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Predictions are hard, especially about the future.
Niels Bohr

Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is again made clean.
Dag Hammarskjold
(1905-1961, Swedish Statesman, Secretary-general of U.N.)

I became very, very aware that there is a Higher Power out there, and it's incredible. And when it happens to you directly it's real easy to believe.
Michael Skupin (Survivor 2) - from The Early Show on CBS, March 2, 2001

Direction, Trust, Guidance
Trust that still, small voice that says, "This might work and I'll try it."
Diane Mariechild

Life, work, happiness
Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, and to work, and to play, and to look up at the stars.
Henry Van Dyke
(1852--1933, American Protestant Clergyman and Writer)

Man performs and engenders so much more than he can or should have to bear. That's how he finds that he can bear anything.
William Faulkner
(1897-1962, American Novelist)

The war creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice. Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure, the search would never have begun. … We are mistaken when we compare war with 'normal life'. Life has never been normal.
- C. S. Lewis

Purpose, Mission
"To bring people to Jesus and membership in His family, develop them to Christ-like maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name. "
- Saddleback's Purpose Statement

Vision
"People respond to vision, not need." - Rick Warren

Difficulty, Bad Days, Perseverance
Our energy is in proportion to the resistance it meets. We attempt nothing great but from a sense of the difficulties we have to encounter; we persevere in nothing great but from a pride in overcoming them.
William Hazlitt
(1778-1830, British Essayist)

Criticism
“Conflict often develops because church leaders pay too much attention to the criticisms. If every critical word devastates you, then part of your problem is that you are too sensitive. To keep the peace, a good leader must know when to confront criticism and when to ignore it. Don’t make a bigger issue of the criticism than it deserves. If you respond to every criticism, then the critic runs the church. . . Bill Cosby said, “I don’t know what the secret of success is, but I’ll tell you the key to failure: trying to please everybody.’”
~ Bob Russell in When God Builds A Church

Sadness, mourning, suffering
“Sorrow is a fruit. God does not allow it to grow on a branch that is too weak to bear it.”
Victor Hugo
(1802-1885, French Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

Service, Faithfulness, spiritual gifts
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'
- Erma Bombeck

"If you have stumbled, O seeker of God, do not just lie there fretting and bemoaning your weakness! Patiently pray; 'Lord, I acknowledge that every moment I would be stumbling if you were not upholding me.' And then get up! Leap! Walk! Go on you way! Run with resolution the race in which you are entered." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

"When revenge comes knocking at your door, turn off the porch light and lock the deadbolt." Life's Little Rule Book (Starburst Publishers, 1999).

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." Anonymous

"The most effective leadership is by example, not edict." Leadership 101 (Honor Books, 1997).

To fight a bull when you are not scared is nothing. And to not fight a bull when you are scared is nothing. But to fight a bull when you are scared is something.
Author Unknown

In difficult situations, when hope seems feeble, the boldest plans are safest.
Titus Livy
(BC 59-17 AD, Roman Historian)

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other."
- John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), from the speech prepared for delivery in Dallas on the day of his assassination, Nov. 22, 1963
"In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better."
- Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
"You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

"It was free grace that formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul and stamped on that soul the image of God"...John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996.)

"It seems that the teachers who were hardest on you are the same ones you considered the best." Winning Thoughts (Great Quotations Inc., 2001).

"Without inspiration we would perish."-Walt Disney Excellence Is Never An Accident (Trade Life Books, Inc., 1997).

"All men make mistakes, but married men find out about them sooner." - Red Skelton

About 82% of Americans say they want to grow spiritually, but they lack the practices and disciplines to do so. - George Gallup

If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize as we have never realized before our interdependence on each other; that we cannot merely take but we must give as well, that if we are to go forward, we must move as a trained and loyal army willing to sacrifice for the good of a common discipline, because without such discipline no progress is made, no leadership becomes effective. We are, I know, ready and willing to submit our lives and property to such discipline, because it makes possible a leadership which aims at a larger good. This I propose to offer, pledging that the larger purposes will bind upon us all as a sacred obligation with a unity of duty evoked only in time of armed strife. - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

In a recent survey, four out of every five Protestant pastors considered themselves to be "evangelical;" 94% of those who have access to the Internet used it in the past year to help them with their pastoral duties; just one out of every 12 claims to have the spiritual gift of evangelism; those who graduated from seminary are three times more likely than those who did not get a seminary degree to earn $50,000 or more per year. The full report is available at www.barna.org. - George Barna

I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. - George W. Bush

"Character is never built in a classroom. Character is built in the circumstances of life. When we understand how God uses circumstances to develop character we are able to respond correctly when God places us in character-building opportunities. " - Rick Warren

"To expect life to be tailored to our specifications is to invite frustration. " - Saddleback Sam

A leader is a fellow who refuses to be crazy the way everybody else is crazy and tries to be crazy in his own crazy way.
Peter Maurin, from "Easy Essay" in The Catholic Worker
A rabbinical student, it is said, had a dream, and in his dream the Almighty appeared to him and told him he would become an influential rabbi. The student told this to his teacher. "Pray," said his teacher, "that the Almighty appears in the dreams of others and persuades them to become your followers."
Rabbi Lionel Blue, Kitchen Blues
We would do well not to be enamored by the kind of leadership that is so prized by politicians and CEOs, the kind that is conspicuous and, as we say, "effective." Forget about charisma, go for character.
Eugene Peterson, The Unnecessary Pastor (adapted)
"Beware of those powers which come from God but which can so easily be purloined by the Devil!"
Father Darcy in Susan Howatch, Glamorous Powers
Without heroes, we're all plain people and don't know how far we can go.
Bernard Malamud, The Natural
The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.
Peter Drucker, Managing the Nonprofit Organization
The very first thing which needs to be said about Christian ministers of all kinds is that they are "under" people (as their servants) rather than "over" them (as their leaders, let alone their lords). Jesus made this absolutely plain. The chief characteristic of Christian leaders, he insisted, is humility not authority, and gentleness not power.
John Stott, The Gospel and the End of Time
It is not so much that man is a herd animal, said Freud, but that he is a horde animal led by a chief.
Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death
The urge to rule (libido dominandi) is the devil's first sin of pride and the cause of Adam's fall, whose traces show in every heir to that primal sin.
Garry Wills, Saint Augustine
He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.
Chinese Proverb
Only by learning to accept God's forgiveness as we see it in the life and death of Jesus can we acquire the power that comes from learning to give up control.
Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom

Let us be brave in the face of adversity.
Seneca
(BC 3-65 AD, Roman Philosopher, Dramatist, Statesman)

A study in the Washington Post says that women have better verbal skills than men. I just want to say to the authors of that study - Duh! - Conan O'Brien

Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be praying, but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic? - Lily Tomlin

"Too often we see prayer as a last resort rather than as our first thought. People will say, “I guess all we can do now is pray!” like that's the last thing, horrible thing to do. And your friend says, “Has it come to that?!?! Is it so hopeless that all we can do is pray? " - Rick Warren

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there. " - Yogi Berra

Have the courage to face a difficulty lest it kick you harder than you bargain for.
Leszczynski Stanislaus
(1677-1766, Polish King)

“I am ashamed when I think how long I have lived a stranger, yea, an enemy to thee, taking upon me to dispose of myself, and to please myself in the main course of my life." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

"Our character is but the stamp on our souls of the free choices of good and evil we have made through life." (Read Romans 12:9.) God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

"The power of the waterfall is nothing but a lot of drips working together." Winning with Teamwork (Career Press, 1998).

"My obligation is to do the right thing. The rest is in God's hands." (Read 1 John 2:29.) God's Little Instruction Book for Leaders (Honor Books, 1999).

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. - George Bernard Shaw

The great virtue in life is real courage that knows how to face facts and live beyond them.
D.H. Lawrence
(1885-1930, British Author)

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
- John Lennon, Imagine

The courage we desire and prize is not the courage to die decently, but to live manfully.
Thomas Carlyle
(1795-1881, Scottish Philosopher, Author)

"The person who does not worry about the future will shortly have worries about the present." Chinese Proverb

Dare to begin! He who postpones living rightly is like the rustic who waits for the river to run out before he crosses.
Horace
(BC 65-8, Italian Poet)

"I am ashamed when I think how long I have lived a stranger, yea, an enemy to thee, taking upon me to dispose of myself, and to please myself in the main course of my life." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

"Our character is but the stamp on our souls of the free choices of good and evil we have made through life." (Read Romans 12:9.) God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

"The power of the waterfall is nothing but a lot of drips working together." Winning with Teamwork (Career Press, 1998).

"My obligation is to do the right thing. The rest is in God's hands." (Read 1 John 2:29.) God's Little Instruction Book for Leaders (Honor Books, 1999).

You can surmount the obstacles in your path if you are determined, courageous and hardworking. Do not fear to pioneer, to venture down new paths of endeavor.
Ralph J. Bunche

However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are.
Henry David Thoreau
(1817-1862, American Essayist, Poet, Naturalist)

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
- Robert Frost

"I have always felt that although someone may defeat me, and I strike out in a ball game, the pitcher on the particular day was the best player. But I know when I see him again, I'm going to be ready for his curve ball. Failure is a part of success."
- Hank Aaron (1934-)

"Start early and begin raising the bar throughout the day."
- Bruce Jenner (1949-)

"People always told me that my natural ability and good eyesight were the reasons for my success as a hitter. They never talk about the practice, practice, practice."
- Ted Williams (1918-)

Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours.
- Swedish Proverb

You don't learn to hold your own in the world by standing on guard, but by attacking, and getting well-hammered yourself.
George Bernard shaw
(1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

He who loves wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all.
Miguel de Cervantes
(1547-1616, Spanish Novelist, Dramatist, Poet)

Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't.
- Richard Bach

Nature arms each man with some faculty which enables him to do easily some feat impossible to any other.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

In the darkest hours the soul is replenished and given strength to continue and endure.
Heart Warrior Chosa

Do or do not; there is no try.
- Yoda, Stars Wars
This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before. - Leonard Bernstein

Almost the biggest obligation we have today is to prove that in a time of stress we can still live up to our beliefs. - Eleanor Roosevelt

First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life, a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"God uses pain to direct us, correct us, inspect us, perfect us, and to protect us. " - Rick Warren

Fear is an insidious virus. Given a breeding place in our minds… it will eat away our spirit and block the forward path of our endeavors.
James F. Bell

It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of being subject to half of the evils we antipicate than to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of what might happen.
Herodotus
(BC 484-425, Greek Historian)

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments.
Joseph Addison
(1672-1719, British Essayist, Poet, Statesman)

Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.
Abraham Heschel
(1907-1972, Polish educator, Author)

Within us all there are wells of thought and dynamos of energy which are not suspected until emergencies arise. Then oftentimes we find that it is comparatively simple to double or triple our former capacities and to amaze ourselves by the results achieved.
Thomas J. Watson
(18?-1956, American Businessman, Founder of IBM)

The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
- Abraham Lincoln

"Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it." (Read James 1:3-4). God's Little Instruction Book for Students (Honor Books, 1995).

