Reactions Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. (John Wooden, late hall-of-fame basketball coach) Our reaction to the unexpected and sometimes really bad circumstances of life determines how well it will all work out for us. We are...
Wisdom Meaningful learning must go far beyond mere knowledge of the facts. (Jesse Deloe, writer, editor) We’re told that on average human knowledge is doubling every 13 months, and some say that it will soon be every 12 hours. Wow, how can we keep up with it all? The...
Anticipation An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality… (Samuel Smiles, 19th century Scottish author) Remember, when you were a child, how you looked forward to a long planned vacation trip? Sometimes, the reality wasn’t nearly as much fun as...
Winning The game of life is a lot like football. You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity. (Inspiration Line) Football is a complicated game. Only the coaches, players, and sports commentators seem to be...
Unity Diversity without unity makes about as much sense as dishing up on a plate flour, sugar, water, eggs, shortening, and baking powder and calling it a cake. (C. William Pollard, businessman and author) Today’s society is full of talk about diversity, but we must...
Imitation What we revere, we resemble, either for our ruin or our restoration. (Gregory K. Beale, seminary professor) When children or teenagers begin to “idolize” an athlete, an actor, or a musician, they often begin to dress like the admired one and mimic their...
Giving For it is in giving that we receive. (Francis of Assisi) It’s two weeks until Christmas so it’s a good time to think about your giving and why you give. Consider Assisi’s remark. By giving gifts of love, you will experience the joy of sharing with family and...
Forgiveness The only thing evil can’t stand is forgiveness. (Fred “Mister” Rogers, late television personality) We see evil in lots of ways—anger, bullying, verbal abuse, and more. Have you ever noticed that when you respond to such behaviors in the same manner, it...
Kindness Kindness and politeness are not overrated at all. They’re underused. (Tommy Lee Jones, actor) It seems that Jones’ observation is all too true. In today’s overly-politicized society, there is almost a complete lack of basic courtesy among people of different...
Change If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. (Maya Angelou, late American poet) There are always things that displease us, things we’d like to change. But many times we can’t do much to bring about the change we want....
Mistakes A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong… (Alexander Pope, 18th century English poet) Why is it so difficult for us to admit we’ve made a mistake? We seem quick to make excuses or place blame elsewhere, when it would be more helpful just...
Contentment The content of the mind determines the contentment of the heart. (Gladys Deloe, entrepreneur) Is it possible in a topsy-turvy world like ours to be content? Whether it’s international relations, national or local politics, or personal associations, there...