The 700 Club - July 4, 2011

I love fireworks! They're awesome! And they go boom! The history and pyrotechnics of fireworks. Plus, do you have what it takes to be part of this elite group. How much are they paying me for this? Well, happy Fourth of July, and welcome to The 700 Club. We've got a great show ahead, celebrating America and our freedom. Boy, we do. Coming up, we've got a wounded warrior and his amazing therapy dog. We've got a mouth-watering, prize-winning barbecue, and everything you always wanted to know about fireworks. And we begin with a story of a boy and his dad and an ah-ha moment in time. I love seeing things click in my son's head. It's taken the better part of the last nine years to master the art of catching this elusive, microscopic moment. The instant he realized where hamburgers and his little sister came from have been among the most enjoyable. Third grade has taught Hudson a lot about the roots of our country. So when a business trip sent me to DC recently, I thought it was the perfect opportunity for a father-son trip, and for me to watch all of the little dots connecting in his head about what he'd been learning in school. We saw where the very first president lived. We came all the way out here for this? And we saw where the president lives today. My son taught me what he'd learned in school about the men who framed our country. And I taught my son about the men and women who are still shaping our country today. And that's why the legislative branch is broken into two different sections. Yes, but why do they argue so much? We walked in the footsteps of countless men and women who stood up for their rights. And we sat at the feet of the great emancipator, who to this day still sits vigilant over all of our rights. He's a lot bigger in person. I’d been looking for those clicks, those ah-ha moments. But my son surprised me. He had it all pretty well figured out. But we still had had one place left to visit. What are these, dad? These are our heroes, son. What kind of heroes? These are the heroes that made possible everything you and I saw today. These are American heroes, son. Is that a hero, Dad? Yes, that's a hero. Can we go get pizza now? Those moments never last as long as a father would like. And today I pray that the families of these fallen can somehow feel the goodness of God amidst their loss. Come on, Dad, I’ve been waiting forever. Okay, let's go. It is because of the sacrifices of our heroes that I have the freedom to experience moments like this. So to all of the men, women, and families of those who served in the Armed Forces, thank you for your sacrifice. You will never be forgotten. This July 4th we all need to keep in mind that freedom is never free. It always comes at a cost, and costs for each generation. What's the cost for our generation to ensure freedom, to ensure that we still have all of the freedoms that our forefathers fought and died for? And we need to maintain them. The only thing that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. And for some good men, that requires the ultimate sacrifice: giving of their lives. I know for me, Terry, the ah-ha moment happened in an American cemetery in Manila. And I went there. It was Fort Bonifacio. And to see the murals of all of the famous battles of the Pacific, and just how close they were in the understanding of the sequence that if there hadn't been a victory at midway, there wouldn't have been any of the subsequent ones. And each one was a crucial battle. Each one determined the outcome of the world. Well, we live in such a wonderful historic area here in Virginia, but I think that trip to Washington that dad took was really a great idea. It can be such book learning until you actually stand in those places and somebody walks you through what happened. Everybody needs an ah-ha moment. And plan on spending a lot of time if you go to DC. There is a whole lot to see, from the White House to Congress to the Smithsonian to the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson. It can be a jam-packed trip. Well, the video you just saw was from the Skit Guys, two friends named Tommy Woodward and Eddie James. To see more stories from the Skit Guys, all you have to do is log on to CBN.com. Well, now I’d like to introduce you to an American hero, Scott Smiley. When Scott was awarded the Purple Heart, he cried. For most soldiers that would have been the end of their military career, but, as you're about to see, Scott Smiley is not like most soldiers. There's no training here in America that will prepare you for live bullets flying by your head, seeing your buddies wounded. On April 6th of 2005, we received intelligence in the morning that there were car bombs and men willing to blow themselves up. I’d yelled at him to get out of his car, and he just raised his hands and looked at me like nothing's wrong, and that's when I shot two rounds in front of his vehicle, and then my world went black. Shrapnel sliced through lieutenant Scotty Smiley's left eye. Metallic bits penetrated his skull and shredded his right optic nerve. In an instant, his life turned a corner that he never would've chosen. Prior to that terrifying moment, Scott's story read like a dream, raised in a loving Christian home, a West Point grad, an Army Ranger with a bright career ahead. He was also newly married to his high school sweetheart, Tiffany. Scotty and I met in junior high. I had a crush on him and liked him. He asked me on a date and then we dated through our senior year and then dated through West Point. And I was like, “Okay Scotty, you're the one for me. There's no one else out here like you.” Scotty and Tiffany married on December 20, 2003. In October of 2004, I was deployed to Mosul, Iraq. What was it like when you got to Iraq? Giving the people of Iraq electricity, ensuring