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Volume 20, # 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February, 2005 |
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Volume 20, # 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February, 2005 |
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On Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas Paine
"Character is much easier kept than recovered."
Scatter Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ralph Waldo Emerson
"There is no beautifier of complexion, or form or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy—and not pain—around us."
Wisdom Teaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Arthur Ward
"Wisdom teaches: the fruits of silence; the blessings of health; the rewards of self-discipline; the satisfaction of achievement; the responsibility of power; the beauty of nature; the miracle of love; the meaning of friendship; the privilege of prayer; the power of faith; the joy of sharing; the treasure of integrity."
They Call Me Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Wooden, p. 35
"Stubbornness we deprecate,
Firmness we condone.
The former is our neighbor’s trait,
The latter is our own."
As a Man Thinketh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Allen, p. 42
"Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph."
Lincoln on Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald T. Phillips
"Carl Schurz, a Republican contemporary of Lincoln…recounted his first meeting with the future president:…‘He interspersed our conversation with all sorts of quaint stories, each of which had a witty point applicable to the subject in hand and not seldom concluded an argument in such a manner that nothing more was to be said.’"
Who Do You Say I Am? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONNECTIONS, 8/93
"Every decision we make is ultimately a response to the question, Who Do You Say I Am? Our love for family and friends, our dedication to the cause of justice, our commitment to the highest moral and ethical standards, our taking the first step toward reconciliation and forgiveness, our simplest acts of kindness and charity declare most accurately and effectively our belief in the Gospel Jesus as the Messiah and Redeemer."
Prayer for the Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Washington
"Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou will keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou will incline the heads of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brother-affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large.
And finally that Thou will most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion and with a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can ever hope to be a happy nation.
Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Americanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theodore Roosevelt
"Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth and sincerity—the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love-of-soft-living, and the get-rich- quick theory of life."
Everlasting Ignorance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Herbert Spencer
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance —that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
The Art of Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baltasar Gracian, The Art of Wordly Wisdom, p. 12
"The Art of Success: Good fortune has its rules, and to the wise not everything depends upon chance. Fortune is helped along by effort. Some people confidently approach the door of Fortune, and wait for her to go to work. Others are more sensible: they stride through that door with a prudent sort of boldness. On the wings of their courage and, virtue, audacity spies luck and flatters it into effectiveness."
Wellness, Spirituality & Sports
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas Ryan, p. 6"[T]he human qualities underlying sporting activities are the same as those underlying spiritual life activities. Discipline, dedication, enthusiasm, and perseverance are a few of the human qualities."
Will to Believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John P. Grier
"The will to believe is perhaps the most powerful but certainly the most dangerous human attribute."
Relaxation of the Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P.
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes."
Friendship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Notes, 4/79
"...We need friends. A friend is at the heart of our life—someone with whom we can be ourselves, with whom we can share our feelings, experiences and deepest thoughts. However the relationship is defined, it calls for effort on the part of both persons. Friendship needs nourishing."
Cure or Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony DeMello, SJ, Awareness, p. 6
"Even the best psychologist will tell you that people don’t really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful."
Messengers of Joy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope John Paul II
"Christ came to bring joy: joy to children, joy to parents, joy to families and to friends, joy to workers and to scholars, joy to the sick and joy to the elderly, joy to all humanity. In a true sense, joy is the keynote of the Christian message and the recurring motif of the Gospels…Be messengers of joy."
The Dragon’s Almanac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Wintle, ed., #88
"One eye is better than ten tongues, and one hand is better than ten eyes."
Greatest Tragedy in Life . . . .. . Sunday Sermon Masterpiece Collection, Vol. 3, p. 1081
The poet e.e. cummings once said that in a world that is doing its best night and day to make you into everybody else, trying to be nobody but yourself means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight—and the battle never ends.
Psychiatrists tell us that the refusal to be oneself is a commonplace problem and a major cause of inferiority complexes, feelings of insecurity, personal frustrations and even anti-social behavior. In the words of one prominent practioner, "The greatest tragedy in life is that while we were born originals, we die carbon copies."
It seems that while God works to bring out our uniqueness, we work to be like everybody else.
Letter Writing Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Source Unknown
Abraham Lincoln’s Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of favoritism. Stanton complained to Lincoln, who suggested that Stanton write the officer a sharp letter. Stanton did just that, and showed the strongly worded critical letter to the President. "What are you going to do with it now?" Lincoln asked.
Surprised, Stanton replied, "I’m going to send it to him."
Lincoln shook his head. "You don’t want to send that letter," he said. "Put it in the stove over there. That’s what I do when I’ve written a letter when I’m angry or bitter. Even letters I’ve written to you. It’s a good letter and you had a good time writing it, and feel better now. Go ahead, burn it, and write another letter with less sharp edges."
February 21, 2005
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