up for consideration nearly every year. Vouchers and ESAs are not complicated. It is the argument over the potential consequences, which gets a bit hard to follow. Let me do my best to explain. Before I do, you might be asking yourself how this “School Choice” issue would affect you? Why should you care? The answer is because the concept could forever change public education and drastically affect how our education tax dollars are invested. The concept is simple. Some parents whose kids attend public schools, want the State of Oklahoma to allow them to move tax dollars currently spent on their child to pay for or help pay for private school expenses. They argue that if they aren’t using the public schools, they should be financially compensated, allowing them to take “their portion” somewhere else. The original idea of vouchers was that the public school would give parents a “voucher” which could be taken to a participating private school. The voucher would serve as a promise that the state would pay a certain amount towards that child’s tuition. The problem? The typical private school historically hasn’t wanted to “participate.” They don’t want the “ties” to the state or federal

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governments, which could potentially demand that they change such things as their admission policies, curriculum, and religious activity requirements. Some taxpayers objected as well, not wanting their tax dollars going to a religious school… “Separation of church and state,” they demanded. They also questioned the whole idea of it being “the family’s money,” arguing that the typical $9,000 per year that the public schools spend per child is only possible because of the many businesses and citizens without children paying into the system. Most taxpayers are willing to invest in education, but they do have certain expectations that those dollars are spent responsibly… such as that the kids are taught by certified teachers, are supported by professional staff such as psychologists and speech pathologists, that they are taught an approved curriculum and that the school is in session at least a minimum number of days per year. Such standards are not always met by private schools. Private schools are also not required to offer such things as transportation, special education, bilingual education, free and reduced price lunches, and many other programs that, by law, public schools are required to provide. Without a level playing field, educators contend that vouchers could never produce competition, a central argument for vouchers. The other main objection is an obvious one…that public schools, already in financial peril, could not support their current infrastructure or the standards we have placed upon them if many of their dollars are siphoned off to fund private schools. Even though

recent plans would have supposedly left a portion of these dollars in the public schools, many education experts say it would still cause dramatic shortfalls. In fact, most educators believe vouchers would be the beginning of the end for public schools and that the only kids who would be left would be the ones unable to meet private school entrance requirements, and those who could not afford the expense of transportation or the extra dollars needed to supplement the value of the vouchers. Without the support of private schools, especially the private Christian schools, the voucher idea has never gotten off the ground. The alternative? Vouchers have evolved into something called Education Savings Accounts. Instead of the dollars going directly to the schools, the money would be given to the parents, who could then invest “their portion of the tax dollars” towards whatever education model they choose for their children. The idea was that since the money wouldn’t go directly to the school, there couldn’t be any strings attached to the school. This has proven to be invalid as many schools are still unwilling to take this money for fear that ultimately, the government would place qualifications on them that would destroy the purpose and intent of their school. Last year’s ESA bill, authored by Rep. Jason Nelson from District 87, would have awarded financially-qualified parents with actual credit cards loaded with up to $6000 per student, per year. Parents who agreed to pull their kids from public schools could invest these dollars toward most anything that would aid to their child’s education. They would be required to “keep the receipts” and were subject to audit and their child would be required to take an annual test to ensure they were keeping on grade level. No details were given on what department would oversee this program, what it would cost to administer and what the punishments would be for parents who misappropriated that money. One could just imagine the potential temptation that might occur if a parent had…lets say, five children on the program, producing $30,000 annually in ESA dollars, all delivered in easy-to-use credit cards.

The probable problems caused if this bill should ever pass are too numerous to mention in this single article. However, here are a few to consider. 1. Private schools could lose their independence and be required to accept non-qualified students and open themselves up to having to operate under governmental regulations. (Unisex bathrooms?) 2. Public schools could fail financially under the weight of current standards leaving tons of remaining infrastructure and debt unfunded. Taxpayers will be left on the hook for such costs no matter what. 3. Trying to fill the demand, for-profit schools of all sorts would pop-up and operate without any accountability. Taxpayers would soon be indirectly paying for schools teaching curriculum they don’t agree with and that operate outside time-tested educational standards.

