Music I Music is the shorthand of emotion. (Leo Tolstoy, 19th-20th century Russian writer) Why do dramatic movie and TV shows have carefully written music backgrounds? Composers and conductors are hired to enhance the show with music that will play to the emotion,...
Value Value is increased by the cost of the achievement. (Jesse Deloe, editor) The value of certain material can be determined by its weight, clarity, and demand. It’s more difficult, however, to judge the worth of deeds and accomplishments. A piece of art may have...
Opinions [The] special mark of the modern world is not that it is skeptical, but that it is dogmatic without knowing it. (G. K. Chesterton, 19th-20th century British philosopher) Though written nearly 100 years ago, it sounds like the “modern world” of the 21st...
Anxiety Did you know that to worry about a situation [is to make] a conscious choice to do so? (paraphrase of Mike C. Adams, counselor) Anxiety seems to be almost a universal emotion in modern society. We’re worried about our health, the weather, politics, and so much...
Riches The truly rich are those who possess a rich heart rather than lots of money. (Bill Gates, philanthropist) When the man who is said to be “the richest man in the world,” defines the “truly rich,” maybe we should listen. How much money does take to be rich? When...
History There are two things that you can do with history: you can ignore it, or you can learn from it. Mrs. Allen, an unknown high school history teacher) High school history class. Ugh! How boring! Isn’t that the way many of us thought of that required class? As we...
Great Men II Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service. (Martin Luther King Jr) We often attribute greatness to those whose accomplishments are noteworthy and accompanied by public recognition. King, however,...
Great Men I A great man is always willing to be little. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century philosopher) In 21st century life, we don’t see many men that Emerson speaks of. The “greater” men seem to be (at least in their own estimation), the more they try to build on...
Do Good If you can't do the good you would, do the good you can. (Chuck Swindoll pastor, author) Some folks have been heard to say that because they can’t do all they want to do, they can’t do anything. Swindoll would likely, say to them, “Do whatever you can; a...
Speaking Well done is better than well said. (Poor Richard’s Almanack) There are times when we’d like to share those wise words of Benjamin Franklin with people we hear, speaking in glowing terms of what they promise to do for us. We’ll hear a lot of that sort of...
Foundations II Giants are not always people who live exhilarating or famous lives—they are faithful people who create foundations for success. (Media 212) Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” We sometimes have...
Foundations I Storms reveal the quality of the work of the builder. (Bruce Barlow, pastor) Barlow was referring to the biblical parable of Jesus. He spoke of two builders; one built a house on the sand; another on a rock foundation. When the storm came, obviously, the...