Constitutional Rights

I guess I had no interest in guns until our right to own one was threatened by our current administration. It is sad in this country how a criminal can break into your home and threaten your family with death and how your life will be a train wreck if you survive! It will cost 20-25,000 just defend your  self, not to mention the liberal media and some people will call you a murderer for killing that father of 2 kids!  We need tort reform in this country.

 Instead, since November elections (2008), the numbers of gun owners have grown exponentially. I guess I am not only one who feels our right to bear arms is not only threatened, but necessary to keep our country free. Everyone at the shooting range and in guns shows have said that in the last 6 months, sales have been better than the last 30 years combined!!!  I am certain that is all over the country.

 This country has many freedoms and they are all designed to maintain our freedom. It is the right to bear arms that will keep our gov’t serving the people instead of us serving them. History has shown that to be true every time. Our forefathers were geniuses and I believe divinely inspired. The right to bear arms is the most important freedom we have because with out it, we would lose all the others. It is not that the people will revolt and over throw the gov’t! Rather it is that the gov’t knows that they can not go against the people. There are many more guns in private hands than the military by far.

 Even at the threat of limiting this right has caused a huge backlash and people everywhere are now interested in owning and learning about guns. In the attempt to limit that right, those who want to eliminate guns from society have caused the opposite to happen.

God Bless,

Ron Prehn

Speaker’s Responsibility

I just returned from presenting at the national sleep meeting in Seattle in June 2009.  I had the opportunity to observe many different types of speakers and many types of presentations.  Some were good and some were excellent.  What I observed as far as excellence is that the speaker has several responsibilities when it comes to presenting to an audience.  He has the responsibility to make his presentation logical and clear.  He should take the issues involved and clearly define them, and try to present a logical solution to problems or explanations of phenomena that are noted.

 But beyond that, I believe a speaker has to have humility in order to connect with his audience.  The speakers who are pride of the prestige they think they are getting may be interesting on the surface.  However, they fail to really connect with the audience.  It is my belief that it is God who provides opportunities for speaking.  I do not deserve to be speaking in front of any audiences based on my own skills and intellect.  Everything that I have and ability to speak comes from God who has gifted me with certain talents and gifts.  I try to honor Him when I speak by being excellent at what I do.  I understand that a teacher and a speaker is under a greater judgment because many people will either rise or fall based on the information of the subject he is presenting as well as to the character that he is.  When a person is put in the position of authority either in a subject or as a leader in an area, that person is given greater responsibility and is under greater judgment by God or those who are over him.  Therefore, it is incumbent upon this person who was speaking or teaching to do diligence in his subject matter and to present in a clear and thoughtful way.  This is what motivates me when I speak knowing that I need to validate what I say with science and to present in a humble way so as to make it clear that what I am saying is either based on scientific fact or things that I have figured out.  If they are scientific fact, they are fact, but if they are things I figured out I believe that it should be presented in a way for those who are listening to consider as a possibility.  Humility is the key to effective communication and to motivate change.

God bless,

Dr. Ron Prehn

Business friends

As I was returned from the National Sleep Meeting in Seattle in June 2009, I am reflecting on a business friendship that I have.  My lab technician who has been with me for over 10 years was at the meeting with me.  We have been in many meetings together.  He has been at my side since I limited my practice as only TMD here in Houston many years ago.  We have been through thick and thin, good times and bad times, but it seems that no matter what, we enjoy each other’s presence.  We have a business relationship, but more than that, a friendship.  When business gets rocky it seems that our friendship gets us through.

 What value is this to a business?  I believe it is like icing on a cake.  I count myself one of the fortunate few to have a friend such as this in a business relationship.  His technical ability is creating splints for my practice.  This has been key through the years to the success of the practice.  Not only is he part of the team, but he is also instrumental in providing excellent quality care in the southeast Texas area.  Our friendship within the context of this business relationship has provided greater purpose for what each of us do.  We both realize that God has blessed us with this relationship during this season of our lives.  He has come alongside with what God is doing here in Houston and has become a critical part of God’s plan.

 I too am part of that plan and together during this season of our lives we are working to advance God’s kingdom as we care for these patients in pain with competence, character, and compassion.