4. Private schools might ultimately lose not only the control, culture and purpose of their schools; they may create multiple long-term competitors. (A Christian parent for instance, may opt to send their daughter to a specialized dance school instead of a Christian school.) 5. Since private schools can set their own entrance requirements, they would conceivably take only the top students, leaving public schools with only kids with strong special needs, kids who can’t meet entrance requirements, and kids who can’t afford the transportation nor the tuition dollars needed above the voucher amount. 6. With the potential decline of the public schools under this system, it is also very possible that homes might depreciate in value. “Open enrollment”, allowing students to enroll across district lines, goes handin-hand with the typical voucher plan and could potentially cause the average home in the Jenks, Bixby or Union districts to be devalued. Wanting to be in the best districts, many homeowners paid inflated dollars to purchase in these areas. But if kids could attend these schools without living in the district, the homes would take an immediate loss in value. This would also forever destroy the neighborhood school concept, eliminating the civic pride it has created among neighborhoods. 7. Private schools aren’t necessarily better schools. In fact, students attending private schools under the Milwaukee and Cleveland voucher programs did not out perform their public school peers. 8. Vouchers or ESAs could re-segregate our schools across economic lines by only pulling out the kids who can afford the transportation expenses and who can pay the tuition needed over and above the government funds. 9. Vouchers would inflate the cost of private education. Basic economics…as you increase demand, the price will go up. One could expect both tuition and entrance requirements to skyrocket as demand increases. The result? Even with governmental voucher assistance, it would be even expensive to go to private school and even harder to get in. And, for the families who make too much to qualify for the vouchers, the new program would cause them to pay more, without additional benefits. Conclusion: There are more “ouches” in vouchers and ESAs than Oklahoma could process, especially in these troubled economic times. Tulsa parents are blessed with many educational choices. The real question is who should pay for those choices? Parents, private schools…especially private Christian schools, and all Oklahoma taxpayers should beware. “School Choice” may be the worst choice of all. C ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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Normal.

by Danny Cahill

vaguely remember being normal. I was 7 years old and in the second grade. That is the last time I remember being normal. Since then, I’ve been me. So exactly who am I? I am someone who has never taken a bite of food without placing a label on it – labels like “I shouldn’t be eating this” and “I can’t let mom know” and “I’ll just skip the next meal to make up for it.” Yea. I’m that guy. Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about. Many of you know of people like me, but you just can’t relate. Every bite of food, every meal, every treat, every drink – they’ve all been my adversary. I’ve never been able to truly enjoy a meal like others I know – without the guilt and shame that come with it. And every meal is a pound that will show up on my body. Guaranteed. A Taste of Victory I was 15 years old. I hadn’t had a girlfriend in almost 4 years. You know why? Because of my weight, of course! Who could love a guy like me? OH! Just a minute…mom brought home some Doritos! OH NO! I did it again! Ate the whole bag! I’ll never have a girlfriend… :( Wait! I’ve got it! “Mom, will you buy a large jug of that lowcalorie Italian salad dressing from Sam’s Club? I know it’s eight dollars, but it’ll be so worth it! And bring home 4 heads of iceberg

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lettuce, too. Thanks!” Now I’ve got to run that mile around the block. All I have to do is go out my door, run up the street, down to 3rd street, around the park to Crosby, then back home. That’s a mile. I’ll do that every morning and every evening. “What? Did I put anything on the salad? Yea, sure mom! I did.” There is no way I’m putting cheese, or anything else on my salad! That’s extra calories! I’ll just tell them I did and they’ll never know. “What mom? All of the Diet Coke cans in my room? I’m only drinking 1 or 2 a day, I promise!” Ha! She’ll never figure out that I remain full of Diet Coke and have no room for food. And it’s ZERO calories! A win-win, right?! What you’ve just read above was a picture of the summer between my 10th and 11th grade year. I left school at 240 pounds, and came back to enroll at 165 – I had lost 75 pounds in three months! As I walked through the gym, I could hear the voices whispering, “Is that Danny Cahill? WOW! He looks GREAT! I never knew he had it in him! Maybe he’ll ask me out on a date!” I felt worthy for the first time in 9 years. And it came with my weight – a connection I would never, ever lose. The Oklahoma 500 Soon after getting married, it began again – the weight gain. 200, then 250, then 300, then 400, then almost 500 pounds! I was a wreck! I just couldn’t stop eating! And please, don’t ask me to do anything. I just want to sit – it hurts too much to stand! That’s when I felt that same urge I felt at 15 years old again – I would find a way to lose the weight! And along came The Biggest Loser. I made it on the 3rd show I tried out for, lost 239 pounds (by burning 8000 calories daily while eating somewhere in the realm of 800 calories) and popped out of the paper at 191! I had