the gasoline was being provided. Each and every day brought something new. I really saw not only myself, but my men tested through fire. It was difficult to see my soldiers get injured. Several of my soldiers were shot. Some of my soldiers were injured by explosives. Then it happened to Scotty. I got a phone call around 3:30 or four in the morning. He said, “Tiffany, Scottie's been hurt; and he's been hurt really bad.” Then I got a call from the doctor in Balad, and he said, “We removed his eye, and I'm really sorry ma'am, but we're going to have we left his other eye in, but we're probably going to have to remove it.” That was the most crushing piece of news I could have received. Doctors operated on Scotty and sent him home to the US. Learning to live as a blind man was more painful than either he or Tiffany could have imagined. It was a hard time. I was, I definitely was in the bottom of my life. I was low, as low as low can be. I didn't want to believe. I said that I didn't know how to pray. I didn't know if God was even alive or even in my life. And his friend asked him, Scottie will you pray, and he said, “No, I don't even know who God is anymore,” and that crushed me. And that night I remember going back to my room and praying, not for Scotty's eyesight, which I had been praying for, but I went back and prayed for his heart. My mind was still in Iraq. And to realize that I now was not with them, that I felt I wasn't doing my job, that I had left them, that I was unsuccessful. I was afraid that my wife, who married me and said till death do you part, was just going to have to take care of me, that I was now just a burden in her life, a burden in my family and friends life, and that was not something I ever wanted to be. There were definitely days where it was just me and the Lord. This was the first time that I was walking by myself. Scotty wasn't walking with me. I would wake up in the morning and say, “I just need you to get me through today. Just help me get through the day and give me the grace to be a good wife to Scotty.” What turned that around? What got you out of the hole? It was the prayer that my wife continuingly was giving for me. It was her reading the Bible to me. It was my brother quoting scriptures, my brother taking care of me. Five years after his injury, Scotty's life has in some ways come full circle. He's now back here at West Point, not as a cadet but as a commander. Scotty's job now is helping other wounded soldiers recover and get their lives back. I am the company commander of the West Point War Transition unit. I was injured. I went through depression. I went through the mental, physical and spiritual recovery process. And I think, I've been given this wonderful opportunity, because I understand what they are going through. Now Capt. Scotty Smiley has turned his story into a book, sharing how he's learned to trust the Lord. Oh, in his spare time, he's managed to earn an MBA, climbed Mount Rainier, skydive, and surf too. Getting up and standing on that board was an exhilarating feeling. And to do something on my own, of my own strength, gave me the ability to know that God still is with me and that He can still allow me to do things that I never thought I would be able to do. The Smiley's are now the proud parents of two little boys. I have to help out; and whether it means cleaning a dirty diaper, giving my sons food, giving them baths, putting them to bed, playing with them at the park, God still has a plan for me. And being a father is one of those awesome responsibilities that He's blessed me with. He even plans to use his prosthetic eyes for a little fun. When my boy's friends come over, I can just place them on the countertop and say I'm watching you even when I'm out of the room. Tell me how your love for your wife has deepened through all this. Tiffany is the most amazing person that I could ever imagine God blessing my life with. Her attitude, her personality, her perseverance, her determination to not only help me help our relationship, has just been an amazing blessing in our lives. I don't know if I can explain how much I love her and how much she means to me. I think at first it bothered me more than it does now; like, “He can't see me.” As we went through our struggles, and we started to change, we started to walk back on our path with the Lord together, He kind of just covered and healed all of that to where our relationship is stronger now probably then it would have been with his sight, which is crazy to say. But I still dress up. I still wear makeup and I tell him that. I’m like, “You better comb your hair because my hair looks good.” The words that I read in the Bible prior to all of this became real. It was like, “Oh, this is the peace that surpasses all understanding. This is the hope that carries you through.” So it all came to life for me. There's still times where like, “Yeah, we wish Scotty could see.” But what God has taught us through His Word and going through this trial in this valley with the Lord, I wouldn't trade that for anything. A lot of people look at the events in my life as a huge tragedy, and I don't necessarily. I think God has given me the ability to understand Him more and to understand His purpose through my blindness. That the first person that I'm going to see is going to be Jesus Christ reaching down to me; and I just hope that He says, “Good job, good and faithful servant.” What's the second thing you want to see? Oh, my beautiful wife! The tender mercies of God, the amazing lessons of persevering through trials and tribulation. To have the Word of God suddenly come to life and you're walking through a battle, it's an amazing thing. Well, coming up later, a wounded warrior and his best friend. I met Tuesday at a service dog training facility. And as I spent more time with