Daily Stop & Thinks

Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum. (Oliver Wendell Holmes, 19^th century physician and poet)

Is life more an art or a science? We know that proper nutrition, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are factors that can, at least in part, be calculated, and we can pursue the proper equations to maintain life. But, if that’s all there is, wouldn’t that be rather boring and unproductive? Add some color, music, theater, companionship; well, that sounds more enticing, doesn’t it?

It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work. . . . And . . . to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19).

Life presents many choices, the choices we make determine our future. (Catherine Pulsife., author)

Jim Stovall, another writer adds: “Only when we accept the fact that we are where we are because of choices we’ve made in the past can we live every day of the rest of our lives in the certain knowledge that we can do anything we want to do if we simply make the right choices. The biblical leader Joshua illustrates the most important choice you can make.

“As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15).

The key to order, sanity, and peace of mind. (Elayne Boosler, comedian) Read on.

Boosler writes: “I am thankful [that] the most important key in history was invented. It’s not the key to your house, your car, your boat, your safety deposit box, your bike lock.” What is it? The “delete” key. Her play on words is humorous, but wouldn’t it be great if we could delete some of the things we’ve said or done? Thankfully, God can and will forgive our sin.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults (Psalm 19:12).

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Some people seem to feel that they were destined to be what they’ve become. Their success—or failure—in life was foreordained. Such an idea would remove all responsibility for us to work at achieving some goal if, after all, it’s all been predetermined. Emerson offers a much better philosophy, one that encourages us to set a goal and then pursue it diligently.

You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny (Psalm 73:24).

I like the dream of the future better than the history of the past. (Thomas Jefferson)

Jefferson was certainly well aware of past history, but his many talents were engaged in working toward a prosperous future of freedom and progress. He hoped to see a group of independent states united in a single nation, and he played no small part in it. He was also the founder of the University of Virginia, so his future hopes were realized for the great benefit of all of us.

A dream fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots. (Marcus Garvey, late Jamaican-born political leader)

History is not often a favorite subject of young students. They live for the here and now, and as they grow, they’re thinking more of the future than the past. How unfortunate! By not knowing our past, we miss out on why things are as they are. An American songwriter known as Quavo said it well, “History repeats itself so you might wanna pay attention.”

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. (Mahatma Gandhi)

Do we always say what we’re thinking? Sometimes it’s better if we don’t. Do we always do what we say we’re going to do? We should! So, maybe Gandhi makes a good point. If we control our thoughts and think on only what is good and helpful, and if we think carefully before we speak, our lives will find more harmony and joy.

Wise people think before they act. (Proverbs 13:16). A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time (Ecclesiastes 7:4).

The most important thing a father can do for his children is love their mother. (Theodore Hesburgh, late president of Notre Dame University)

It’s a great lesson for fathers. While their children may be honoring their mother—as they should today, fathers need to understand that it isn’t flowers or candy that mother’s need so much as it is the love of their husbands. It’s important for the wives, and it’s a great example for the children to see lived out before them daily.

Husbands . . . love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. . . . So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25, 33)

If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today? (Steve Jobs, late co-founder of Apple, Inc.)

Some of us live by a rather strict schedule. We know what’s coming ahead in our daily agenda. Others are pretty spontaneous, hardly giving much thought or planning to the day’s schedule. But to take Jobs’ question seriously could radically change how we go through our day. We would no doubt have peace at the end of that last day, if we had planned and lived it well.

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone (James 4:14).

A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life. (Norman Cousins, late political journalist)

Because books are available on computers, Ipods, smart phones, and Kindle, the old-fashioned library may soon become extinct. There are fewer and fewer brick-and-mortar bookstores, too. But there’s still something about seeing shelf after shelf of colorful printed books that’s attractive and stimulating. We must not fail to dig into those tomes to grow in knowledge and culture.

The Apostle Paul’s request to Timothy: “When you come . . . bring the books (1 Timothy 4:13).

Giving offense is the price of diversity, not an impediment to diversity. (Irshad Manji, author)

It may be difficult to accept Manjii’s statement at first. After all, we don’t want to offend anyone, do we? At least, not intentionally. But if we are to live with diverse populations, offenses can provide great opportunities for learning. She also says, “Schools … need to be teaching a new generation how not to be offended.” We must learn to live with diversity.

Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses (Proverbs 10:12).

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. (Abraham Lincoln)

We all have experienced failure of some kind—a lost ballgame, a low test score, a poor interview, perhaps; but we did not let that stop us from moving on. It’s only when we accept failure as the final outcome that we truly fail. No one has ever accomplished anything worthwhile if he or she didn’t rise up from the fall and take another step toward success.

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked (Proverbs 24:16).