lost 239 pounds! I felt like that guy in the gym, walking across to enroll in my junior year. I could hear the fans, my family, the press, everyone talking like they did that day 23 years before when I disappeared fat to reappear thin! Even Meredith Vieira and Ann Curry flirted with me on the Today show! I had it made, right! WRONG! Here we go again So fast forward 5 years, and the weight is creeping back on. The food is calling my name again and the bites are shameful, the meals are threatening, and my life is still in a shambles! It’s like nothing has changed! This is the struggle many people have. The battle with the scale goes on and on, and no matter how hard we seem to try, nothing works! The weight comes back with a vengeance and we fail over and over again. The shame gets even more magnified with each failure and the guilt is so heavy it makes it hard to live. But wait! There’s another fad diet right around the corner for me to try – and lose – and eventually fail at. The truth The truth is that there are more things at work than simply one thing. There are many perspectives to why we cannot keep the weight off. First and foremost, our worth cannot be tied to our weight. God isn’t more proud of us if we are 175 than if we are 400 pounds. He loves us the same. He wants us healthy, but more than that, he wants us happy. And that’s a good start. No matter where you are, the “WHY” to get healthy cannot be only aesthetic. And we have to learn to love ourselves regardless of our failures and victories.

Second, we are ALWAYS on a diet! The definition of DIET is “the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.” Guess what? You can change your diet, but you are always eating a diet! The real question is what diet is the healthiest and best for you? What is sustainable – that you can live with for the rest of your life? Can you really eat all protein for the rest of your life? Are you really going to drink shakes for your meals 3 times a day forever? Are you really going to eat iceberg lettuce with Sam’s Club low-calorie Italian dressing and drink diet coke until you die? Third, there’s bodily science. I learned this the hard way after damaging my metabolism by the large deficit of energy I expended vs. eating those 7 months on The Biggest Loser. My Leptin levels (a hormone that controls your hunger) were completely depleted and has barely made it back to 50%. My brain says I’m hungry after eating a full meal! There are lots of reasons it’s hard to keep weight off long term. I am in the process of finding my balance, and after all these years I think I might be as close as I’ve ever been. The difference between the 8 year old Danny and the Danny of today is clear. I know my worth – regardless of my weight. And I know God loves me the same. So my “WHY” isn’t to be loved any more. My “WHY” is to be healthy and happy and live a long life. And I can’t think of a better “WHY”, can you? And I know one thing for sure. My past failures don’t predict my future – and I know there is hope for me yet! Please put a tag at the end that says “If you have a hard time with weight-loss or weight-maintenance, feel free to reach out to Danny for advice. His email address is dannycahill@cox.net or you can hit him up on his fan page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ thedannycahill) C ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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[Neh. 2:18]

Let us rise up and build . . .

Rhema Bible Church youth building coming soon!

Asbury First United Methodist Church

Victory Christian Center First Bank of Owasso

Stonewood Vision

Get our NEW app in iTunes or Google Play stores.

Assembly of God Youth Camp

New ofďŹ ce space coming soon!

ChurchesByDaniels.com

New Construction :: Renovation :: Remodeling :: Expansion // 918.872.6006

What is Your Business Worth?