him, I could tell that he was a very emotionally intelligent dog. Today this veteran and his dog, Tuesday, will show off their teamwork skills right here in our studio. So stay with us. Still ahead . . . . . . . . they're the toughest warriors in the world. What does it take to be part of this elite group? You'll find out on today's 700 Club. How much are they playing me for this? Dear Bowflex, I dropped 8 dress sizes, 36 pounds, and all I have to do was walk. This is the Bowflex Treadclimber machine, the easiest way to walk and burn up to twice the calories in less time. By combining the motion of a treadmill, a stepper, and an elliptical, you get the calorie-burning benefits of all three workouts at once. I lost 30 pounds in four months. If I could do it, anyone can do it. Call now for your free DVD and information kit. You'll see how the Treadclimber burns up to twice the calories of a treadmill. Plus you'll learn how you can own a Treadclimber machine today with special financing for 18 months. Within the first couple of weeks, I started to lose inches. I lost 50 pounds in three months using the Treadclimber. Call or go online to buytc.com for your free info kit. We'll also send you the Bowflex Insiders Guide with the personal fitness assessment, to help you jumpstart your Bowflex body today, absolutely free. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Bowflex. Sincerely, J.D. Weber. Hi, I’m Dr. Joyce Brothers. Those of us who are independent and live alone shouldn’t do so without having emergency protection. And for reliability and peace of mind, I recommend Alert USA. With Alert USA, if you ever need assistance, just press your pendant to be connected to an operator who can summon help to your home 24 hours a day. I’ve been giving advice for many years, and I believe Alert USA provides the best emergency support and value for your dollar. Call now for a free brochure. Welcome back to The 700 Club. The US is being hammered by record-breaking heat this Fourth of July. It is so hot, some areas have cancelled holiday fireworks. And bone dry conditions are raising more concerns about wildfires. Efrem Graham has more. In a steamy south Florida, workers were still preparing to celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks. But the sun’s blaze has canceled those displays in parts of Alabama, Texas, and Arizona. Please do not purchase, do not sell, and do not use fireworks. New Mexico’s governor urges ordinary citizens not to play with fireworks, with wildfires like this monster still burning near Los Alamos. It’s like an oven out here. Seriously. Weekend temperatures topped 100 degrees in Phoenix and parts of California, where many found comfort here at the beach. There are misting stations at this rib festival just outside Chicago. Still, some festival goers had to be treated for heat related illnesses. Ninety-four degrees felt more like 102. Just not used to this type of humidity. So we’ve taken care of them. They’re fine as of right now. The heat is keeping this emergency team in Oklahoma busy. They answered more than a dozen calls in one day. It can affect people of all ages, and there are really no bounds as to what it is they’re doing outside. But outside in Washington state, they're celebrating the summer's hottest holiday on skis. We've seen some bikinis, a lot of board shorts, a lot of tank tops and sunglasses. And people are having a great time. Efrem Graham, CBN News. Amazing. As Americans celebrate Independence Day, it is easy to forget the roots of an idea like liberty. But for our founders, freedom only came from the God of liberty. Paul Strand reports on how crucial this idea was to America’s revolution. A sad fact of history: Christians fleeing the old world to practice their own religion often turned right around and persecuted fellow Americans from other denominations. They wanted theirs to be the recognized state church, ruling over all others. But watching that persecution outraged future leaders, like James Madison. As late as the early 1770s, you have Baptist preachers who are being thrown in jail for illegal preaching in Virginia. And James Madison as a young man watches this going on, and he thinks it’s despicable. Thomas Kidd writes, “In God of Liberty, these future revolutionary leaders began to see religious liberty, indeed liberty itself, as a basic God given right for all, and defending it as crucial duty to the God who created them all and created them free. People like Jefferson and Madison make common cause with these evangelicals, especially Baptists, on the issue of religious liberty. Then when England began to push the colonies around, the colonists worried it would first take their economic freedom, but then more importantly, their religious freedom. They’d demonstrate against taxes, but for liberty they’d be willing to fight and die in a revolution. Rod Gragg, author of Forged in Faith: Taxes were sort of the spark that ignited it, but the issue was far greater than whether you had to pay more taxes or not. They believed that an attack on their economic rights was actually a precursor to an attack on their religious rights. And they believed that religious liberty was the most precious liberty, and that if they didn’t act in 1775 and ’76, that ultimately they would lose all their rights. Americans at that time believed in higher law, that God’s law was over everything, over man’s law. Gragg says Christian Americans believed England was going against God and His law in crushing their God-given rights. They believed that their first obligation was to God, and that if a government tried to intrude on that, that that gave them the right, the liberty, to revolt against that government. In fact, they saw it as their duty to God. Rebellion to tyrants was obedience to God. This was a favorite motto of Jefferson