"Make no small plans, for they have no capacity to stir men's souls." It's Just a Thought (Honor Books, 1996).

"Adopt a country or specific people-group for one year and focus your prayers on that country or group." Global Snapshot: Eighty-five percent of the world's poorest nations are located in the least-evangelized part of the world. 101 Way To Change Your World (Chariot Victor Publishing, 1997).

A man of the Book "Here [in the Bible] is knowledge enough for me...Here then I am far from the busy ways of men. I sit down alone. Only God is here. In His presence, I open, I read His book." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
(1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA)

"A statesman gains little by the arbitrary exercise of ironclad authority upon all occasions that offer, for this wounds the just pride of his subordinates, and thus tends to undermine his strength. A little concession, now and then, where it can do no harm is the wiser policy."
- Mark Twain, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court"
"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp - or what's a heaven for?"
- Robert Browning
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.
- Muhammad Ali

The worst sorrows in life are not in its losses and misfortunes, but its fears.
Arthur Christopher Benson
(1862-1925, British Author, Poet)

We could learn a lot from Crayons: Some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but we have to learn how to live in the same box.
Author Unknown

Peace is not made at the Council table or by treaties, but in the hearts of men.
Herbert Clark Hoover
(1874-1964, American - 31st American President)

Mental violence has no potency and injures only the person whose thoughts are violent. It is otherwise with mental non-violence. It has potency which the world does not yet know.
Mahatma Gandhi
(1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

You can't separate peace from freedom, because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.
Malcolm X
(1925-1965, American Black Leader, Activist)

The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and its errors, its successes and its setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned.
Dag Hammarskjold
(1905-1961, Swedish Statesman, Secretary-general of U.N.)

Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Wesley's Zeal for Souls----"He has generally blown the gospel trumpet = and rode twenty miles before most of the professors who despise his labors = have left their downy pillows." John Fletcher, John Wesley Little = Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear and with a manly heart.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1819-1892, American Poet)

If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living.
Seneca
(BC 3-65 AD, Roman Philosopher, Dramatist, Statesman)

Fear is the most devastating of all human emotions. Man has no trouble like the paralyzing effects of fear.
Paul Parker

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
- Vincent van Gogh

The beginning is always today.
- Mary Wollstonecraft

There is perhaps nothing so bad and so dangerous in life as fear.
Jawaharlal Nehru
(1889-1964, Indian Nationalist, Statesman)

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimmy Hendrix
(1942-1970, American Musician, Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter)

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached as by the obstacles which have been overcome while trying to succeed.
Booker T. Washington
(1856-1915, American Black Leader and Educator)

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
John F. Kennedy
(1917-1963, Thirty-fifth President of the USA)

You must act as if it is impossible to fail.
Ashanti Proverb

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
Albert Einstein
(1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor - it requires only that they live together with mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement.
John F. Kennedy
(1917-1963, Thirty-fifth President of the USA)

Violence is unnecessary and costly. Peace is the only way.
Julius Kambarge Nyerere
(1922-, Tanzanian Statesman, President)

I prefer the most unfair peace to the most righteous war.
Marcus T. Cicero
(c. 106-43 BC, Great Roman Orator, Politician)

World peace will never be stable until enough of us find inner peace to stabilize it.
Peace Pilgrim
(1908-1981, American Peace Activist)

We can work on inner peace and world peace at the same time. On one hand, people have found inner peace by losing themselves in a cause larger than themselves, like the cause of world peace, because finding inner peace means coming from the self-centered life into the life centered in the good of the whole. On the other hand, one of the ways of working for world peace is to work for more inner peace, because world peace will never be stable until enough of us find inner peace to stabilize it.
Peace Pilgrim
(1908-1981, American Peace Activist)

Do not let your peace depend on the hearts of men; whatever they say about you, good or bad, you are not because of it another man, for as you are, you are.
Thomas ã Kempis
(1379-1471, German Monk, Mystic, Religious Writer)

Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it.
Thomas Jefferson
(1743-1826, Third President of the USA)

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Confucius
(BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher)

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John Donne
(1572-1632, British Metaphysical Poet)

The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone.
Pope John XXIII
(1881-1963, Italian Head of Roman Catholic Order)

"God has taught me that the greatest opportunity for bringing the most glory and praise to Him is during the trials and tragedies of life.” - Ernest Easley, Odessa, Texas

The World Trade Center is a living symbol of man's dedication to world peace .... The World Trade Center should, because of its importance, become a living representation of man's belief in humanity, his need for individual dignity, his belief in the cooperation of men, and through this cooperation his ability to find greatness. - Minoru Yamasaki, the building's architect

Our nation was horrified, but it's not going to be terrorized. - George W. Bush

There is no cause that justifies this type of immoral and inhumane act .... - American Muslim Council

Until Tuesday (Sept. 11), the bloodiest day in U.S. history was Sept. 17, 1862, when about 4,700 Union and Confederate soldiers died in the Civil War battle of Antietam. Pearl Harbor killed 2,388 Americans, and the first day of the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, killed 1,465. - USA TODAY

The Christian sufferer need not know why the blow was struck. He wants to discover what God is doing in the face of it. - Austin Farrer, Love Almighty and Ills Un

It is ... not out of order, if extremely hard to say, that God must have been present in the ovens of the death camps and in the mass graves of Eastern Europe. Where else could He have been than there precisely where His beloved sons and daughters were being tortured and slaughtered? The God of the philosophers may have withdrawn. The God of Golgotha—who is no other than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—would have had to be there. - Paul M. Van Buren, Discerning The Way

Walmart sold 88,000 U.S. flags on Septemeber 11th compared to the normal 6,000 a day. AT&T handled a record number of 431 million calls that day. - USA Today

"At times like this, human words rarely comfort. What people need to hear is a word from God. " - Rick Warren

"Larry King asked a rescue worker, "I guess you're having to resort to prayer?" But prayer is not our last resort. It is our first choice! " - Rick Warren

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
Bertrand Russell
(1872-1970, British Philosopher, Mathematician, Essayist)

Whatever comes, this too shall pass away.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
(1855-1919, American Poet, Journalist)

"Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river." Life's Little Instruction Book (Rutledge Hill Press, 1991).

"People seldom improve very much when they have no other pattern to go by but themselves." Quotes & Quips (Franklin Covey Co, 1996).

"Faith is like a muscle-the more you use it the stronger and bigger it grows." Life Maximizers (Honor Books, 1997).

"The effective leader recognizes that she is more dependent on her people than they are on her. Walk softly." Great Little Book on Effective Leadership (Career Press, 1997).

"I've learned that to love and be loved is the greatest joy in the world." Live and Learn and Pass It On (Rutledge Hill Press, 1991).

“Efficiency is doing things right, but effectiveness is doing the right things." - Business Guru Peter Drucker

“Snow flakes are frail but if enough of them stick together they can stop traffic.” - Pastor Vance Havner

God uses both change and pain to make people receptive to the gospel. " - Rick Warren

"We cannot expect unbelievers to act like believers until they are believers. " - Rick Warren

A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.
Oliver Wendell Holmes
(1841-1935, American Judge)

The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes.
Benjamin Disraeli
(1804-1881, British Statesman, Prime Minister)

There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep 'em all away from you. That's never possible.
- Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird

A hero is no braver than an ordinary person, but he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

We seek peace, knowing that peace is the climate of freedom.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1890-1969, Thirty-fourth President of the USA)

The bigger the challenge, the greater the opportunity.
Author Unknown

If there is no wind, row.
Latin Proverb

"A lot of people have a good aim on life, they just don't seem to know when to pull the trigger."
- Roy Rogers
"You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."
- Abraham Lincoln
"Being positive is part of being a hero-maybe the hardest part, because if you are a hero you're smart enough to know all the reasons why you should be discouraged."
- Michael Dorris
"A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results."
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Every truth has two sides. It is well to look at both before we commit ourselves to either side.
Aesop
(620-560 BC, Greek Fabulist)

"Emphasize the importance of evangelism in the Sunday School classroom." 101 Ways To Grow A Healthy Sunday School (Beacon Hill Press, 1995).

"Living a life without prayer is like building a house without nails." Read Psalm 127:1. God's Little Instruction Book on Prayer (Honor Books, 1996).

"Success is understanding that lack of education does not prevent you from success-lack of vision does." Success Is.... (Trade Life Books, 1998).

"Live truth instead of professing it" (Elbert Hubbard). How To Be An Up Person in a Down World (Honor Books, 1994).

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy to a friend" (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., (1929-68), clergyman and civil rights crusader). American Speaker's 100 Best Quotes for 2001 (Georgetown Publishing House, Inc. 2000-2001).

Punctuality is the virtue of the bored.
- Evelyn Waugh

One who fears limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to intelligently begin again.

Henry Ford
(1863-1947, American Industrialist, Founder of Ford Motor Company)

Your attitude about who you are and what you have is a very little thing that makes a very big difference.
Theodore Roosevelt
(1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA)

Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they are executed.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Great people are those who can make others feel that they, too, can become great.
Mark Twain
(1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

The foundation of excellence lies in self-control.
H.L. Baugher

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make a mistake.
Elbert Hubbard
(1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

Without labor nothing prospers.
Sophocles
(BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet)

What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it.
Antoine De Saint-Exupery
( 1900-1944, French Aviator, Writer)

"Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity."-H. Jackson Brown Jr., A Hero In Every Heart (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996).

"The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy." Jim Rohn, Excerpts from The Treasury of Quotes (Jim Rohn International, 1993).

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." John Maxwell, New Leadership 101 (Honor Books, 1997).

"Hope sees the invisible...feels the intangible...and achieves the impossible." Did You See That? (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000).

"Every man's work, whether it be literature, or music, or pictures, or architecture, or anything else, is always a portrait of himself." God's Little Instruction Book for Teachers (Honor Books, 1999).