was recently visiting with a business owner of a very sizeable company, and the topic of business valuation came up. In the course of our conversation, he asked me what multiple of EBITDA, or, Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization; I would use to determine a value for businesses in his industry. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t so cut and dry. You see, there are multiple approaches to determining the value of your business. To start with, there is a market approach. Using a market approach, you would look at what other comparable businesses in your market are being bought or sold for. This approach is the closest way to how real estate is valued. Another approach is an income approach. Here, you could use multiples of things. For example, multiples of earnings, multiples of revenues, multiples of EBITDA, and the list goes on and on. Finally, another simple yet powerful approach is a rules-of-thumb approach. This approach is very industry specific, so in the interest of keeping this information general, I won’t go into it here. These three approaches help you as a business owner determine a value. However, did you know there are actually multiple values to your business? That’s right! Depending on your business, you could have up to 3 or 4 different values. That’s why the answer to the question above isn’t so cut and dry. When determining the value of your business, you should want to know the Asset Value, the Equity Value, the Enterprise Value, and the Liquidation Value. In addition, you’ll want a process that combines multiple approaches. Unfortunately, most certified valuations only provide you with one figure and one approach. But, what if that figure doesn’t tell the whole story? This could potentially cause you to sell your business for much less than its’ worth, or, acquire a business that isn’t worth as much as you’re led to believe. Either way, that’s not an ideal situation. The bottom line is that when it comes to business valuation, you are going to want as much information at your disposal as possible. I believe that knowing the value of your business shouldn’t be a mystery, and you shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to find out what your business is worth. On average, it can cost $7,500 to have a certified business valuation performed, and it can be time-consuming and intrusive. Our goal is to demys-

tify this knowledge and bring it to your fingertips so that you can be better informed and make better decisions. By going through our process, you can know in minutes what it can take up to four weeks or more to determine. Plus, you get a report of key performance indicators (KPIs) that will give insight on how you compare to the rest your industry. Now, you might be reading this and be thinking, “I have a pretty good idea of what a business my size – in my industry is worth”, and you could be right about it! But, what if you’re wrong? If you’re in a partnership, chances are, each partner(s) has or have their own ideas of what the business is worth. By using our process, you’ll be able to have an objective and neutral value that all partners can use as a starting point for discussion. As I come to a close, the value of your business is not something that you want to be guessing about, or, waiting to find out. I’ve heard it said before that valuing a business the day you decide to sell, is like planning your retirement the day you decided to retire. It doesn’t work! I don’t know if you are interested in knowing what your business is worth or not after reading this article, but if you are; head over to act-4-life.com and click “Try Our Valuation Tool”. I also welcome your call, or, email if you would like to continue this conversation.

Justin graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration from John Brown University in 2007. For over 30 years, Justin witnessed his father, Randy, approach his financial planning practice as a ministry. This inspired Justin to pursue a career where he could help families and business owners achieve their maximum financial potential. Justin C. Cowell - Partner ACT Financial Services, Inc. 4111 S. Darlington Ave., Ste. 800 Tulsa, OK 74135 O: 918-664-0081 C: 918-810-7239 jcowell@htk.com C ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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Plantar Fasciitis: Causes and Treatment

hronic foot pain is more than just painful, it’s obtrusive and can interfere with your daily life. The most common cause of foot pain is a condition called plantar fasciitis and it affects nearly two million Americans a year. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes and helps supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Every step you make causes it to contract and stretch and can easily become inflamed when damaged. The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is feeling a burning or aching near the heel, which is where the fascia is attached to the heel bone. The problem is often felt in the mornings as it has had time to rest and relax during the evenings before tightening back up again when you get up and put pressure on it. The pain may go away a little certain activities but it always comes back when you stop. Half of the people who suffer from plantar fasciitis say the pain never goes away and 90% say that if they press the heel it causes pain. There are a number of possible causes for plantar fasciitis. Overuse during exercise or physical activity is one of the most common, and athletes who run, jump, or perform other repetitive movements that put pressure on the feet are prone to this condition. Another common cause of the problem is wearing the wrong shoes. If your shoes don’t give you proper arch support or cushioning then it can strain the tendons in your feet and possibly lead to plantar fasciitis. If you have flat feet, high arches, or under/ overpronation then having the wrong shoes is the more likely cause. People who are overweight are also at a higher risk as this places more stress on your feet. No matter what the cause is, plantar fasciitis can take all the fun out of walking or even moving around easily. More important, it is a condition that should be diagnosed and, if present, treated early, before it becomes more serious. Medical treatment for the problem usually consists of anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen to reduce the inflammation. It also focuses on removing the pressure on the heel. While this may treat the symptoms it doesn’t necessarily address the real cause. For many, chiropractic manipulation of the feet and related joints (in addition to traditional approaches such as the use of ice packs and avoiding for a time the movements that seem to exacerbate the pain) may help to restore a proper range of motion, and thus remove the cause of the problem. In addition, chiropractors may be able to analyze patients' gait (how they walk or run) and thus prescribe better footwear (or orthotics to wear inside their current shoes) that will help both to relieve pain and prevent future occurrences of it. There are also plenty of lifestyle changes and exercises you can do at home to help. This includes stretching more often and massaging the feet. How quickly treatment will work and provide relief is really dependent on the patient and the level of their condition. The important thing to remember is that you can find relief.