and also of many evangelicals. The men who fought the battles of the revolution and endured harsh winters in places like here in Valley Forge weren't just fighting for their rights and for concepts like freedom and liberty, they were fighting for someone. Of course, their fellow Americans, but also, the God of liberty. Paul strand, CBN News, reporting from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. And we'll be back with more of today's 700 Club, right after this. Are you anxious to protect your family with life insurance but afraid you can't afford it? Look how much insurance many people can get through SelectQuote for less than a dollar a day. SelectQuote found Rich, 37, a $500,000 policy for under $18 a month. Even though Dave, 43, takes meds to control his blood pressure, SelectQuote got him a $500,000 policy for under $28 a month. Ellen, 47, got a $250,000 policy for under $20 a month. All it takes is a phone call. 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In the attack, I sustained what I would later learn to be a traumatic brain injury and fractured vertebra. I was beginning to experience the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and I was continuing to deteriorate rapidly. I had to get out and was honorably discharged. When I got home to the US, I moved to New York City, but my PTSD symptoms worsened. Haunted by the war and in constant physical pain, I soon found myself unable to climb a simple flight of stairs. Ultimately, I cut myself off from those I loved. Alienated and alone, I began to wonder if I would ever recover. I met Tuesday at a service dog training facility. And as I spent more time with him, I could tell that he was a very emotionally intelligent dog. Tuesday has been able to rekindle my ambition, my goals, my dreams, my hopes, my wishes. And that's to help people. Please welcome to The 700 Club Luis Montalvan and Tuesday. It’s great to have you here. It’s so nice to meet you, Terry. Tuesday, welcome. Hello. Yes. You’re a beauty. You are a beauty. Good boy. Tuesday is an unusual name for a dog. How did he come by that? It is an unusual name. And it’s kind of a mystery. His donor, the donor that paid for his training was anonymous, and selected a name. He wasn't born on a Tuesday, so it remains sort of a mystery. Kept in the secrets of his heart, whoever that person was. What was your life like before you got Tuesday, Luis? Well, after Iraq and in between the tours and after the second tour and getting out of the Army, things got progressively worse health-wise, physically and psychologically. And I became divorced. I lost my wife, and I began drinking heavily. And it was a very difficult time. Really, you had just kind of removed yourself from life as most people know it, right? You had become completely isolated. So how did the two of you find each other? That's right. I became removed. And that's why it was such a miracle when I received an e-mail. I was living alone in a small Brooklyn apartment, and trying to get help from the VA. And this e-mail said that there were some non-profits pairing service dogs with veterans. And I said to myself, “What's a service dog?” And, boy, for the next 30 some odd hours straight, I did nothing but research everything I could find about service dogs. It’s like God had a plan and just began to birth that hope in you, just that desire to know what this was all about. This is before you even knew Tuesday. How did the two of you particularly get matched? Because there is a matching process. Yes. After receiving that e-mail, I just knew, like you know things. Yes, exactly. Like you get these feelings and faith. And I applied vigorously. This is for me. “God, thank you.” And sure enough, I was selected. And in November of '08, I converged on the non-profit just north of New York City with three other wounded veterans, and we stayed there for two weeks. Now, they all had their individual needs. There were a number of dogs that were available. And there would have been people who said, “No, no, no, not this dog for you.” But you and Tuesday kind of knew each other, in a sense. That's true, Terry. Tuesday wasn't the most obedient dog. And he is a very beautiful dog. Most dogs are. Yes, he’s gorgeous. But even conventionally speaking, he wasn't the most beautiful dog. And yet it was sort of on the third day that I—it sounds kind of silly, but I wanted Tuesday to give me a kiss, because that's a command, to give a kiss. And he wouldn't give me a kiss. And I could tell that he was reserved and that he was seeking a human partner that would earn his loyalty. Which you could really relate to, because that was exactly where you were at. So in a sense, you'd both gone through some things that made you the perfect match for each other. You mentioned earlier a donor who made all of this possible. What does it take to train a dog like this? And what does it cost? Good question. It varies from non-profit to non-profit, but in many cases, dogs like Tuesday, which are trained for two years, cost upwards of 25,000 dollars to train. Wow. Wow. And so non-profits have to rely on the good-hearted nature of Americans and corporations. That have a vision for the need and the work. We should mention, also, that that training really begins when the dogs are just newborns. Like, what is it, three days old, or something they start training? It is amazing. Yes. Quite astonishing. How has Tuesday changed your life? Oh, gosh. Tuesday, he helped me—falling into the darkness of war and the effects of war and alcoholism and despair is a difficult place to climb out of. And fortunately, through faith and through this wonderful furry spirit, I was able to regain my independence, physically and psychologically, able to leave my apartment. And to trust your feelings again, in a way. Yes. And to trust