"The shape of your building will shape you service. " - Rick Warren

"A balanced church will be a healthy church. " - Rick Warren
"Our hearts beat excitedly over stories of people like Abraham and Moses, yet we fail to recognize that they were as frail and nervous as we are. We stand in awe of Moses at the burning bush: Now there is a bush that burns, we say. I would like to be a bush like that, but I'm just a heap of ashes.
And that's as far as we get. We discuss the phenomenon of what God can do in a life, tell amazing stories about it, praise it-but then resign ourselves to being nothing more than what we think we are, a mere bystander, resigned to sitting in the balcony among the spectators.
But it is not the bush that sustains the flame. It is God in the bush, and so, any old bush will do!" - Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat

If we only have the will to walk, then God is pleased with our stumbles.
-C.S. Lewis

- teamwork
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
Helen Keller
(1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer)

Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.
- Vince Lombardi

"Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. Nobody gets it the first time. " - Rick Warren

"Say it over and over – in fresh ways. Practice “creative redundancy! " - Rick Warren
"Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality." - C.S. Lewis

"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson

Less than one fourth (23.5 percent) of American households now are traditional nuclear families, composed of married couples with their children. The number of unmarried couples living together grew 72 percent from 1990 to 2000, although they make up only 5.5 percent of the total population. Single-father homes grew 62 percent over the last ten years. Single mother homes increased 25 percent.` - US Census

If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out. - Arthur Koestler
"You cannot surrender the leadership of your church to whiners. " - Rick Warren

"Hurt people hurt people. They pass their pain on to others. " - Rick Warren
"Begin somewhere; you cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do." - Liz Smith

"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing." - William Feather

The recent FACT study by the Lily Endowment found that only 46 percent of seminary educated church leaders highly emphasize sexual abstinence, compared with 76 percent of those with Bible college degrees or no ministerial education. - FACT study

"Humility means two things. One, a capacity for self-criticism... The second feature is allowing others to shine, affirming others, empowering and enabling others. Those who lack humility are dogmatic and egotistical. That masks a deep sense of insecurity. They fell the success of others is at the expense of their own fame and glory."
- Cornel West
"I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them."
- Jimmy Hoffa
"When a little child becomes conscious of being a little child, the child-likeness is gone; and when a saint becomes conscious of being a saint, something has gone wrong."
- Oswald Chambers
"Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change. And when we are right, make us easy to live with."
- Peter Marshall
You must have long-range goals to keep from being frustrated by short-term failures.
- Charles N. Noble
All your strength is in union-all your danger is in discord.
- Longfellow
Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.
- Charles F. Kettering
One of the tragedies of life is to have finished a tent and have nothing to do except play in it, with no new tent to begin.
- J. P. Cornette
People who never do any more than they get paid for, never get paid for any more than they do.
- Elbert Hubbard
The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.
- John Ruskin
"Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen."
- Peter Marshall
"All worthwhile men have good thoughts, good ideas, and good intentions, but precious few of them ever translate those into action."
- John Hancock Fields
"It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that will follow it."
- Ben Franklin (Speaking of self-discipline)

"A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a Great Church! " - Rick Warren
"The modern business meeting ... might be better compared with a funeral, in the sense that you have a gathering of people who are wearing uncomfortable clothing and would rather be elsewhere." - Dave Barry

Nearly half of the 100 largest cities in America are home to more blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and other minorities than whites, reports the latest census figures. - US Census

"Disappointment is the nurse of wisdom." - Sir Bayle Roche
"Praise – thanksgiving - is verbalized faith. If you thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If you thank God before it happens, that’s faith. " - Rick Warren
"God, grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, And the eyesight to tell the difference." - Unknown
"Never let an impossible situation intimidate you. Let it motivate you. " - Rick Warren

"God never wastes a hurt. There is a purpose behind your pain. " - Rick Warren

"Your greatest ministry will come out of your pain. " - Rick Warren

"Life is a school and problems are the curriculum. " - Rick Warren

"Most of the time we're not willing to face the truth about ourselves until we are forced to. " - Rick Warren

"God uses pain to direct us, correct us, inspect us, perfect us, and to protect us. " - Rick Warren
"Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around." - Henry David Thoreau

"Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe." - Mark Victor Hansen

"Small churches become more effective when they specialize in what they do best. " - Rick Warren

"We do not have to make the Bible relevant – it already is! But we do have to show its relevance. " - Rick Warren

"The breakfast of champions is not cereal, it's the opposition." - Nick Seitz

"He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife. " - Douglas Adams
TIPS FROM MOM----"P.S. To change everything, simply change your attitude." P. S. I Love You (Rutledge Hill Press, 1990).

"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation."-Jack Kinder, Words Promise for Leaders (Honor Books, 1997).

"We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation." Jim Rohn, Excerpts from The Treasury of Quotes (Jim Rohn International, 1993).

"Seek God first and the things you want will seek you." Don't Wait for Your Ship to Come In...Swim Out to Meet It! (Honor Books, 1994).

A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem. A small child replied: "They couldn't get a baby-sitter."

You must have courage, whatever the test, however many times you fall, stand up just once more.

Author Unknown
=Our reach should exceed our grasp, or what's a heaven for?

Robert Browning
(1812-1889, British Poet)

FUNNY BONE----"In Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he was ill, and said, "Johnny what is the matter?" Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."

LIFE TIP----"We've been programmed to believe that fatigue is next to godliness." Charles Swindoll "Take one hour each day to relax. Rest, rejuvenate, and rejoice!" Life's Little Rule Book (Starburst, 1999).

GROWTH TIP----"Focus on quiet time. The Bible offers inspiration, knowledge, and insight into human living and can offer a strong background to every Christian who is striving for a deeper faith. Take a Sunday to share favorite Bible verses with members, and ask them to do the same. Discuss the importance of turning to God's Word for knowledge and strength." Go & Grow (Abingdon Press, 1998).

CHARACTER TIP----"By nothing do men show their character more than by the things they laugh at." Read Ephesians 5:4. God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

EXCELLENCE TIP----"The way to gain a good reputation...is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear." Excellence Is Never An Accident (Trade Life Books, Inc., 1997).

FUNNY BONE----"A Sunday School teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, 'And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?' Annie replied, 'Because people are sleeping.'"

LIFE TIP----"Never underestimate the power of a kind word or deed." Life's Little Instruction Book (Rutledge Hill Press, 1991).

HAPPINESS TIP----"I've learned that happiness is like perfume: you can't give it away without getting a little on yourself." Live and Learn and Pass It On (Rutledge Hill Press, 1991).

WESLEY TIP----ALL MY HEART "Go to Christ and tell him, 'Lord Jesus, if you will receive me into your house, if you will but own me as your servant, ...I will be no longer my own, but give up myself to your will in all things.'" John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

CHARATER TIP----"Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, forms our true honor." God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

STUDENT TIP----"Triumph is just "umph" added to try." Read Ecclesiastes 9:10. God's Little Instruction Book for Students 101 Ways To Grow A Healthy Sunday School (Beacon Hill, 1995).

BIBLE TIP----"Don't postpone joy." Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16. Life's Little Instructions from the Bible (Thomas Nelson, 1982).

WESLEY TIP----"Humility Among Peers Even After A Dispute." A woman asked Wesley, "Do you expect to see dear Mr. Whitefield in heaven?" "No, madam," he answered, "Do not misunderstand me. George Whitefield was so bright a star in the firmament of God's glory, and will stand so near the throne, that one like me, who am less than the least, will never catch a glimpse of him." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

LEADERSHIP TIP----"To motivate others to peak performance, continually make them feel important and valuable." Great Little Book on Effective Leadership (Career Press, 1997).

EXCELLENCE TIP----"Success is where preparation and opportunity meet." Excellence is Never an Accident (Trade Life Books, 1997).

LIFE TIP----"Putting others first is a sign of Character, not Compromise.-Mary Jenson Life Maximizers (Honor Books, 1997).

WESLEY TIP----"We knelt down and truly our hearts were filled with the Divine Presence; the room seemed to be filled with God...After a pause he summoned all his strength and cried out, 'The best of all, God is with us.'" John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

STUDY TIP----"No one ever graduates from Bible study until he meets its author fact to face."-Everett Harris Stay Up, Up, Up in a down, down world. (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000)

PRAYER TIP----"God's answers are wiser than our prayers." God's Little Instruction Book on Prayer (Honor Books, 1996).

RISK TIP----"Let us never confuse stability with stagnation." Mary Jean Le Tender "Make a list of those risk you would take if fear were no longer a factor. Take one." Life's Little Rule Book (Starburst, 1999).

TEACHER TIP----"Support your Sunday School superintendent by attending important Sunday School Meetings." 101 Ways To Grow A Healthy Sunday School (Beacon Hill, 1995).

KIDNESS TIP----"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."-Aesop (620-560 B.C.), Greek fabulist, American Speaker's 100 Best Quotes for 2001 (Georgetown Publishing, 2000-2001).

WESLEY TIP----"Are you humble, teachable, advisable; or stubborn, self-willed, heady, and high-minded? Are you obedient to your superiors as to parents." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).



We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Being rich isn't about money. Being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to take time to stop and eat the heart of the watermelon. And some of us will be rich without ever being more than a paycheck ahead of the game.
Harvey Mackay
(American Businessman, Speaker, Author)

From my experience, forgiving is the only way to survive.
Molly Ringwald
(1968-, American Actress)

The family unit plays a critical role in our society and in the training of the generation to come.
Sandra Day O'Connor
(1930-, First American Woman Supreme Court Judge)

Thank heaven, the sun has gone in, and I don't have to go enjoy it.
- Logan Pearsall Smith

And all people live, not by reason of any care they have for themselves, but by the love for them that is in other people.
Leo Tolstoy
(1828-1910, Russian Novelist, Philosopher)

So I vowed to keep myself alive, but only if I would never use me again for just me - each one of us is born of two, and we really belong to each other. I vowed to do my own thinking, instead of trying to accommodate everyone else' opinion, credo's and theories. I vowed to apply my inventory of experiences to the solving of problems that affect everyone aboard planet Earth.
Buckminster Fuller
(American Engineer, Inventor, Designer, Architect "Geodesic Dome")

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
- Abraham Lincoln

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain.
- Lily Tomlin

It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
--1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA

If you find it hard to believe in God, I strongly advise you to begin your search not with philosophical questions about the existence and being of God, but with Jesus of Nazareth. . . . If you read again the story of Jesus, and read it as an honest and humble seeker, Jesus Christ is able to reveal himself to you, and thus make God . . . real to you.
-John R. W. Stott, 'I Believe in God,' as quoted in Christianity Today (April 2, 2001) in 'Reflections: On the Occasion of John R.W. Stott's 80th Birthday'

The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Albert Einstein
--1879-1955, German-born American Physicist

Something which we think is impossible now will not be impossible in another decade.
Constance Baker Motley
--First Black American Woman Federal Judge

Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.
Marcus Aurelius
--121-80 AD, Roman Emperor, Philosopher

SUCCESS TIP----"Success is realizing that loneliness is a part of leadership." Success Is.... Peter J. Daniels (Trade Life Books, 1998).

LIFE TIP----"Give others a piece of your heart, not a piece of your mind."
How To Be An Up Person in a Down World (Honor Books, 1994).

HEART TIP----"Every noble work is at first impossible." Thomas Carlyle, A Hero In Every Heart (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996).

WESLEY TIP----"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

Until you get dissatisfied, you won't do anything to really move your life to another level. Dissatisfaction is a gem. If you're totally satisfied, you're going to get comfortable. And then your life begins to deteriorate.
Anthony Robbins
--1960-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert

Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life. Within each of us is a hidden store of courage. Courage to give us the strength to face any challenge. Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost.
Roger Dawson
--British Born American Negotiation Expert, Speaker, Author

The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do.
~ Leontyne Price ~
(Opera Singer)

The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance.
- Robert R. Coveyou, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.
~ Mother Teresa ~
(1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

LIFE TIP----"Children are natural mimics. They act like their parents." Did You See That? Derric Johnson (Thomas Nelson, 2000).

LEADERSHIP TIP----"Leadership is not wielding authority-it's empowering people." Becky Brodin, New Leadership 101 (Honor Books, 1997).