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Home care to help with plantar fasciitis: • Decrease activity or switch to exercises that keep the weight off of the feet such as stationary bike riding or swimming. • Stretching is often recommended. In the few cases where it is caused by a sudden injury, stretching and strengthening may not be necessary. Stretching can reinjure the traumatized fascia. • Arch support and help pads. Certain shoes, inserts or custommade orthotics can give more arch support. Heel pads can sometimes be worn under inserts. • Ice immediately after activities or injury to reduce inflammation. • Massage in the morning and evening. A good suggestion is to freeze a bottle of water or tennis ball and use it to massage the bottom of you feet.

Jason Schluter DC Schluter Chiropractic info@DrSchluter.com

Which Toothpaste Should I Buy?

oing to the toothpaste aisle isn’t as easy as it used to be. There are so many varieties to choose from, which leads to the obvious question of, “which one is right for me?”

Toothpastes were originally designed to work with the mechanical brushing of a toothbrush to help remove the sticky layer of plaque that contributes to gum disease and tooth decay. Today, toothpastes are still designed to work with the mechanics of the brush. However, in today’s market with all of the toothpaste choices available, the function of the toothpaste now depends on the active ingredients, which will vary from paste to paste. The majority of toothpastes on the market will combine the decay protection of fluoride with other agents to help control plaque, tartar, surface stains or gum disease. Anti-Cavity Toothpaste - There are different fluoride compounds, such as stannous fluoride, sodium fluoride or monofluorophosphate, all of which have been proven to be safe and effective against tooth decay at appropriate levels. Children’s Toothpaste - Children’s toothpastes have a lower concentration of fluoride and are designed to be used under the supervision of an adult in order to avoid too much fluoride ingestion by the child.

Anti-Tartar Toothpaste - These toothpastes help inhibit the calcification of dental plaque, therefore reducing the amount and rate of tartar formation. Anti-Gingivitis Toothpaste - These toothpastes use ingredients to inhibit plaque formation, which in turn reduces the destructive bacterial toxins that contribute to gum disease. Anti-Sensitivity Toothpaste - These toothpastes have ingredients that work to decrease tooth sensitivity caused from exposed root surfaces. Whitening Toothpastes - These toothpastes are designed with cosmetic benefits in mind. The ingredients include an abrasive component to help reduce surface stains. Natural Toothpastes - There is a variety of toothpaste brands that claim to be all natural. These pastes typically do not contain fluoride, which has been proven to help prevent tooth decay. They are usually made from different herbal extracts. If all of these toothpaste choices still seem a little confusing, the best thing to do is search for toothpaste with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. It has been proven that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. Because we are all susceptible to decay, a fluoride containing toothpaste is always a good choice. If you are still uncertain of your toothpaste choice, it is best to consult your dentist for guidance on which toothpaste is right for you.

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randy cowell | AC T Fi n an ci al