others. I couldn't be speaking with you today or have traveled here today without my omnipresent helper, brother, friend. Yes. He's much more than a dog. He is. He is. Well, we want to show him off. Can we do that? Can we just look at some of the things, because, well, I don't know if we can wake him or not. Oh, easy. Tuesday, stand. He is just relaxing, because he knows that we're having a nice conversation. So he is happy and relaxed. Hi, baby. Yes. One of the things you say in the book Until Tuesday is you talk about his need and desire and ability to snuggle and to hug and to touch. So can you show us a little bit of that? Sure. Yes, one of his things, one of his tasks that he’s been . . . . Even now, his head is laid against my leg. He's connecting with you. He’s hugging me. He is hugging you, exactly, in his way. Tuesday? Tuesday, okay, you ready? Yes. I want you to do us a favor. Because you know what? Marie really needs a hug right now. Can you go over there? Go see Marie. Nope. Tuesday. Tuesday, go over there. Go say hi. Go say hi to Marie. Go. That's it, turn around. Tuesday? Tuesday, come here. Come here. Good boy. Go see Marie. Go say hi. That's a good boy. There you go. Jump on. Jump on. Jump on. Yes. Snuggle. Snuggle, Tuesday. Snuggle. Look. He loves that. I don't know who likes that more, Marie or Tuesday. You're such a good boy. Yes. Now, he also helps you in very practical ways, because you have had painful injuries that make it important for him to be able to get things for you when you need him to. If you needed clothing, socks, he can get that for you if you ask. Indeed, because bending over just puts more strain on my back. So everything that Tuesday can do for me, in place of my own effort, just takes a little bit of pressure off my back. So, for example, in the morning, or any time we go out, he will go get my shoes. Would you ask him to do that? Let us see him do that. Of course. Tuesday, you're going to be a good boy now. Yes. Okay, Tuesday, look, go get my shoes. That's a good boy. Get them. Good boy. That's it. Yes. Bring it here. Bring it here, Tuesday. Good boy, Tuesday. Yes. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Yes. Good boy. Go get the other one. Look. Go get the shoe. That's it. Excellent. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Good boy. Excellent. You are so good. Sit. He does so many things, and he is such a loving friend and so connected to Luis. His book is really amazing. It is called Until Tuesday. It is available wherever books are sold. You're going to love the story. You’re going to appreciate what Luis himself has given on behalf of the country, but you’re also going to appreciate what Tuesday has given to both himself and to Luis. And it will be a blessing to you, so get a hold of it. Thank you for being with us. Thank you, Terry. Two special guys. Gordon. Well, coming up, get a taste of what it is like to be a US Navy Seal. In actual Seal training, exercises like this are designed to teach these guys what they're capable of and push them beyond their physical limits. That's why only about 20 percent of them actually make it to et end of Seal training. We'll take you through the Navy Seal experience, up next. Coming up later . . . . . . . . she threw down her pulled pork barbecue with Bobby Flay’s and won. Awarding winning pit master Lee Ann Whippen shows you how to get your grill on. * * * Plus . . . . I love fireworks! They're awesome! And they go boom! The history and pyrotechnics of fireworks. Are you anxious to protect your family with life insurance but afraid you can't afford it? Look how much insurance many people can get through SelectQuote for less than a dollar a day. SelectQuote found Rich, 37, a $500,000 policy for under $18 a month. Even though Dave, 43, takes meds to control his blood pressure, SelectQuote got him a $500,000 policy for under $28 a month. Ellen, 47, got a $250,000 policy for under $20 a month. All it takes is a phone call. Your personal SelectQuote agent will answer all your questions and impartially shop the highly rated term life companies SelectQuote represents for your best rates. Give your family the security it needs at a price you can afford. Call this number or go to selectquote.com. SelectQuote. We shop, you save. Well, the Navy Seals became super heroes in the eyes of millions of Americans when they tracked down Osama bin Laden. The country remains fascinated with these elite special forces. And as Chuck Holton found out, many people want to know what it takes to be part of their team. The US Navy Seals are legendary for their toughness and tenacity. These highly trained warriors spend years honing their skills on land, sea, and air. As a former Army Ranger, I wanted to find out if Seal training was as tough as everyone says. But I’m not about to join the Navy to find out. This is the Extreme Seal Experience. Situated just outside Norfolk, Virginia, the weeklong course gives regular folks a taste of the real thing. I have to stencil my t-shirt with my last name front and back, so I can remember who I am. I wanted to see if I still had what it takes, so I signed up. Fifteen others showed up the first day, regular guys from all different backgrounds. A retired Navy Seal, Senior Chief Don Shipley, runs the program with the help of other former Seals. All the instructors are Seals. And we've all been though hell week. We’ve all done the deployments. We know what it takes to get through that training. The Extreme Seal Experience started with a surprise wake-up call at 02:30. I knew a long hard day was on the horizon. The weeklong course starts with over 24 hours of grueling physical and mental challenges. Okay, it’s time to go and get on the bus. The first day of training we run down here is called Hell Night. It's a simulation of hell week in