WESLEY TIP----"By 'means of grace,' I understand outward signs, words, or actions, ordained of God and appointed for this end...The chief of these means are prayer, whether in secret or with the great congregation; searching the scriptures, and receiving the Lord's Supper." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

TIME TIP----"Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it." Jim Rohn, Excerpts from The Treasury of Quotes (Jim Rohn International, 1993).

The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.
~ Malcomb S. Forbes ~
(1919-1990, American Publisher, Businessman)

Through Christ's sacrifice, our past is pardoned and our future secure.
-Max Lucado

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.
- Abraham Maslow

"Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."
~Anonymous

Most people would rather be certain they're miserable, than risk being happy.
~ Robert Anthony ~
(American educator)

What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.
- Crowfoot, Blackfoot warrior and orator

The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.
~ Maureen Dowd ~
(American Newspaper Columnist)

Everything you need you already have. You are complete right now, you are a whole, total person, not an apprentice person on the way to someplace else. Your completeness must be understood by you and experienced in your thoughts as your own personal reality.
~ Wayne Dyer ~
(1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.
~ Stevie Wonder ~
(1950-, American (Blind) Musician, Singer, Songwriter)

The really unhappy person is the one who leaves undone what they can do, and starts doing what they don't understand; no wonder they come to grief.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

Endeavor to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry. - Mark Twain

If you see a snake, just kill it. Don't appoint a committee on snakes. -H. Ross Perot

Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends upon what you're made of.

TEACHER TIP----"Fact is the art of making a point without making an enemy."
God's Little Instruction Book for Teachers (Honor Books, 1999).

LEADERSHIP TIP----"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." William A. Ward, Words Promise For Leaders (Honor Books, 1997).

CREATOR TIP----"Take a tip from your Creator-your ears aren't made to shut, but your mouth is." Don't Wait for Your Ship to Come In...Swim Out to Meet It! (Honor Books, 1994).

GROWTH TIP----"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Albert Einstein, Quotes & Quips (Franklin Covey Co., 1996).

If you wish to reach the highest, begin at the lowest.
~ Pubilius Syrus ~
(1st Century BC, Roman Writer)

The problem with coveting is that it never results in satisfaction, not even if we get what we want. Soon we begin to long for yet another thing. Desire of the heart when it becomes a passion for God can satisfy forever. A passionate desire to know God, to put God first, becomes fuller and richer the further along we go.
-John H. Timmerman, 'Choosing rightly: The Ten Commandments and laws of love,' in 'The Lutheran,' October 2000

Be courageous! Have faith! Go forward.
~ Thomas Edison ~
(1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.
~ Winston Churchill ~
(1874-1965, British Prime Minister)

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.
~ Earl Nightingale ~
(1921-1989, American Radio Announcer, Author, Co-founder, Nightingale-Conant)

To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well as I can.
~ Og Mandino ~
(1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
~ Jawaharlal Nehru ~
(1889-1964, Indian Nationalist, Statesman)

LEADER TIP----"We make a living by what we get-we make a life by what we give." (Read Acts 20:35.) God's Little Instruction Book for Leaders (Honor Books, 1999).

WORLD TIP----"Pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would raise up new laborers to change the world!" Goeff Tunnicliffe, 101 Ways to Change Your World...(Chariot Victor Publishing, 1997).

GROWTH TIP----"Live each day to the fullest. Look for the hope and beauty of our Christian faith in those around you. This involves taking time to appreciate God's world instead of hurrying throughout the day. Meditate on the scripture found in Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true,...think about these things." Go & Grow, Debra Fulghum Bruce and Robert G. Bruce Jr. (Abingdon Press, 1998).

WESLEY TIP----"British society in Wesley's time was in a state of spiritual decline, poverty, and moral degradation. Many claim the revival he helped foster prevented the chaos and anarchy of the French Revolution from occurring in England." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.
~ Vincent Van Gogh ~
(1853-1890, Dutch Painter)

It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.
- Darrin Weinberg

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
~ Epictetus ~
(50-138, Phrygian Philosopher)

Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.
~ Jack Canfield ~
(American Motivational Speaker, Author, Trainer)

It is good to dream, but it is better to dream and work. Faith is mighty, but action with faith is mightier. Desiring is helpful, but work and desire are invincible."
- Thomas Robert Gain

"We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world. We must learn to welcome and not to fear the voices of dissent. We must dare to think about 'unthinkable things' because when things become unthinkable, thinking stops and action becomes mindless."
- James William Fulbright

"Those who know how to win are much more numerous than those who know how to make proper use of their victories."
- Polybius

"There is nothing so weak, for working purposes, as this enormous importance attached to immediate victory. There is nothing that fails like success."
- G. K. Chesterton

Jesus' heart was peaceful. The disciples fretted over the need to feed the thousands, but not Jesus. He thanked God for the problem. The disciples shouted for fear in the storm, but not Jesus. He slept through it. Peter drew his sword to fight the soldiers, but not Jesus. He lifted his hand to heal. His heart was at peace. When his disciples abandoned him, did he pout and go home? When Peter denied him, did Jesus lose his temper? When the soldiers spit in his face, did he breathe fire in theirs? Far from it. He was at peace. He forgave them. He refused to be guided by vengeance.
- Max Lucado, 'Just Like Jesus'

I cannot moderate my definition of grace, because the Bible forces me to make it as sweeping as possible. God is 'the God of all grace,' in the apostle Peter's words. And grace means there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make God love me less.
-Philip Yancey, 'What's So Amazing About Grace?'

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what people say. I just watch what they do.
~ Andrew Carnegie ~
(1835-1919, American Industrialist, Philanthropist)

They can conquer who believe they can. He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

WHY MARINES NEVER USE THE "M" WORD: "Managers accept credit for the success of their subordinates. Leaders turn way from the spotlight, letting it shine upon those they have the honor to lead." - CEO Refresher, May 2001, "The difference between leadership and management"

"I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things." - American Newscaster Dan Rather

A recent survey reveals that less than half of Norway’s clergy don’t have time to pray, and only about 75% say that daily prayer is important. - ("The Clergy’s Spiritual Life" by the National Church)

The fastest growing age group in America is people living to be over 100. By the year 2050, there could be nearly 1 million Americans that age. -

"All the pioneers take arrows in the back. " - Rick Warren

"God knows every stupid thing you’ll do in your life and He still chose you. " - Rick Warren

We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough.
~ Helen Keller ~
(1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist)

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.
~ George Eliot ~
(1819-1880, British Novelist)

"People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be - not what you nag them to be." - S.N. Parker

"Two people make a bed four times faster than a single cleaner working alone." --Jeff Campbell

"Fun is an attitude, not an activity!" --Deniece Schofeld

I found that the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, only more love.
-Mother Teresa

Warning: Authorities warn that "try" is a dangerous expression that has enormous power to influence your behavior. It's toxic. Use it very carefully. When "try" creeps into your language or into your thoughts, pluck it out quickly.
~ Walter Anderson ~
(American Trainer, Author)

A good way to end an era is to give it a name that sticks.
- I. Illich

If you have any good qualities, believe that other people have better ones.
-Thomas A Kempis, 'Imitation of Christ'

All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions.
~ Adlai E. Stevenson ~
(1900-1965, American Lawyer, Politician)

I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, that's when I've really learned.
~ Carol Burnett ~
(American Television Comedian)

Humor is merely tragedy standing on its head with its pants torn.
- Irvin S. Cobb

It ain't so much the things you don't know that get you in trouble. It's the things you know that just ain't so.
- Artimus Ward, 1834-1867

LEADERSHIP TIP----"Everything you do involves a choice between what is more important and what is less important." Choose well. Great Little Book on Effective Leadership (Career Press, 1997).

CHANGE TIP----"God never puts anyone in a place too small to grow." It's Just A Thought...But It Could Change Your Life (Honor Books, 1996).

EXCELLENCE TIP----"People who cross their bridges before they come to them...have to pay the toll twice." Excellence Is Never An Accident (Trade Life Books, 1997).

WESLEY TIP----"At John Wesley's death in 1791 his followers numbered approximately 79,000 in England and 40,000 in America. By 1957 there were 40 million of his followers worldwide." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

LIFE TIP----"Let Your Priorities Determine Your Schedule. Don't Let Your Schedule Determine Your Priorities." Life Maximizers (Honor Books, 1997).

If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.
~ Rabbi Harold Kushner ~

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." - Hans Hoffman

- Christian culture
50% of the churches in the USA have less than 100 members
25% have less than 50 members
Less than 10% have more than 1,000 ACTIVE members
51% of all churches are growing
The younger the church is, the clearer its purpose
- The Hartford Institute for Religious

"As a cure for worrying, work is better than whiskey." - Thomas A. Edison

“We need to be thinking less and less like an American company and more like a global company. We have a high mountain to climb but I am reasonably confident we're going to get to the top.” - Steve Chase, AOL – Time Warner Chairman

"I’ve found the secret of continual joy in ministry: Serving from God’s perspective, by God’s power, based on God’s priorities, and for God’s purpose. " - Rick Warren

"We get tired because we think that we are omnipotent. " - Rick Warren

Whenever you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
~ Arthur Conan Doyle ~
(1859-1930, British Author, "Sherlock Holmes")

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.
~ Agatha Christie ~
(1891-1976, British Mystery Writer)

Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. Success is what you do for others.
-Danny Thomas

No one means all he says, yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.
- Henry Adams

Without danger you cannot get beyond danger.
~ George Herbert ~
(1593-1632, British Metaphysical Poet)

The more excellent anything is, the more does the glory of God shine in it.
-John Calvin, from 'A Calvin Reader'

There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work.
~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ~
(1834-1892, British Baptist Preacher)

- reason faith
A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it.
- Rabindranath Tagore

Without danger you cannot get beyond danger.
~ George Herbert ~
(1593-1632, British Metaphysical Poet)

- vision
Nothing happens unless first a dream.
- Carl Sandburg

CHARACTER TIP----"People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do." God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

LIFE TIP----"Say something positive as early as possible every day." Proverbs 12:25 Life's Little Instructions from the Bible (Rutledge Hill Press, 2000)

PRAYER TIP----"Prayer is the breath of the soul, the organ by which we receive Christ into our parches and withered hearts. God's Little Instruction Book on Prayer (Honor Books, 1996).

SUNDAY SCHOOL TIP----"Present the ABCs of Evangelism once a quarter. Admit (Rom. 3:23) Believe (John 1:12) Confess (Rom. 10:9-10)." Stan Toler, 101 Ways to Grow A Healthy Sunday School (Beacon Hill Press, 1995).

TEACHER/PARENT TIP----"Kids don't lack capacity, only teachers." Excerpts from The Treasury of Quotes, Jim Rohn (Jim Rohn International, 1993).