Shattered Retirement Dreams And The Harbinger of Retirements to Come

nyone that knows me would tell you that generally speaking, I am a pretty optimistic kind of guy. “Half glass full “, is the perspective that I choose to live by. Unfortunately, when it comes to the retirement preparedness of baby boomers, the statistics are enough to put anyone into the “half glass empty” category. With 10,000 baby boomers reaching 65 every day the stats are overwhelmingly negative. According to research by Prudential, 52% of working-age households are at risk of being unable to maintain their standard of living in retirement. For many, the vision of their retirement “Golden years” will not remotely resemble the one they had dreamed of. If the majority of baby boomers are grossly unprepared, what hope do they have? Are these statistical findings a harbinger of retirement nightmares to come? Will retirement be one of joy and a carefree existence that includes travel and leisure or will it be one of continued work, downsizing and constant fear of running out of money? This article will shed some light on their future and discuss some of the steps that can be taken to ensure a better more secure retirement. Why am I sounding like a “Debbie downer“? According to statistics compiled by my favorite group of motley fools: • The average 50 year old has only saved $42,797. • The average net worth (assets minus debts) of a 55-64 year-old is $45,447. • 45% of Americans have saved nothing for retirement, including 40% of Baby Boomers. • 38% don't actively save for retirement at all. • 20% of Americans tap into their 401(k) assets early, either through a loan or withdrawal. • 80% of Americans between the ages of 30 and 54 believe they won’t have enough for retirement

Social Security Administration Social Security should be a supplement, not your sole income source Social Security isn't intended to be a sole retirement plan, but a supplement to other sources of retirement savings. Still, many Americans end up dependent on it. • 36% of American adults over 65 are completely dependent on Social Security. • 63% are dependent (but not necessarily completely reliant) on Social Security, relatives, friends, or charity at age 65.

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According to Motley Fool’s research some of the scariest statistics involve the amount -- or lack thereof -- that Americans are setting aside for the future. Read them and you decide-half full or half empty? • Only 22% of U.S. workers are confident they'll have enough saved for retirement. • 45% of Americans have no retirement savings whatsoever, including 40% of baby boomers. • Americans save just 4% of their income, on average. In the 1970s and 1980s, the rate was approximately double the current amount. • Despite the lack of confidence and savings, 38% of Americans aren't saving for retirement. Americans know they won't have enough money, but still won't save The vast majority of those in the prime of their careers are aware they have a problem with their retirement savings. They're right.

What % of Gross Income Did They Save for Retirement?

Steps to Retirement Security 1. Develop a retirement plan—I know it sounds obvious to most but like the saying goes “Plans fail for lack of planning.” 2. Reduce or eliminate as many retirement risks as possible. Most people know the risk associated with inflation, long-term care, and mortality risk, but most are not aware of sequence of return, withdrawal rate and longevity risk. Longevity risk is a risk multiplier and understandably it can be detrimental to your overall retirement success. 3. Learn how to maximize your and/or your spouse’s benefits. With over 2,500 options you would be well advised to seek out competent financial advice. 4. Plan for long-term medical costs. I may be “preaching to the choir” because most of those seeking our services already know someone already in a nursing home or assisted living environment. If you or your company would like to sponsor a seminar about retirement preparedness, please give us a call. We can help and we would love to hear from you.

RANDY C. COWELL ACT FINANCIAL Randy C. Cowell is a columnist and President of ACT Financial Services, Inc. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the author of “God Good-Debt Bad”. Randy welcomes your thoughts and prayers. He can be reached at 918-664-0081 or by e-mail at rcowell@htk.com. “Randy C. Cowell is a registered Representative of and Securities and Investment Advisory services offered through Hornor Townsend and Kent, Inc Registered Investment Advisor. HTK is a member of FINRA/SIPC and does not offer tax, legal and credit service advice. The views expressed are not necessarily those of HTK. ACT Financial Services, Inc. is not affiliated with HTK.”

1508318RM-Jul18 https://www.invesco.com/portal/site/us/investors/explore/ http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2016/01/26/20-retirementstats-that-will-blow-you-away.aspx http://www.quickenloans.com/blog/the-retiree-next-door-tips-andinsight-to-build-a-successful-retirement C ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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Making My List

reparing for vacation, I begin by making my customary list. It includes all the things I need to pack and all the things I need to do before I leave. My list outlines the entire trip, every minute detail. I don’t want to leave anything to chance. The result of my list is quite often packing more than I need, spending more time than necessary on things that will not change the outcome of the trip, and being too fatigued to really enjoy the first half of the vacation. The way I prepare for a trip is also the way I plan my life. I have a plan and it seems like a good one. The bad part of this type of planning is that it leaves very little room for God’s leading. The Holy Spirit can’t possibly move me to a place of His choosing when my rigid list shows I need to be somewhere else, doing something else. This became quite evident when my husband lost his job after working 32 years for the same company. It became even clearer when I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Neither of those were on my list. As a result I had difficulty coping. It was one of those times when only God could direct my next step. I was no longer in control of my list, and my list no longer controlled my daily activities. I found myself reading the Sermon on the Mount, many times! “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single

