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Volume 25, # 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 2009 |
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![inspiration, motivation, Apple Seeds, [Apple]](AppleSeeds_25-left.jpg)
![inspiration, motivation, Apple Seeds, [Apple]](AppleSeeds_25-right.jpg)
Plant these "seeds" well and water often. Enjoy!
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Art of Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery."
Laughter is a Leap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G.K. Chesterton
"It is really a natural trend to lapse into taking oneself too seriously because it’s the easiest thing to do. Solemnity and seriousness flow out of us naturally. But laughter is a leap into the light. It is easy to be heavy, hard to be light. And never forget that Satan fell by force of gravity."
Words of Appreciation . . . . . . . . . David K. Reynolds, Even in Summer the Ice Doesn’t Melt, p. 102
"The principle of consistency applies to words of politeness and words of appreciation for someone’s kindness, effort and service. It is easy to use words of gratitude during courtship days, during the first days of a visit with relatives, or an initial period on a new job. Then with time and familiarity and repetition comes a taking for granted, an ignoring of others’ acts of kindness. Certainly, words of appreciation are likely to decline over time unless we make a special effort to notice others’ efforts and acknowledge them."
Not Critical Enough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Arthur Ward
"Most of us are too critical of ourselves, but not critical enough to make any changes."
Negative Influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Napoleon Hill, Think & Grow Rich, p. 282
"Recognize that negative influences often work on you through your subconscious mind, therefore they are difficult to detect, and keep your mind closed against all people who depress or discourage you in any way."
Seek Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morley Callaghan
"The real friend of his country is the person who believes in excellence, seeks for it, fights for it, defends it, and tries to produce it."
Prayer for Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Og Mandino, The Seeds of Success, p. 145
"God, I thank you for this day. I know I have not accomplished as yet all you expect of me, and if that is your reason for bathing me in the fresh dew of a another dawn, I am most grateful. I am prepared, at last, to make you proud of me.
I will forget yesterday, with all its trials and tribulations, aggravations and setbacks, angers and frustrations. The past is already a dream from which I can neither retrieve a single word nor erase any foolishness."
Words of Encouragement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wilfred A. Peterson
"Words of encouragement fan the spark of genius into the flame of achievement."
Spirituality–Way of Seeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernest Kurtz, The Spirituality of Imperfection, p. 69
"In the experience of spirituality, three essential elements are always at play: what we see; how we feel; and why we choose. People sometimes think of spirituality as if it were mainly ‘feeling’ (an episode of rapture, a warm sensation of belonging) or primarily ‘willing’ (the act of choosing). But of the three essentials elements of the experience of spirituality, ‘seeing’ holds a kind of necessary priority."
The Achiever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coach Vince Lombardi
"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer. The Achiever—the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it."
A Gifted Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coach Pat Riley
"When a gifted team dedicates itself to unselfish trust and combines instinct with boldness and effort—it is ready to climb."
Quality of Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stan Johnson
"At some point, people have to step up and do something for someone else. If people give a little emotionally, the quality of living in our towns is going to be better, the quality of living in our state is going to be better, and the quality of living in our country is going to be better."
A Friend’s Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oscar Wilde, Positive Press.com
"Anyone can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend’s success."
Fully Alive People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. John Powell, S.J., A Life-Giving Vision, p. 4
"Fully alive people are alive in their minds. They are very much aware of the wisdom in the statement of Socrates that ‘the unreflective life isn’t worth living.’ Fully alive people are always thoughtful and reflective. They are capable of asking the right questions of life and flexible enough to let life question them. They will not live an unreflected life in an unexamined world."
Out on a Limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, TOR
"No matter what is the issue, when you climb out on a limb do not be surprised that you are all alone. However, what may surprise you is when you look down and see who is trying to chop down your tree."
Great Minds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elbert Hubbard
"Little minds are interested in the extraordinary; great minds in the commonplace."
Depth of Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lettie E. Cowman, Streams in the Desert, p. 264
"And others fell upon the rocky places ,where the did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil (Mt. 13:5).
Shallow! It would seem from the teaching of this parable that we have something to do with the soil. The fruitful seed fell into ‘good and honest hearts.’ I suppose the shallow people are the soil without much depth—those who have no real purpose are moved by a tender appeal, a good sermon, a pathetic melody, and at first it looks as if they would amount to something; but not much earth—no depth, no deep, honest purpose, no earnest desire to know duty in order to do it. Let us look after the soil of our hearts."
On Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernest Hemingway
"Writing is something you can never do as well as it can be done. It is a perpetual challenge and it is more difficult than anything else that I have ever done."
Christmas Spoken Here . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Killinger, Christmas Spoke Here, p. 11 (excerpted)
One day I was staring through the window of a beautiful little Christmas shop. It was packed with Christmas items…There were exquisite crèche scenes from Italy, Germany, and Norway. There were fuzzy-faced elves and jolly old Santa Clauses, sleighs and reindeer of every size and description, bells and trees, and music boxes. There were nutcrackers and candles and electric lights, angels and wise men and little drummer boys, stars and snowmen and gingerbread cutouts. The little shop was fairly bursting with Christmas, and a loudspeaker broadcast a medley of Yuletide tunes. It was infectious…And down in the corner of the front door, where no one could miss it, was the neatest touch of all. It was a small sign that said: "Christmas Spoken Here."
"Christmas Spoken Here." I cannot imagine a better slogan for the church, at this season or any time of year, than that one. What could say better why we are here? God has entered human history to change its course forever. He has come as a Word, as something said, articulated, put in a message: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). We remember the event each year in song and pageant and decoration. "Christmas spoken here." It has to be spoken here, for it is the basis of all we do.
"Christmas Spoken Here." It is an appropriate motto for us. The church ought always to speak Christmas. We ought always to be reminded of the Word God has spoken: the intelligible, important, and loving Word of His concern for us. And Christmas is the best time of all the year for remembering it. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth." That is Christmas, and Christmas is spoken here. It will always be spoken here.
Lord, You have spoken to us in the birth and life and death of Jesus, and Your Word is plain. Help us to hear it and respond with all our hearts. For there is no other word as intelligible, or important, or loving as this one. Amen.
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