BUD/S, kind of. BUD/S stands for Basic Underwater Demolition School, the six-month training all Navy Seals must complete. The most intense part, hell week, 132 hours that push men past their breaking points, much of it done in the cold ocean water. Most who enter the school drop out during this phase. If I was running actual Seal training down here, I'd be backing ambulances in here every day. The next 24 hours were non-stop action, starting with a 10-mile paddle, eight men crammed into each boat. And navigating the river in compete darkness was more difficult than I anticipated. It’s a pretty good team work exercise, kind of getting to know each other and trying to figure out how we were going to work together and make this happen. We ended up in front of a stagnant, algae-infested pond. Then the fun began. Nothing like pond scum for breakfast. But there's a method to the madness. Special operators can't afford to be squeamish. I get the feeling it’s going to get a lot harder from here. Next came lots and lots and lots of physical training, or PT. It’s hundreds of push-ups, sit-ups, flutter kicks, and whatever else the instructors can dream up. The art of camouflage is also vitally important as Seals must regularly operate behind enemy lines. How much are they paying me for this? And before every new activity, more physical training. All these guys behind me have come from all over the United States and Canada and paid between 1,500 and 3,000 dollars for a couple of weeks of training to find out one thing, and that’s if they have what it takes to be a Navy Seal. If the push-ups weren't perfect, we had to start over. Log PT is designed to force the men to work as a team under very arduous conditions. The course isn't just about running and push-ups. We also learned some tactical skills like hand-to-hand combat and how to transition silently from water to land. In actual Seal training, exercises like this are designed to teach these guys what they are capable of and push them beyond their physical limits. That's why only about 20 percent of them actually make it to the end of Seal training. The highlight of hell night is a simulated mission. It’s the pay off for all the hard work. The guys must use all the skills learned throughout the day to complete the operation. These weekend warriors get painted up, paddle down river under the cover of darkness, hike through dense forest, a small taste of what life must be like as a real Navy Seal. For these guys, this is better than spending vacation sitting on the beach. The reward is knowing they challenged themselves and made it through, going back home with a little more self confidence, some incredible memories, and a greater respect for the sacrifices made by our nation's special operators. Chuck Holton, CBN News, Chesapeake, Virginia. They are the elite of the elite, the Navy Seals. And we're going to go from pond scum to something really tasty. Let's go over to Terry. Well, I am outside with the barbecue queen, Lee Ann Whippen, and she is about to show you how to get your grill on, wood chick style. We've got spare ribs, marinated chicken, mango salsa, and lots more. So it’s all about to happen. Don't go away. If you’re one of the millions of Americans without dental insurance, ask yourself these three important questions. One, does your company not offer dental insurance? Two, are you self employed? Three, are you retired? If you answered yes to any of these, it’s important that you call Encore Dental today. Encore Dental is real insurance, and your acceptance is guaranteed. You’ll receive up to 100 percent coverage for preventative care and up to 50 percent on basic and major procedures. Encore Dental can help keep your teeth healthy which may prevent infections that lead to heart disease and stroke. And with the high cost of procedures, it makes sense to have great coverage. Choose your level of benefits. There are no claims to fill out and no waiting for reimbursement. So go ahead, review it for 30 days. Call 1-800-671-6150. Call now, and save an additional ten percent. Call now and save an additional ten percent. Well, Lee Ann Whippen is an award-winning pit master. She’s on TLC’s Pit Master. She also has new bragging rights. She threw down Food Network's Bobby Flay on pulled pork barbecue. Watch this. If you haven't had time to get your grill on, there is plenty of summer weather for you to cook outside. But if you're not sure what to throw on the barbecue besides burgers and dogs, Lee Ann Whippen has some suggestions. Lee Ann is the owner of Wood Chicks Barbecue in Chesapeake, Virginia. She was featured in TLC's barbecue pit masters, and in 2009, she beat Food Network's Bobby Flay in a pulled pork throw down. Lee Ann shows you how to serve up an award-winning barbecue spread at your next outdoor party. Well, please welcome back to The 700 Club the owner of Wood Chicks Barbecue, Lee Ann Whippen. And congratulations, Lee Ann. Thank you, Gordon. It’s a pleasure to be here. You are now a TV star. Oh, no, no. I still do the barbecue, 24-7. But you’re doing it on TV, and you’re showing people how to do it. Yes. What was the secret? How did you beat Bobby Flay? I think the secret was I didn't know he was going to be there, and so the pressure was taken off. And once the pork shoulders had slow cooked all night long, it was what it was. And so fortunately it was in my favor. So it was good. You've got some big new news. You just opened a new restaurant? Yes, a new restaurant called Chicago Cue, and it’s in the gold coast section of Chicago. And we're doing the same thing we do here, slow smoking and southern pride cookers, overnight. So you're taking a taste of Chesapeake all the way to Chicago. That's right. There you go. Now that’s a food town. Are you ready? You know what? They're accepting it. It's very, very