- marriage
Bigamy is having one wife too many. Monogamy is the same. – Oscar Wilde

A theology of giving seduces us into believing that our 'gifts' to God are ours to begin with. The truth is just the opposite. Everything we have is a trust from God. Everything.
-Leonard Sweet, 'SoulSalsa'

One is happy as a result of one's own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness - simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain. By the proper use of experience and thought one can draw much from oneself, by determination and patience once can even restore one's health... so let us live life as it is, and not be ungrateful.
~ George Sand ~
(1804-1876, French Novelist)

The whole purpose of Jesus' ministry is to bring us to the house of his Father. Not only did Jesus come to free us from the bonds of sin and death, he also came to lead us into the intimacy of his divine life.
-Henri Nouwen, 'Making All Things New'

Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends.
~ William Shakespeare ~
(1564-1616,British Poet, Playwright, Actor)

We ought never to do wrong when people are looking.
- Mark Twain

Few men during their lifetime comes anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used.
~ Richard E. Byrd ~
(1888-1957, American Aviator, Explorer, Rear-Admiral)

Action is the highest perfection and drawing forth of the utmost power, vigor, and activity of man's nature.
~ Bishop Robert South ~
(1634-1716, British Clergyman)

We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
-Mother Teresa

"Our task is not to bring order out of chaos, but to get work done in the midst of chaos."
-George Peabody

"The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don't want to do, in order to achieve what they've always wanted to be."
-Tom Landry

"It's never too late to be what you could have been."
-George Eliot

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
-Dale Carnegie

Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk.
~ Shirley Hufstedler ~
(1925-, American jurist and secretary of education)

- perspective, attitude, optimism, pessimism
Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars.
- Frederick Langbridge

LEADER TIP----"Leadership development is a lifetime journey-not a brief
trip." New Leadership 101 (Honor Books, 1997).

SUCCESS TIP----"Success is understanding that life is attitude." Success
Is...(Trade Life Books, 1998).

LIFE TIP----"Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you may fall among
the stars." Norman Vincent Peale, How To Be An Up Person in a Down World
(Honor Books, 1994).

WESLEY TIP----"John Wesley has been called 'The Father of the Religious
Paperback.' Around 5000 items came from his pen-sermons, tracks, and
pamphlets of every kind." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor
Books, 1996).

LOVE IS----"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are
still friends even after they know each other so well."

Our old history ends with the Cross, our new history begins with the resurrection.
-Watchman Nee

The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking.
~ Robert H. Schuller ~
(1926-, American Minister, Author, Social Leader)

Love truth, but pardon error.
- Voltaire

"He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it, hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart." - C.S. Lewis

"I get my exercise acting as a pallbearer to my friends who exercise." - Chauncey Depew

"The burden is equal to the horse's strength." - The Talmud

Top five forbidden films for teens: The Full Monty, American Beauty, Bull Durham, There's Something About Mary, and The Big Chill. - Family Circle magazine's parent survey

"Most people today confuse forgiveness and trust. When a leader falls, forgiveness is to be instant, based on grace. But trust must be rebuilt over time, and it is based on a track record. Forgiveness eliminates the guilt of our actions, but it does not eliminate the consequences or scars of our actions. " - Rick Warren

"Money is a great servant but it is a lousy god. If you don’t manage your money, it will manage you. " - Rick Warren

Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.
-St. Francis of Assisi

The way for a young man to rise is to improve himself in every way
he can, never suspecting that anybody wishes to hinder him.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
(1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

How are you going to respond when the Clock-Radio of Challenge emits the Irritating Buzz of Opportunity? Are you going to roll over and hit the Snooze Button of Complacency? Or are you going to wake up and, after performing the Bodily Functions of Preparedness, boldly grasp the Toothbrush of Tomorrow?
- Dave Barry

Success is not measured by heights attained but by obstacles overcome. We're going to pass through many obstacles in our lives: good days, bad days. But the successful person will overcome those obstacles and constantly move forward.
~ Bruce Jenner ~
(1954-, American Olympian, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Sports Commentator)

The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.
-Joan Borysenko

There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he's absolutely free to choose.
~ William M. Bulger ~
(1934-, American Educator, Senator)

You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with.
~ Wayne Dyer ~
(1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

- failure
We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time.
- Vince Lombardi

Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings.
~ Andre Maurois ~
(1885-1967, French Writer)

"It is only possible to live happily-ever-after on a day-to-day basis." - Margaret Bonano

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, discovered that disease fighting proteins increase in choir members during rehearsals and performances. In other words, singing in the choir improves your health. The protein Immunoglobulin A increases up to 240 percent when choir members sing. - Houston Chronicle

Every year there is $60 billion in disposable income in Christian hands. - Barna Research

"The course of life is unpredictable . . . no one can write his autobiography in advance." - Abraham Joshua Heschel

"Three enemies that will weaken your ministry over time: Self-indulgence, bitterness, and carelessness. Strong people discipline their desires, restrain their reactions, and keep their commitments. " - Rick Warren

"All leadership is built on trust. People won’t follow you unless they trust you. That’s why credibility is essential for leadership. Lose it and you’re no longer the leader, regardless of your position or title. " - Rick Warren

A loving heart is the truest wisdom.
- Charles Dickens

- service, ministry
Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled up and ready, they keep the pace of the church . . . . You don't appreciate Martha until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking for the keys and the thermostats and the overhead projectors.
-Max Lucado, 'Our Choice,' in 'A Gentle Thunder'

We may affirm absolutely that nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.
~ Georg Hegel ~
(1770-1831, German Philosopher)

There is a way to look at the past. Don't hide from it. It will not catch you - if you don't repeat it.
~ Pearl Bailey ~
(1918-1990, American Vocalist, Movie and Stage Actress)

All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.
- Edmund Burke

When you feel that you have reached the end and that you cannot go one step further, when life seems to be drained of all purpose: What a wonderful opportunity to start all over again, to turn over a new page.
~ Eileen Caddy ~
(American Spiritual Writer)

Simplify, simplify.
- Henry David Thoreau

PRAYER TIP----"Prayer is the channel of all blessings and the secret of
power and life." God's Little Instruction Book on Prayer (Honor Books,
1996).

LIFE TIP----"There is no pit so deep that Jesus is not deeper still." How
To Be An Up Person in a Down World (Honor Books, 1994).

GROW TIP----"Continue to set aside quiet time. Use this time to reflect on
the past week and sort through the busyness of your schedule. Let this time
be a source of spiritual strength as you communicate with God, read
scriptures for inspiration, and listen to God's voice in response." Go &
Grow (Abingdon Press, 1998).

FUTURE TIP----"We must be careful not to let our current appetites steal
away any chance we might have for a future feast." Jim Rohn, Excerpts from
The Treasury of Quotes (Jim Rohn International, 1993).

WESLEY TIP----Wesley's assistant, Samuel Bradburn, said he "never say him
low-spirited in my life, nor could he endure to be with a melancholy
person." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

If you think you can win, you can win. Faith is necessary to victory.
- William Hazlitt

Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.
~ Robert Fulghum ~
(American Writer, Minister, Working Cowboy)

Cultivate more joy by arranging your life so that more joy will be likely.
~ George Witkin ~

A. W. Tozer
"Without worship, we go about miserable."

Manley Beasley
"'A glimpse of God will save you. To gaze at Him will sanctify you."

C. S. Lewis
"We only learn to behave ourselves in the presence of God."

Michael Catt
"If we are going to worship in Spirit, we must develop a spirit of worship."

Richard Foster
"As worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. Holy obedience saves worship from becoming an opiate, an escape from the pressing needs of modern life."

Jack Hayford
"Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped"

Jessica Leah Springer
"As John 4:23 says, Its time, as worshipers of God, to give him all we have. For when he is exalted, everything about me is decreased. So many times we stand in the way of really stepping into the secret place of worship with God. Just abandon tradition and the "expected" ways of Praise & Worship and get lost in the holy of holies with the sole intention of blessing the Fathers heart."

Lamar Boschman
“When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart.”

Graham Kendrick
“Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life.” p.58 "A Heart For Worship" by Lamar Boschman

Don McMinn
“Our entire being is fashioned as an instrument of praise. Just as a master violin
maker designs an instrument to produce maximum aesthetic results, so God tailor-made our bodies, souls and spirits to work together in consonance to produce pleasing expressions of praise and worship. When we use body language to express praise, that which is internal becomes visible.” p.60 "A Heart For Worship" by Lamar Boschman

Tommy Walker
"How quickly we forget what it's all about. We can get so strategic that we worship so our church will grow, not because He is worthy. But we're doing all this because God is worthy and we want to worship Him."

H.H. Rowley
"The first element in worship is adoration. The Hebrews expressed this by their posture and not alone my their word. For they prostrated themselves before God. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. They did not come with an easy familiarity into the presence of God, but were aware of his greatness and majesty, and came with a sense of privilege to His house." H.H. Rowley"Worship in Ancient Israel" p. 257

C.S. Lewis
"It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men."

Ralph Mahoney
"Whenever His people gather and worship Him, God promises He will make His presence known in their midst. On the other hand, where God's people consistently neglect true spiritual worship, His manifest presence is rarely experienced."

Paul E. Billheimer
"Surely that which occupies the total time and energies of heaven must be a fitting pattern for earth."

Marianne H. Micks
"When we worship together as a community of living Christians, we do not worship alone, we worship with all the company of heaven."

Henry Sloane Coffin
"If there is one characteristic more than others that contemporary public worship needs to recapture it is this awe before the surpassingly great and gracious God."

Andrew W. Blackwood
"The time has come for a revival of public worship as the finest of the fine arts...While there is a call for strong preaching there is even a greater need for uplifting worship."


"Consider how hard it is to change yourself, and you'll understand what little chance you have of trying to change others."
- Jacob Braude

"If you want to become a change agent, you also must change."
- Howard Hendricks

"The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed."
- Nelson Boswell

"Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny."
- David O. McKay

There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.
~ Victor Hugo ~
(1802-1885, French Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
~ Margaret Mead ~
(1901-1978, American Anthropologist)

EXCELLENCE TIP----"You can't control the length of your life...but you can control the width and depth." Excellence Is Never An Accident (Trade Life Book, 1997).

LEADER TIP----"Procrastination is the thief of time." God's Little Instruction Book for Leaders (Honor Books, 1999).

LIFE TIP----"It's always too soon to quit." David Tyler Scoates, A Hero in Every Heart (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996).

WESLEY ON MIGHTY PRAYER----"About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books, 1996).

REALITY TIP----"Never fear shadows...they simply mean there's a light shining nearby." Derric Johnson, Did You See That? (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000).

WORRY ERASER----Dale Carnegie says "The perfect way to conquer worry-Pray."
Dale Carnegie's Golden Book.

CHARACTER TIP----"Character, not circumstances, makes the man." Read Hebrews 11:29-24 God's Little Instruction Book on Character (Honor Books, 1996).

SUCCESS TIP----"Success is being in the position to help and influence others in a positive way because of your achievements." Peter J. Daniels, Success Is... (Trade Life Books, 1998).

WESLEY TIP----"We remain quite naïve about our own tendencies to self-deception. If we talk of 'repenting by-and-by', we are careful not to set an exact time." John Wesley's Little Instruction Book (Honor Books,
1996).

EXCELLENCE TIP----"Success come in cans...failure in cant's." Excellence Is Never An Accident (Trade Life Books, 1997).

