Judgement [There are two] Places for Pews: The Church and a Courtroom. Both make people uncomfortable and both are places where people are judged. (Dan O’Deens, overseas social worker) Church and courtroom pews may be uncomfortable for different reasons. First, a lot...
Life Goes On In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on. (Robert Frost, 19th-20th century American poet) We have all experienced the deep grief of losing a loved one. It seems that the pain and loss will never go away. But, we soon...
Good Attitudes The right attitude is a greenhouse for the right actions. (Keith Minier, minister) An interesting metaphor. We think of greenhouses as places where plants are nourished, watered, and given the right temperatures for growth. Minier suggests that our...
Speaking the Truth A “No” uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a “Yes” merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. (Mahatma Gandhi, leader of independence movement in India) Most of us have probably not faced the kind of terrifying crisis where...
Bravery The bravest people are the ones who don’t mind looking like cowards. (T. H. White, British novelist) Remember those old black-and-white western movies? The white hats always beat the black hats. Among all the frightened cowboys there was always a John Wayne,...
Common Sense Five percent of people think; 10% of people think they think, and the other 85% would rather die than think. (Thomas Edison, inventor) Today’s news, with its reports of bad judgment calls and evil actions, might make one wonder whatever happened to common...
Dissatisfaction Wanting more is to pursue a path of frustration in the search for happiness. (Jesse Deloe, writer, editor) Shouting “Encore!” at the end of a symphony concert is a legitimate request for more good music. But wanting seconds or thirds after a...
Proper Conversation It's best to talk to people not about people. (Rob Harrison, American pastor) With the almost universal use of smartphones and the Internet, face-to-face conversation has become nearly nonexistent—or, at least, less common. But the same rules of...
Choosing Your Response The overwhelming majority of your life is shaped by how you choose . . .to respond to circumstances beyond your control. (Paraphrase of Tim Knight, filmmaker) Knight points out that only a very small part of your life is affected by such...
True Friends Friends are the Bacon Bits in the Salad Bowl of Life. (Pizza Shop Sign) A lot of people agree that nearly everything tastes better with a little bacon in it. You might not want a bacon salad, but put a few bits in a spinach salad, and it is even tastier....
Sympathy Anybody can sympathize with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathize with a friend's success. (Oscar Wilde, 19th century Irish poet and playwright) Think about it! Most of us will genuinely sorrow with a friend who is...
A Simple Life Finding a way to live the simple life is one of life's supreme complications. (T. S. Eliot, one of the 20th century’s major poets) You may have neighbors whose religious convictions call for living a simple life. It may be difficult, but they do without...