good, so I’m very happy about it. That’s fabulous. Congratulations. That’s wonderful. All right, what are you cooking for us today? All right, today, we have a lot of things going on, of course, to celebrate the Fourth of July. Right now we have a rack of ribs here. And this is raw product. And what is important is to take the skin off the back of the ribs, like this. Just peel it off. A lot of people don’t even know it’s there. A lot of people don’t know that. I don’t know that. So that’s gone, and we’re going to get rid of that. What does that do to the final? What it allows you do is your dry rib. When you put it on generously, it allows it to permeate the meat. If you put it on the day before, you’re creating a wet marinade. We're pig powder dry rub, a rub that my dad developed. Can you tell us the secret ingredients? Thirteen ingredients. It’s sweet with a little bit of heat. She can’t tell you, but you can buy them. As I said, yes, you can buy them. You just put a lot of it on there, and what we’re going to do is just set it on the grill over here. Okay. Wow. And you can see that we have a lot of our ribs already done or pretty close to being done. Pretty close. And what I’d like you to do, Gordon, is take some of our original mild sauce and brush it on the ribs. All right, it’s time for slather. And very important to wait until about the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time. Why is that? Because if you put it on too early, it will burn. A lot of sauces have sugar in it, and there is sugar, and that is what causes burning. And right now, Terry, if you can help me make the mango salsa, which we’re going to put on our marinated chicken breasts. I would love to do that. So we’ve got some tomatoes. Yes. Yes, tomatoes, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, chopped red onion. This one. Look how colorful that is. Yes, and that’s what’s so nice about it. It looks beautiful on the plate. And then jalapeños. You’ve got to have a little spice in there. Mango. And then the mango. Go easy on those, Terry. And, of course, a little bit of acid of our lime juice here. And then to round out everything, we have chili powder, honey. Ooh, that looks good. And then also some salt. And we'll go ahead and toss this around. It's very simple. As I said, a lot of color. Oh, look at that. And, Gordon, if you can, I'm going to have you pull our marinated chicken breasts, which have been marinated in coconut milk, cilantro, lime juice. And we’ll go ahead and plate them right here. All right, how did somebody from Chesapeake learn about coconut milk? Magazines. No, it’s really an excellent thing to marinate. These chicken breasts will only need to marinate for two hours, so isn’t a time consuming . . . . I love cooking with coconut milk. It really adds a—oops. Oops, fumble. There’s one. That’s why I brought extra. The chicken breasts will cook for approximately seven minutes per side. And, Terry, if you just want to spoon some of this on top. Yes, I would love to do that. That looks so great. And that will round our chicken. And then on the far side of the grill, we have our grilled pineapple. And we’ll have you brush it with caramel sauce. I have you very busy today. You do have me busy. And so you can brush the pineapple. I’m your line cook here. And that’s a caramel sauce. It’s very simple. You just take sugar and some water. add some heavy cream to it, and also some vanilla extract. And just cook it up on the stove. And you brush it lightly. It almost take a few minutes to grill those. And then we’ll go ahead and put those on this plate here. And then, Terry, we'll get to the favorite part, the caramel sauce on top. So let’s see here. The spatula. All right. You've got a spatula? Yes. These don't work well with the tongs. Look at that. And it also adds a very nice glaze to it. And as I said, these don't take very long, just a couple of minutes. Oops, we're going to lose one. You're making me feel better. If we could only bring this smell home to people, it would be wonderful, wouldn’t it? Yes. It’s awesome. So we’ll go ahead and take—I’ll leave those two on there. What happens to pineapple when you grill it? You know what, it has natural sugar in it, so it caramelizes and it really becomes more sweet than just a regular ripe. And now we put a little of this. The caramel sauce you can drizzle on as much as you’d like, which I think . . . . Why do you call the ribs St. Louis style? It’s the way that they’re cut. We cut the chine bone off of it, so it really kind of turns it into a rectangular shaped rib. As you can see, it’s not like that big rib that you see in the deli case. So it's just the cut? It’s not anything with the rub. Exactly. So we're going to have you take off one of those racks of ribs and put it on our cutting board. I'm glad you're doing that and not me. One, two, and . . . . You know what, okay, perfect. Now, you can tell when you're ribs are done, when the meat starts to come back a little bit from the bone there. And what we’re going to do is we’re just going to—and an easy way also to cut ribs is to look at the way the bones run, because sometimes they're crooked. So if you're trying to cut straight, you won't be able to cut through. So this is kind of an easy way. Just avoid the bone. Yes. How long have you been cooking these? These actually about three and a half hours. You have to kind of cook them off. You cook them on low heat, way away from the fire. Indirect heat. Indirect heat. And that's a long time. You’re trying to rend out all the fat. So here, we’re going to go ahead and put some on the plates here. And go ahead and put some ribs on there. And then we also have some potato salad, which is always great for the Fourth of July. Okay, what is in that? Because it looks unusual. Oh, well, bacon and egg, a must in