FUNNY BONE----A child came home from Sunday School and told his mother that he had learned a new song about a cross-eyed bear named gladly. It took his mother a while before she realized that the hymn was really "Gladly The Cross I'd Bear."

There will always be a sacrifice required for results. It is the early bird who gives up sleeping in to get the worm. To get what you want, right on the heels of deciding what that is, you must also decide what you will do in exchange for the results you desire.
~ James R. Ball ~
(American Businessman, Author, Speaker)

Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action.
~ David J. Schwartz ~
(American Trainer, Author of "The Magic of Thinking Big")

"To love another person is to help them love God." - Søren Kierkegaard

"In our society, ‘conscience’ has been replaced by ‘feelings'." - Unknown

Albert Einstein's Three Rules of Work: "Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." - Albert Einstein

When you want to encourage a greater sense of responsibility in others (and yourself), emphasize the anticipation of accomplishment, not the penalties for failure.
~ Roger Crawford ~
(American Resiliency Expert, Speaker, Author)

Action is eloquence.
- Shakespeare, Coriolanus, III, ii

The tongue of man is a twisty thing.
- Homer

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.
~ Robert Brault ~

In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.
~ Eric Hoffer ~
(1902-1983,American Author, Philosopher)

Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.
~ Fyodor Dostoevski ~
(1821-1881,Russian Novelist)

"You can learn from anyone if you know the right questions. " - Rick Warren

"All leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading. " - Rick Warren

"If you talked to others the way you talk to yourself, would you have any friends? " - Rick Warren

"My becoming a Christian upset (Ted Turner) very much … for good reason. He's my husband and I chose not to discuss it with him, because he would have talked me out of it. He's a debating champion.” - Jane Fonda, reported by Ken Auletta in NEW YORKER magazine

"I had absolutely no warning about it. (Jane) didn't tell me she was thinking about doing it. She just came home and said, 'I've become a Christian.' Before that, she was not a religious person. That's a pretty big change for your wife of many years to tell you. That's a shock... . Obviously, we weren't communicating very well at that time." - CNN founder Ted Turner in NEW YORKER magazine

"Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work." - Robert Orben

Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue - to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.
~ Socrates ~
(BC 469-399,Greek Philosopher)

And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last.
~ Marcus Aurelius ~
(121-80 AD,Roman Emperor, Philosopher)

"The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on."
--Walter Lippmann

This is the miracle that happens every time to those who really love; the more they give, the more they possess.
~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~
(1875-1926, German Poet)

- wrath of God, discipline, sin, obedience
God doesn't get angry because he doesn't get his way. He gets angry because disobedience always results in self-destruction.
-Max Lucado, 'In the Grip of Grace'

The greatest problem you have is your greatest opportunity.
~ Michael Wickett ~
(American Motivational Speaker, Sales Trainer)

All progress means war with society.
- George Bernard Shaw

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel in order to be tough.
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~
(1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA)

Be excellent to each other.
- Ted 'Theodore' Logan, 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure'

"No one has more time than you have. It is the discipline and stewardship of your time that is important. The management of time is the management of self; therefore if you manage time with God, he will begin to manage you."
- Jill Briscoe

"Next to the dog, the wastebasket is your best friend."
- B.C. Forbes

"Those who know how to win are much more numerous than those who know how to make proper use of their victories."
- Polybius

I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls in them unless they act."
- G.K. Chesterton

Nothing happens unless first a dream.
~ Carl Sandburg ~
(1878-1967, American Poet)

All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners.... Looking for new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not learning, they're not growing... not moving toward excellence.
~ Denis Waitley ~
(1933-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her.
- Anonymous

Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.
~ Barbara De Angelis ~
(American Expert on Relationship & Love, Trainer, Author)

"All Your Dreams Can Come True... If You Have The Courage To Pursue Them"
- Walt Disney

"The best leaders have an almost magical ability to turn a phrase and articulate their agenda for the organization graphically, compellingly, memorably."
--Robert E. Kaplan, Center for Creative Leadership

You may feel like dwelling on your limits or your fears. Don't do it. A perfect prescription for a squandered, unfulfilled life is to accommodate self-defeating feelings while undercutting your finest, most productive ones.
~ Marsha Sinetar ~
(American Author, "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love")

It is often better not to see an insult than to avenge it.
- Seneca

I will greet this day with love in my heart. For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life itself but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of man and until I master this act I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on who I call can defend upon its force... my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day.
~ Og Mandino ~
(1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

The average mind can comprehend 500 words per minute. The average person speaks at 150 words per minute. That leaves a 350 words per minute boredom factor. - Author not known

"You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration." - James Allen

"The distance is nothing. It's only the first step that's difficult." - Marques Du Defont

"It is more rewarding to resolve a relationship that to dissolve it. It’s also more Christlike. " - Rick Warren

"The Bible doesn’t say 'Resist temptation.' It says 'Resist the Devil, the Temptor.' Whatever you resist, persists because whatever gets your attention, gets you. The key to overcoming temptation is to simply refocus on something else. " - Rick Warren

"Never compare you ministry: for two reasons. First, you’ll always find someone doing a better job that you and you’ll get discouraged. Second, you’ll always find someone that you’re doing a better job than, and get full of pride. Either way, you’ll be dead in the water. " - Rick Warren

Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun.
~ Martin Amis ~
(1949-, British Author)

When men worship Jesus Christ, they do not fall at his feet in broken submission, but in wondering love. A man does not say, "I cannot resist a might like that." He says, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all." A man does not say, "I am battered into surrender." He says, "I am lost in wonder, love, and praise."
-- William Barclay, Daily Study Bible

Without the Holy Spirit we worship what we do not know.
-- Larry Graybill, Messenger

In the process of worshipping God he communicates his Spirit to us.
-- C. S. Lewis

We are often so caught up in our activities that we tend to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.
-- Charles Swindoll, Christian Standard

We have become so engrossed in the work of the Lord that we have forgotten the Lord of the work.
-- A. W. Tozer

Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.
-- John Wesley

The secret to using the enduring hymns of faith is the knowledge that children like what we show we like. They pick up on our enthusiasm! They need to see the depth of devotion as it runs from parent to grandparent, and parishioner to parishioner.
-- Norman R. Hennig, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Ville St. Laurent, Quebec.
See the Lift Up Your Hearts Web site at www.worship.on.ca/

To trust in God, we need a rich and accurate way of thinking and speaking about him to guide and support our life vision and our will. Such is present in the biblical language, of course, and it continued to be carefully crafted in the works of Christian writers well into the twentieth century.
Still today the Old Testament book of Psalms gives great power for faith and life. This is simply because it preserves a conceptually rich language about God and our relationships with him. If you bury yourself in Psalms, you emerge knowing God and understanding life.
-- Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy

All of our discussions of the style and mechanics of worship must be anchored in a deeply biblical and richly gospel-centered understanding of what worship is. We might be tempted at a worship conference to focus exclusively on the style and mechanics of worship. And these are important! But a larger challenge is to link how we approach the week-in, week-out task of planning and leading worship with our theological understanding of worship. Do our planning and leading habits, mechanics, and techniques enable people to experience worship in the deepest, most profound, most Christ-centered way? Does our work form our congregations in a deeply biblical faith? We need a high-octane theology of worship -- and one that is not simply articulated in writing, but enacted in our worship and lived out in our lives.
-- John D. Witvliet, director, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Congregational singing is the means by which diverse individuals and groups worship the Savior as one committed union, and can provide expression for their deepest yearnings.
-- Horace Boyer, introduction to Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal, Church Hymnal Corporation, 1993

The worship service features two sides of a sacred conversation. Those who lead in worship need to help people recognize themselves in the presence of God. They must also speak God's words to the people so that they will know they are on holy ground. That is the experience people are longing for in worship. But before such a sacred conversation happens in worship, it must happen for those who lead in worship in their own soul.
-- Craig Barnes

Worship is the gesture of faith by which we may be saved from thinking that we already have all the means by which to be responsibly religious.
-- F. Thomas Trotter, Loving God With One's Mind

Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be.
~ Charlie "Tremendous" Jones ~
(American Motivational Speaker, Author)

It takes a genius to whine appealingly.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Resentment is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.

~ creativity
If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.

I've had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven't run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can't outwork you, then smarts aren't going to do them much good. That's just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you'd be surprised at how much fun you can have.
~ Woody Hayes ~
(American College Football Coach)

"Either he's dead or my watch has stopped."
- groucho marx

If you're proactive, you don't have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own.
~ Stephen R. Covey ~
(American Speaker, Author, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People")

Life is to live in such a way as not to be afraid to die.
-St. Teresa of Avila

The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes from within the souls of men when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is first known that true peace which is within the souls of men.
~ Black Elk ~
(19th Century American Native Religious Leader)

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.
~ Greg Anderson ~
(American Author of "The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness")

- personal growth
"Small questions can make a big difference: 1.What do I really want to change? 2. What's my plan? 3. What am I willing to sacrifice? 4. When am I going to start? " - Rick Warren

"If you are still breathing, it means God is not finished with you yet. " - Rick Warren

"If you’re coasting in ministry, realize you’re going down hill. " - Rick Warren
"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind." - Seneca

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." - Catherine Aird

"If God had given you something you can do, why in God's name wouldn't you do it?" - Stephen King, on using your talents

"The reality is that criticism and opposition will drive you somewhere. Let it drive you closer to God and you will become better; let it drive you away from God and you will become bitter." - Dan Southerland
We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
~ Marian Wright Edelman ~
(1939-, American Lobbyist on Behalf of Children)

Only in heaven we will see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

- success, discipline, personal growth, obstacles, trials
It's not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves.
~ Sir Edmund Hillary ~
(1919-, New Zealand Mountaineer)

The fear of God should work its way out in our lives in the vigorous pursuit of holiness.
-Jerry Bridges, 'His Holiness and Mine' from 'I Exalt You, O God'

The real test of friendship is: can you literally do nothing with the other person? Can you enjoy those moments of life that are utterly simple?
-Eugene Kennedy

"Everybody plays it safe. Here's where I'm at: I've got a franchise. I can sit here and play it safe, protect the franchise, do well the rest of my life, retire and be happy. That's the last thing I need to do, even if it costs me my career. I've got to be God's man. I've got to impact culture." - Christian Recording Artist Michael W. Smith

"Innovation is the engine behind making the world better for everyone. If you can imagine a world without computers, automobiles, indoor plumbing, electric lights or the Post-it note, then you can begin to see where we'd be without innovation." - Joel Barker, author and futurist

"The significant mistake of the traditionalists is they require the people to start where the church is instead of the church starting where the people are. Innovators begin by asking, 'What do we need to do to reach the people where they are?'" - Leith Anderson, Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

"Innovation is not imitation. If you seek to be cutting-edge, you should not imitate what other people do." - Trevor Bron, The Next Level Church, Denver, Colorado

"While it may be true that the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, sometimes it can be much more satisfying hacking your way through the rib cage." - Cara-Beth Lillback