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hour to your life? (Matthew 6:25-27) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34) I listened to a reading of this passage every day for seven weeks as I went through radiation treatment. It became my mantra. With my head securely bolted to the table so it could not move, and my hands and feet in restraints, I needed to know there was a plan greater than mine. God was finally at the top of my list. He had always been a part of my life, but I am certain I haven’t always followed Him as well as I should have. Sometimes He was more of an afterthought, like the last item on the list. It would look something like this: “and finally, whatever God chooses that I haven’t already thought of…” How arrogant of me to think I had a better plan than God did! I am certain I will continue to make plans, but now God is the first item on my list. I begin by asking Him what things He would like me to do. Once I understand His agenda for me, it is much easier to outline my plans, always allowing room for Him to make changes in me and in my list whenever He deems it necessary. (Excerpt from Lessons From the Journey, October, 2015, available on Amazon.)

ABOUT DENIECE Deniece has a passion to minister to women. You are going to grow to love her and the way she tells stories, always getting to the real heart of the matter.

Premieres September 13-18 at the Tulsa PAC

Disney’s NEWSIES

***Tickets On Sale Monday, August 15***

isney Theatrical Productions and Celebrity Attractions brings the highly anticipated national Broadway tour of Disney’s NEWSIES to Tulsa. Tickets go on sale to the public Monday, August 15 at 10 a.m. The Tony® Award-winning production premieres at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for a limited engagement of eight performances only September 13-18. NEWSIES, the new American musical, features a Tony® Awardwinning score with music by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, a book by four-time Tony® Award winner Harvey Fierstein and is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, NEWSIES is directed by Tony® nominee Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, who won a 2012 Tony® Award for his work. The entire creative team has reunited to bring the break-out smash musical to audiences across North America. When it opened on March 29, 2012 NEWSIES was intended for a Broadway run of just 101 performances. The show’s fiercely devoted fans had other ideas, however; they propelled the show to a run of 1005 performances, attendance of more than 1 million and a gross of over $100M. While on Broadway, NEWSIES set and broke seven Nederlander Theatre house records and became the highest-grossing show from the 2011-12 Broadway season. The show received 23 major theatrical nominations – including eight Tony® Award nods – and won Tony®, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Score and Choreography. Set in New York City at the turn of the century, NEWSIES is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged ‘newsies,’ who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right. NEWSIES is inspired by the real-life ‘Newsboy Strike of 1899,’ when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against Pulitzer, Hearst and other powerful newspaper publishers. The stage version introduces seven brand-new songs by the original team of Menken and Feldman, including a song written specifically for the tour called ‘Letter from the Refuge,’ while keeping many of the beloved songs from the film, including ‘Carrying the Banner, ‘Seize the Day,’ ‘King of New York’ and ‘Santa Fe.’ Since the film’s 1992 theatrical release and subsequent DVD release, NEWSIES has grown into a cult phenomenon, and for years had been the single most requested title of all the Disney musical films not yet adapted for the stage.

Welcomed by the Bank of Oklahoma and presented by Celebrity Attractions, Disney’s NEWSIES comes to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for eight performances only September 13-18. The performance schedule is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, August 15 at 10 a.m. and may be purchased via phone 918.596.7111 or 800.364.7111, in person at the Tulsa PAC Ticket Office, or online at MyTicketOffice.com. Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling 918.796.0220. Get social with Celebrity Attractions by becoming a fan on Facebook.com/BwayTULSA. Follow us at Twitter.com/BwayTULSA or join in the conversation by using #NewsiesTulsa. Disney’s NEWSIES kicks off Celebrity Attractions’ 20162017 Broadway Season which also includes ELF The Musical, MOTOWN The Musical, DIRTY DANCING – The Classic Story On Stage, SOMETHING ROTTEN! and MATILDA The Musical as well as the add-on productions of ONCE, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE, and MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS by Chip Davis. Celebrity Attractions is proud to have KOTV-News on 6 and Tulsa World as sponsors for this amazing season. For more information, visit Celebrity Attractions.com, NewsiesTheMusical.com, Facebook.com/Newsies and Twitter.com/Newsies.

