

December 24, 2008 Volume 4, Number 51
In This Issue It’s a Wonderful Life Thought for the Day Contact Me *Representative* *Cynthia Davis* 19^th District *Majority Floor Whip* Missouri State Capitol Room 113 201 W. Capitol Ave. Jefferson City, MO 65101 Phone: 573-751-9768 Website http://www.cynthiadavis.net/ E-Mail cynthia.davis@house.mo.gov Committees Interim Committee on Poverty *Chair* Health Care Policy *Vice Chair* Family Services *Vice Chair* Elections State Links State of Missouri *Official Homepage for Missouri State Government* Missouri General Assembly *Official Government Homepage for your Missouri Senator and Representative* House of Representatives *Look up Missouri House Bills – View Entire Text, Summary, and Last Action* Missouri State Senate *Look up Missouri Senate Bills* Attorney General's Office *Consumer Complaints & Fraudulent Activity, No-Call List* Local Links St. Charles County Government City of O'Fallon City of Dardenne Prairie City of St. Peters City of Wentzville City of St. Charles Federal Links Congressman Todd Akin Congressman Kenny Hulshof Senator Kit Bond Senator Claire McCaskill Other Links Missouri State Constitution Missouri State Jobs			It’s a Wonderful Life On Sunday night, I went to the First Baptist Church production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” At a time when people are experiencing a faltering economy, malfeasance by elected office holders, and worldwide political unrest, this musical was a great reminder of what is really important. While many of us may have seen “It’s a Wonderful Life” before, I was deeply impacted by the reminder that: We all need Divine guidance. The world is different because of what each of us contributes. Communities in crisis can come together in ways that are both better and beyond anything government can provide. I love stories where the wrongs are made right, so I would have liked the story better if Mr. Potter had returned the money to Mr. Bailey. However, perhaps the loss of money is more reflective of reality. Many of us have had money lost or stolen and never seen it again, including myself. Honestly, we may all have times when we feel like jumping off a bridge, yet our blessings always outweigh our problems. As another consideration, recent dental problems have left me with terrible discomfort for weeks. For someone who loves caramel corn, this is especially hard during the holidays. However, living in pain can help to clarify one’s life priorities. I certainly have developed a heightened level of compassion for anyone in pain. Many of my constituents are suffering over the holidays as well. Some are in economic, family or physical distress. Some people work so hard at their jobs they forget that the reason they are working is so that they can enjoy some pleasures with their families. Often, people turn to government to alleviate suffering. However, we can do so many things for each other that are far beyond the comfort afforded by an unemployment check, food stamps or Medicaid benefits. These programs address immediate financial issues, but fall far short of the human need for love and meaning that often makes life worth living. Helping your neighbors is a gift that will bless you more than them. When people reach out and come together, it really is a wonderful life. *Your thoughts are important to me, so please let me know what you think. You can send me your opinion by clicking here: Cynthia Davis. Thought for the Day… ~ Friends are the relatives you pick for yourself ~ Merry Christmas from Your State Representative Cynthia Davis This Capitol Report is a weekly newsletter by Representative Cynthia Davis*, from the 19^th District, covering events in the Missouri Legislature and district-wide issues. J If you know of anyone else who would like to receive my Capitol Report, please send an e-mail to Cynthia.Davis@house.mo.gov with the person’s name and e-mail address. We’ll add them to the list. L If you would like to stop receiving the Capitol Report, email us at Cynthia.Davis@house.mo.gov with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.