"Mistakes are useful because they teach us what doesn't work. Thomas Edison tried 200 different kinds of chemicals before he found out that tungsten would be the mineral that can be used in a light bulb. Somebody said to him, 'You've had 200 failures.' And Edison replied, 'No, I've had an education.' So don't call it a failure, call it an education. You know what doesn't work. " - Rick Warren

"Every week I ask the pastoral staff to share four things with me. We used to do it on little report cards. Now we just do it through email. These are the four things that I want to know: 'I have made progress in the following areas... I am having difficulty in the following areas... I need a decision from you on...' and then 'Praise reports and Prayer reports. " - Rick Warren

"There are only three kinds of people in the world -- those who are immovable, those who are movable, and those who move them."
- Li Hung Chang, Chinese leader

"Success is knowing my purpose in life, growing to my maximum potential and sowing seeds that benefit others."
- John Maxwell

"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."
- Winston Churchill

"Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It always comes as a by-product of providing a useful service."
- Henry Ford

"Nothing fails quite so totally as success without God."
- Vic Pentz

"Don't confuse success with significance. Madonna is one, and Helen Keller is the other."
- Erma Bombeck

"If there had been no fear of failure, neither would there be any joy in success."
- Paul Tournier

Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.
~ Henry Ford ~
(1863-1947, American Industrialist, Founder of Ford Motor Company)

Nothing noble is done without risk.
~ Andre Gide ~
(1869-1951, French Author)

Though our savior's Passion is over, his compassion is not.
-William Penn

Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
~ Eddie Cantor ~
(1892-1964, American Comedian)

Words of encouragement fan the spark of genius into the flame of achievement.
~ Wilfred A. Peterson ~

Life is wasted on the living.
- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.
-Henry David Thoreau

- Easter, Good Friday
The message is simple: God gave up his Son in order to rescue all his sons and daughters.
-Max Lucado, 'Leaving the Porch Light On' in 'The Gift for All People'

- risk, failure
If you limit your actions in life to things that nobody can possibly find fault with, you will not do much.
~ Lewis Carroll ~
(1832-1898, British Writer, Mathematician)

"Leaders, especially chief executives, are calculated risk-takers. They get ahead by knowing when to say yes, and they stay ahead by knowing when to say no."
--Quinn Kroll, chief executive of Pull Technologies, Inc.

I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive.
-Henry Miller

To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with light.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

- Easter, Good Friday, Palm Sunday
In his passion Jesus taught us how to forgive out of love, how to forget out of humility. So let us at the beginning of the Passion of Christ examine our hearts fully and see if there is any unforgiven hurt, any unforgotten bitterness.
-Mother Teresa, 'The Joy in Loving'

Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.
~ John Wesley ~
(1703-1791, British Preacher, Founder of Methodism)

Seven deadly siphons.. from Gordon MacDonald
*Words without action
*Busyness without purpose
*Calendars without a Sabbath
*Relationships without mutual nourishment
*Pastoral personality without self-examination
*Natural giftedness without spiritual power
*An enormous theology without an adequate spirituality

Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

'He insulted me, he cheated me, he beat me, he robbed me.' Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
~ Buddha ~
(568-488 BC, Founder of Buddhism)

Something mystical and deeply nurturing takes place in the context of a meal shared with friends. We feed not only our bellies, but our spirits and our sense of community. We come away ... knowing we have shared food and the stories of our lives.
-Holly W. Whitcomb, 'Feasting with God: Adventures in Table Spirituality'

It is understanding that gives us the ability to have peace. When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we can sit down and work out our differences.
~ Harry S. Truman ~
(1884-1972, Thirty-third President of the USA)

"You pay God a great compliment by asking great things of Him." - Teresa of Avila

"God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too wise to be unkind. When you can't trace His hand, that's when you must learn to trust His heart." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"We can talk on the phone as we eat fast food while using the ATM. Not only are we better at multitasking and becoming more productive and efficient, along with the increased pace, more is required of us. And so we hurtle through life faster and faster, becoming busier and busier. The result is that in our busyness we are becoming increasingly efficient at leading meaningless lives." - Don Whitney, professor, Midwestern Seminary

"I've learned from personal experience that it's never God's will for me to run from a difficult situation. Why? Because God wants to teach me. He wants me to learn that He is sufficient in every situation. " - Rick Warren

"The tragic thing is the Israelites lost their momentum, and they died in the desert when all they needed to do is have a different perspective. Instead of seeing with the eyes of fear, they could have seen with eyes of faith. " - Rick Warren

"Did Jesus know there was going to be a storm before He even got into the boat? Without a doubt! Of course He knew. He knew they were sailing right into a storm. He knows exactly what's going to happen yet He says, 'By the way guys, I'm beat! I'm going to go over here and take a nap.' It's part of His plan to teach a lesson about faith. " - Rick Warren

Today those who ignore or reject the poor, ignore or reject Christ.
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.
~ Ovid ~
(BC 43-18 AD, Roman Poet)

Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
- Scott Adams

I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.
~ Thomas Edison ~
(1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.
- Corrie Ten Boom, author and Holocaust survivor

Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.
~ R. E. Shay

- teamwork, church, solitude
No one can be a Christian alone.
-John Wesley

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the
creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you
love. When you learn to tap into this source, you will truly have
defeated age.
~ Sophia Loren ~
(1934-, Italian Film Actress)

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.
~ Willa Cather ~
(1876-1947, American Author)

We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world.
~ Helen Keller ~
(1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist)

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

Dreams, ideas, and plans not only are an escape, they give me purpose, a reason to hang on.
- Steven Patrick Callahan

Seeing Jesus is what Christianity is all about. Christian service, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him who we see. To see his majesty and to imitate him, that is the sum of Christianity.
-Max Lucado, 'The Gift of a Savior' in 'The Gift for All People'

Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow, grow."
~ The Talmud ~
(BC 500?-400? AD, Jewish Archive of Oral Tradition)

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It's not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.
- Muhammad Ali

- gossip tongue
A man who throws dirt loses ground.

- attitude
Sparkle and you'll never cease to shine.

- risk
Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside us.
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

- obedience personal growth discipleship
Ever notice that a human baby doesn't walk until it's tall enough
to reach a parent's hand?

- age
An archaeologist is the best husband a woman can have. The older she gets the more interested in her he is.

"Keep in mind that you are always saying 'no' to something. If it isn't to the apparent, urgent things in your life, it is probably to the most fundamental, highly important things. Even when the urgent is good, the good can keep you from your best, keep you from your unique contribution, if you let it."
- Helen Keller

"One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it."
- Sidney Howard

"A difficult crisis can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve."
- John Maxwell

- love, sacrifice
Charity, to be fruitful, must cost us.
-Mother Teresa

Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give
us the determination to make the right things happen.
~ Peter Marshall ~
(1902-1949, American Presbyterian Clergyman)

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
- Allan K. Chalmers

"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." - Bob Pierce, with Samaritan's Purse and World Vision

"The Holy Spirit, in answer to prayer, does everything ... You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can do nothing but pray until you have prayed." - John Wesley, who founded Methodism

"By sovereign grace, it has fallen on our generation to have within our grasp that for which other generations of Christians have prayed, dreamed and died - closure on the Great Commission. And if it is not this generation of Christians - we who have seen God's gracious renewal, we who possess more data on global harvest than any previous generation, we who stand on the shoulders of twenty centuries of missionary giants - if it is not us God wants to use to evangelize the world, then who else is it?" - David Shibley, who founded Global Advance

A recent Time/CNN poll asked people what they would be willing to do during a reality-based TV show. Thirty-one percent said they'd be willing to be seen in their pajamas; 26% crying; 25% having an argument; 16% drunk; 10% eating a rat or bug; 8% would appear naked; and 5% would have sex. Percentage who thought reality-based shows are harmless: 59%. - Time/CNN poll – In Rick Warren’s Toolbox March 26, 2001

"Every major decision in my life has been made in a quiet time. " - Rick Warren

"Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Do you really want to be spiritually fit? If you do, it's going to take time and trouble. Bodily fitness has limited value but spiritual fitness has unlimited value for it holds promise for this present life and the life to come. " - Rick Warren

I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself.
~ Walter Anderson ~
(American Trainer, Author)

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost.
- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

One of the rules of caution is not to be too cautious.
~ Bahya ibn Paquda ~


It is not your hold of Christ that saves you--it is Christ. It is not your joy in Christ that saves you--it is Christ. It is not even faith in Christ (though faith in the instrument)--it is Christ's blood and His merits. Therefore, do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.
-Charles Spurgeon

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
~ Grandma Moses ~
(1860-1961, American Artist)

When you blame others you give up your power to change.
~ Author Unknown

We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no other way.
~ Earl G. Graves ~

Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.
- Margaret Thatcher

Think like a man of action. Act like a man of thought.
- Henri Bergson

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

- forgiveness, reconciliation
Don't mark the spot where you bury the hatchet.

A life with this one focus -- 'Please God'--enables us to say over and over again, 'This is a great day to live.' A world where dreams are possible. A world where the truth will win out over falsehood.
-Leonard Sweet, 'SoulSalsa'

The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It's the same thing, fear, but it's what you do with it that matters.
~ Cus D'Amato ~
(American Boxing Trainer)

"Strangely enough, mistakes often help avoid failures."
- Barry Gibbons

"Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes. The sooner you make your first 5,000 mistakes, the sooner you will be able to correct them."
- Tom Peters

"He who makes no mistakes makes no progress."
- Teddy Roosevelt

"The person who is incapable of making a mistake, is incapable of anything."
- Abraham Lincoln

"When you make a mistake, there are only three things you should ever do about it: 1) admit it; 2) learn from it; 3) don't repeat it."
- Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant


People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.
- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard

- confidence, individuality, change, leadership
"If you ever think you're too small to be effective, you've never been in bed with a mosquito!" - Wendy Lesko

- life, abortion, children, responsibility
Percentage change since 1991 in the number of U.S. babies abandoned after leaving the hospital +61% - Harper's Index

- work, business, simplicity, priorities
"Business information is doubling about every three years. In other words, in three years you'll have twice as much noise to sift through just to get your work done." - From Simplicity, by Bill Jensen

- interdependence, body
Popular planetologist John Lovelock teaches that life is one inter connected, self regulating organism. He calls his idea the GAIA theory after the mythical Greek earth goddess. James Taylor wrote a song about it: "Pray for the forest, pray to the tree, Pray for the fish in the deep blue sea. Pray for yourself and for God's sake, say one for me, Poor wretched unbeliever. Someone's got to stop us now, Save us from us, Gaia." - From his song Gaia, James Taylor

"We have no future, heaven wasn't made for me. We burn ourselves to hell as fast as it can be. And I wish that I could be a king, then I'd know that I am not alone." - From his song: In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death, Marilyn Manson

"The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says real intimacy occurs in the light! There is no Intimacy without honesty. (1 John 1:7-8) " - Rick Warren

"Whenever you've been hurt deeply, you have a choice: Will I use my energy for retaliation or resolution? " - Rick Warren

"Every small group has at least one 'difficult' person in it. If you don't immediately recognize who that person is -- it's probably you! " - Rick Warren

