“Now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to his divine providence, which led me to the means I used and gave them success.” ~Benjamin Franklin This podcast is different from other our other Mission Driven Stories podcasts. We usually focus on how proper preparation in childhood leads to the virtues and successes of great men and women. Today's podcast, however,  focuses on the foibles of a youth, Benjamin Franklin, who, despite his early mistakes, eventually gained self-mastery and became a remarkable man. This podcast gives hope to every parent--demonstrating that despite their own poor choices, your child can still embrace principles, praise God and become a wise and successful human being.   Listener's Guide: Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast.  1:40       Why This Podcast is Different 5:30       His autobiography-The Central message 7:48       His Father 10:43     The Printing Trade 15:29     The Silence Dogood Letters 18:41      Independence in Philadelphia 20:47     The Folly of youth 30:56     England and More Poor Choices 38:56     Religion 40:29     Moral virtues Quotes from this episode: “Now I speak of thanking God, I desire with all humility to acknowledge that I owe the mentioned happiness of my past life to his divine providence, which led me to the means I used and gave them success.” ~Benjamin Franklin “My early readiness in learning to read (which must have been very early, as I do not remember when I could not read), and the opinion of all his friends that I should certainly make a good scholar, encouraged him in this purpose of his.” ~Benjamin Franklin “I remember well his [my father] being frequently visited by leading men who consulted him for his opinion in affairs of the town or of the church he belonged to, and who showed a good deal of respect for his judgment and advice. He was also much consulted by private persons about their affairs when any difficulty occurred, and frequently chose an arbitrator between contending parties. At his table, he liked to have, as often as he could some sensible friend or neighbor to converse with, and always took care to start some ingenious or useful topic for discourse which might tend to improve the minds of his children. By this means, he turned our attention to what was good, just, and prudent in the conduct of life.” ~Benjamin Franklin “Often I sat in my room reading the greatest part of the night when the book borrowed in the evening had to be returned early in the morning, lest it should be found missing or wanted.” ~Benjamin Franklin “His prayer: 'O powerful Goodness, bountiful Father, merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interests; strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children, as the only return in my power for thy continual favors to me.'” ~Benjamin Franklin “Fundamental religious creed: That there is one God who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshipped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service to God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter.” ~Benjamin Franklin Franklin's morning question: “What good shall I do this day?     Franklin's evening question: “What good have I done today?” Franklin's 13 Moral Virtues: Temperance - “Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.”