potato salad, I believe. So this is pork and pork? Yes, it is. It is. I love pork. We have some chicken, though, too. And it also has peppers, and interesting enough, it is red, white, and blue potato salad, because we're using Peruvian potatoes, a red potato, and also a Yukon gold potato. Well, you really mix it up. You really mix it up. You can’t really see the colors, but at least we know it’s red, white, and blue. So you’ve got purple in there, too. Yes. So you have a little bit of everything. It appears to be blue, though. It’s kind of like a deep purple. So I would like you all to try all these things. We'll call it blue for July 4th. Yes. Yes. Okay, now the ribs are going to be hot, so be careful. All right, you've got to taste it. Terry is the taster. What are you going to go for first? Oh, hallelujah. Be careful. Hot, hot. For the ribs. I didn't even have to bite that. You can tell it is perfectly cooked, because the meat comes off the bone. And if you see little moisture bubbles there, you know it’s cooked just right. So this is why you beat Bobby Flay. Yes. Yes. Okay. Bobby, I'm so sorry, but she beat you again today. Wow. I'm glad you enjoy it. But the pig powder dry rub, it really helps. Amazing. And what I do is I have this bottle of apple juice, and if you see your ribs are drying out, you can spritz it with apple juice, and it helps with the caramelization process with the dry rub. That’s a trick I haven’t heard of. Will that keep the flare ups down, too? Actually, it doesn't cause any flare up, but really it’s to help with the moisture and it also makes—you can see how glossy those ribs are. And it’s because I’ve been hitting it with this. And it really is good for all kinds of grilling, like the chicken. I spritzed it with that. And it gives a little bit of sweet flavor without being overbearing. You’re going to want that pineapple. I know. Before she takes it. Yes, because I'm going to be done with mine in about two seconds. Well, to find out more how you can get your Wood Chicks original mild and spicy barbecue sauces and the award-winning pig powder, which we can’t tell you what the 13 ingredients are, but they’re good, all you have to do is log on to CBN.com. Wow, wow. Well, thank you. Wow, wow? Wow, wow. Thank you for having me. Wow, wow. Everybody likes fireworks, except maybe the family dog, and absolutely nothing is going to change his mind, but this completes the July 4th celebration. We’re going to eat. Enjoy the fireworks. Where did they originate, and what is behind all of the boom, boom, boom. I love fireworks! They're awesome! And they go boom! Even after thousands of years, fireworks still captivate, amaze, and terrify spectators around the globe. Fireworks date back to ancient China, before the invention of gun powder. Over the centuries, the desire for bigger and better explosions has fueled much experimentation. Fireworks made their way to Europe when Italian explorer Marco Polo brought them from the Orient in 1292. During the renaissance in Europe, the Italians developed fireworks displays into a true art form, and when they came to America, they brought their fireworks with them. One such man was Vincenzo Sorgi, who came to America in 1899. In 1902, he started the American fireworks company. Today the Sorgi family continues its legacy, bringing smiles to another generation of Americans. Eric Stewart is the company's lead technician. That is, right now I have the crew basically running the guns out to build the show. On this day, his crew is hard at work in the town of Colonial Beach, Virginia. The set up for a spectacular fireworks display not only takes muscle, but teamwork. After all, these pyrotechnicians are handling explosives and enjoying every bit of it. At first, of course, you get the jitters, but then that all works out and now is show time. Eric said that in his 10 plus years of experience with pyrotechnics, fireworks displays choreographed with music are hands down the favorite with Americans. While pyrotechnic crews will at times still light the shells by hand, most of them are ignited electronically, which makes them safer. Like the Colonial Beach show, it’s all done by a switch panel. What makes a perfect show would be when the show goes off, of course, flawlessly, and the crowd goes crazy at the very end of the show. Today we celebrate our country's independence, and we'll end our celebration with a spectacular fireworks display, just as those early patriots did just over 200 years ago. Well, if you're playing around with fireworks tonight, I hope that you're safe with them. Don't do anything dangerous. It is always better to just have a bit of barbecue and then watch somebody else set them off. Amen. From a distance, right. From a long, long way. A lot of barbecue and watch them set it off from a distance. Now you’re talking. That’s my kind of party. All right. We leave you today with the great Ray Charles singing “America the Beautiful.” Here at CBN, we see amazing things happen when we stand together. That’s why we want to say thank you to the thousands of you . . . . . . . . who recently pledged to join the 700 Club. Your monthly gift makes it possible to bring crucial help to those who need it most. You help heal the sick, feed the hungry . . . . . . . . and preach the Gospel across America and throughout the world. You’ve brought health and hope to people in desperate need. And changed their lives forever. Young Tsun Tsun was beaten by his abusive father since he was a small boy. When their house was destroyed in an earthquake, Tsun Tsun left his home and built a mud hut to live in. That’s when you rescued Tsun Tsun building him a new house and providing him with warm meals and an education. You changed his life and gave him hope for the future. 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