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Leading Praise With Excellence At Rejoice Christian School

hen the Rejoice Christian Schools’ Praise Band expanded to the classroom this year, junior Brynn Jones knew this new class was meant to be.

“Worship is kind of my input of connecting with God,” Jones said. “When I figured out there is a class I just grasped onto it thinking we can expand on what we already have. Here’s a way we can dive deeper into what it means to worship, and it got me excited about it.” High school students can take the Worship Arts class as many times as they want. The students have a unique perspective of understanding what it is like being in the audience as well as leading their peers in worship.

“They are raising the bar on their own spiritual walk and growth and striving to be disciplined. I am thrilled and I think it has been a wonderful thing. I think it’s contagious.” “I think it’s really cool to be able to see the student body grow spiritually,” said senior Alissa Beilman. “From the audience you don’t really get that perspective of being able to see everyone worship God collectively.” Jones remembered a special moment in Chapel while they were singing “The Stand”.

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“I get so excited just thinking about it,” she said. “I look out at the audience and every single teacher had their hands raised. This made me realize that Chapel is not just for the students, but it’s for the teachers too. It was the coolest thing ever to get to see our adult leaders in such a pure form of worship.” Pat Golightly, who co-teaches the class with Rejoice Church Worship Leader Byron Trimble, is proud of the example this group of students has set for the rest of RCS. “We have talked about the fact that when you are leading worship, you are also worshipping,” Golightly said. “We want that to be authentic and not a show or a performance. That does require it to be a lifestyle rather than just what happens when they step on stage. “They are raising the bar on their own spiritual walk and growth and striving to be disciplined. I am thrilled and I think it has been a wonderful thing. I think it’s contagious.” Being a member of this team does not stop once the school bell rings. “We have to worship in a way that is going to present it with excellence, but we also have to live with excellence outside of the class,” Jones said. “We have to keep that same level of ‘I’m not only saying this stuff so you can do it, I’m actually living it out.’ It’s a constant thing.”

John Croisant Endorses Tom McCloud to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 67

fter running a strong campaign, John Croisant has endorsed Tom McCloud. Although Croisant didn’t enter the race until right at the deadline in April and spent less than $3500, he garnered an impressive 25 percent of the vote, finishing 3rd behind McCloud and McEachin. Croisant, a teacher and soccer coach from Edison High School proved that South Tulsa’s District 67 cares about public education. He is now joining McCloud’s campaign as an education advisor and he plans to continue helping to promote the public school causes. Both he and McCloud are like-minded in their efforts to ensure that Oklahoma can become competitive with states like Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. “Tom has proven to me that he is strongly pro-public education. He is committed to raising Oklahoma’s dollars-per-pupil ranking so that we can successfully compete with the states around us. He is also committed to seeing that our teachers receive the respect and compensation they deserve. I have joined his campaign as his education advisor, to lend my experience and my voice to ensuring that Oklahoma properly invests in our schools and that they will never again be ranked 50th in the nation. I encourage every teacher, administrator, parent and friend of public education to join me in voting for Tom McCloud.,” said John. Tom McCloud is excited to have John’s help. “John Croisant has a great future in politics and has proven to be an effective spokesperson for area school teachers. I am pleased to work along side him to ensure that Oklahoma can turn things around and provide the best education possible for our kids. John will be a great asset during the campaign and will be a wonderful resource for his input on education once I am elected.” Croisant is a graduate of Jenks High School and of the University of Tulsa. He taught in Louisiana for five years before moving

to Tulsa Edison. Croisant teaches geography as well as coaching the Edison Girls Soccer Team. He has successfully turned the success of the team around. In fact, the team had only won two games the year before he arrived and now boasts 96 wins in the last 10 seasons. John and his wife also own a women’s boutique in Utica Square called Muse. John cares about Oklahoma. This was his first effort at running for office. He encourages everyone to “get out of your comfort zone and make a difference! And don’t forget to vote for McCloud on the August 23rd Run-off!”

Learn more about the McCloud Campaign at www.McCloud4Oklahoma.com.

Paid for by McCloud4Oklahoma

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