If God can forgive us, why can't we forgive ourselves? A lot of us feel that this promise of total reconciliation is too good to be true.
-Jimmy Carter, 'Living Faith'

We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.
~ Lee Iacocca ~
(1924-, American Businessman, Former CEO of Chrysler)

Don't tell your problems to people: eighty percent don't care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them.
~ Lou Holtz ~
(1937-, American Football Coach)

You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.
~ Barbara Sher ~
(American Author)

I don't know what trials you may be facing right now, but God does. Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness even in the midst of trials and heartaches.
-Billy Graham, 'Breakfast with Billy Graham'

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not our circumstances.
~ Martha Washington ~

The first duty of love is to listen.
-Paul Tillich

I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
- Thomas Watson (1874-1956), Chairman of IBM, 1943

We don't need to increase our goods nearly as much as scaling down our wants. Not wanting some thing is as good as possessing it.
~ Donald Horban ~

For peace of mind, we need to resign as general manager of the universe.
- Larry Eisenberg

Simply give others a bit of yourself; a thoughtful act, a helpful idea, a word of appreciation, a lift over a rough spot, a sense of understanding, a timely suggestion. You take something out of your mind, garnished in kindness out of your heart, and put it into the other fellow's mind and heart.
~ Charles H. Burr ~

"Nothing happens unless first a dream."
- Carl Sandburg

"Some men see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'Why not?'"
- George Bernard Shaw

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."
- Antoine de Saint Exupery

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."
- Unknown

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.
- Mark Twain

That which we persist in doing becomes easier - not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability has increased.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity . . . .
-Billy Graham, 'Hope for the Troubled Heart'

Everything that can be invented has been invented.
- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899

“Out of clutter, find simplicity."
--Albert Einstein

"Simplicity is the peak of civilization."
--Jesse Sampter

Be pleasant every morning until ten o'clock. The rest of the day will take care of itself.
~ Col. William C. Hunter ~

You are master of yourself today; but God gives you supremacy for only one day at a time. . . . If you can bear your burden today, if you can endure your pain today, if you can suffer the shame of today, if you can put down the fears of today, if you can find contentment today, you will get along well enough.
-Henry Ward Beecher, from 'Ordinary Graces: Christian Teachings on the Interior Life'

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
- Sir Winston Churchill

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
~ George S. Patton ~
(1885-1945, American Army General during World War II)

Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows no more.
~ Thomas Cowper ~

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it by not dying.
- Woody Allen

I've learned . . . that my worth to God has nothing to do with how I look or feel . . . . And when I make a fright of my spiritual life . . . Jesus can wash [my sins] away.
-Sheila Walsh, 'Hair Today . . . Gone Tomorrow' in 'OverJoyed!'

A fellow must know where he wants to go, if he is going to get anywhere. It is so easy just to drift along. Some people go through school as if they thought they were doing their families a favor. On a job, they work along in a humdrum way, interested only in their salary check. They don't have a goal. When anyone crosses them up, they take their marbles and walk out. The people who go places and do things make the most of every situation. They are ready for the next thing that comes along on the road to their goal. They know what they want and are willing to go an extra mile.
~ William Menninger ~

Think success, don't think failure. At work, in your home, substitute success thinking for failure thinking. When you face a difficult situation, think, "I'll win," not "I'll probably lose." When you compete with someone else, think, "I'm equal to the best," not "I'm out-classed." When opportunity appears, think "I can do it," never "I can't.' Let the master thought "I-will-succeed" dominate your thinking process. Thinking success conditions your mind to create plans that produce success. Thinking failure does the exact opposite. Failure thinking conditions the mind to think other thoughts that produce failure.
~ David J. Schwartz ~
(American Trainer, Author of "The Magic of Thinking Big")


Well done is better than well said.
- Benjamin Franklin

Never mistake motion for action.
- Ernest Hemingway

"One person with a belief is a social power equal to ninety-nine who have only interests."
--John Stuart Mill

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.
~ Antonie de Saint-Exupery ~
(1900-1944, French Aviator, Writer)

When I see how the poor remain neglected and unrecognized all around us, I understand the sadness of Christ at not being accepted by his own.
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

Any identity would seem to be arrived at by the way in which the person faces and uses his experience.
- James Baldwin

"Be not simply good -- be good for something."
--Henry David Thoreau

Do ye value life? Then waste not time for that is the stuff of which life is made.
~ Benjamin Franklin ~
(1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat)

"When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost."
-Billy Graham

Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.
- Albert Einstein

There is no expedient to which the average person will not go to avoid the hard work of thinking.
~ Thomas Edison ~
(1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.
~ Elizabeth Bibesco ~

If you want a place in the sun, you have to put up with a few blisters.
~ Abigail Van Buren ~
(American Advice Columnist - "Dear Abby")

A Bible falling apart probably belongs to someone who isn't. C. H. Spurgeon



"Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart give yourself to it."
--Buddha

I will always stay hungry, never satisfied with current accomplishments.
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger ~
(1947-, Austrian-born American Actor, Businessman)

"I will act as if what I do can make a difference."
--William James

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
~ Aesop ~
(620-560 BC, Greek Fabulist)

The spiritual virtue of a sacrament is like light--although it passes among the impure, it is not polluted.
-Saint Augustine

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
~ Eden Phillpots ~

Strange is our situation here on earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose.
~ Albert Einstein ~
(1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

"Few men ever drop dead from overwork, but many quietly curl up and die because of under-satisfaction."
--Sidney J. Harris

- prayer
Want to talk to God? Send Him some kneel-mail.

Recall that in its true sense, "organic" form is by far the most complex and ingenious of any form imaginable. No geometry, however elaborate, can match the astonishment of, say, blood vessels.
- Richard Powers

A good and necessary way to prepare for Easter is to turn back to God if we have been away from Him. God loves each of us with a most tender and personal love.
-Mother Teresa, 'The Joy in Loving'

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small
minds discuss people.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~
(1884-1962, American First Lady, Columnist, Lecturer, Humanitarian)

"The master addiction is control. It is not lack of courage that keeps us from moving forward, as most people think; it is the fear of losing control."
- John-Roger

"No one loves the one whom he fears."
- Aristotle

"Anyone who has ever been in a combat zone knows that the soldiers are never motivated to fight out of pure patriotism. ...When you must actually do battle, you have only two motives: you hope to stay alive and you want to help your buddies. Psychologists have called the second 'the affiliative motive.' That is, most of us will pay a large price to be a part of some group of people where we depend on each other - where we know that others will cover for us, stand up for us, and bail us out if we're in trouble. If you can create such an association, people will flock to join you, work harder than they've ever worked, and often stick with you even if the financial benefits would be greater in some other place."
- Alan Loy McGinnis in The Balanced Life

It is easier to stay out than get out.
- Mark Twain

"That action is best which provides the greatest happiness for the greatest number."
--Francis Hutcheson

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.
~ Louisa May Alcott ~
(1832-1888, American Author)

We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving.
-Max Lucado, 'He Chose the Nails'

The dead are heavy, after all.
- 'Penny Dreadful' by Will Christopher Baer

"Work to become, not to acquire."
--Elbert Hubbard

To see the world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower; Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour.
~ William Blake ~
(1757-1827, British Poet, Painter)

The argument for the risen Christ is the living Christian.
-Winifred Kirkland

The currents rage, deep down inside us. This is the age of video violence.
- Lou Reed

"Back of every noble life, there are principles that have fashioned it."
--George Horace Lorimer

The sanctity of the Christian life is based not on love of an abstract law but on love of the living God, a divine person, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, who has redeemed us from the darkness of sin. And it is based also on the love of our brothers in Christ.
-Thomas Merton, 'Life and Holiness'

As soon as you trust yourself you will know how to live.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

"Universal values reveal and inform the essence of the human condition ... Even as the hands of a clock are powered from the center, which remains ever still, so the universal values remain ever at the center of human life, no matter where the hands of time are pointing -- past, present, or future."
--Laurence G. Boldt

This is no time for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.
~ Winston Churchill ~
(1874-1965, British Prime Minister)

Christ is not valued at all--unless He is valued above all.
-St. Augustine

All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
- Julian of Norwich

"Moral courage and character go hand in hand ... a man of real character is consistently courageous, being imbued with a basic integrity and a firm sense of principle."
- Martha Boaz

Be regular and orderly in your life like a bourgeois, so that you may be violent and original in your work.
- Gustave Flaubert

God is a forgiving Father. His mercy is greater than our sins. He will forgive us.
-Mother Teresa, 'Loving Jesus'

What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.
~ Samuel Johnson ~
(1709-1784, British Author)

"If you see in any given situation only what everybody else can see, you can be said to be so much a representative of your culture that you are a victim of it."
--S. I. Hayakawa

The willingness to take risks is our grasp of faith.
~ George Woodberry ~
(1855-1930, American Literary Critic)

Regret is one of the few guaranteed certainties.
- Jonathan Carroll

"For the secret of man's being is not only to live but to have something to live for."
--Dostoyevsky

Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life.
~ Leo Buscaglia ~
(American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author)

Be such a man, and live such a life, that if every man were such as you, and every life like yours, this earth would be a God's Paradise.
~ Phillips Brooks ~
(1835-1893, American Minister, Poet)

"In matters of principle, stand like a rock. In matters of taste, swim with the current."
--Thomas Jefferson

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
- Catherine Aird

Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of pleasures, costs nothing, and conveys much. It pleases him who gives and receives and thus, like mercy, is twice blessed.
~ Erastus Wiman ~

If you don't like someone, the way he holds his spoon will make you furious; if you do like him, he can turn his plate over into your lap and you won't mind.
- Irving Becker

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar. I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.

"A pessimist finds difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist finds opportunity in every difficulty."
- Napoleon Hill

"Great minds have purposes; others have wishes."
- Washington Irving

"Two centuries ago, when a great man appeared, people looked for God's purpose in him. Today we look for his press agent."
- Daniel Boorstin

Who, being loved, is poor?
- Oscar Wilde

"The idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all."
--Elbert Hubbard

Pure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return.
~ Peace Pilgrim ~
(1908-1981, American Peace Activist)

Someone has said that the perseverance of the saints consists in ever new beginnings. So we who are mature in the Christian walk need to be quick to help the one who has fallen, and quick to encourage one another.
-Ruth Graham Bell, 'Decision' magazine

"Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig."
--Marcus Aurelius

Most of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer. The Nobel. Oscars. Tonys. Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures. A pat on the back. A kiss behind the ear. A four-pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset. Hot soup. Cold beer. Don't fret about copping life's grand awards. Enjoy its tiny delights.
~ Author Unknown ~



Life is a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you're made of.
- Jacob M. Braude

"A man's dreams are an index to his greatness."
--Zadok Rabinowitz

Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself.
~ Alan Alda ~
(1936-, American Actor)

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "Failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
~ Mary Pickford ~
(1893-1979, Canadian-born American Actress)

Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it's who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.
~ Anthony Robbins ~
(1960-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

"Believe in what you're doing. Nothing is more compelling than a person's passion and contagious excitement for what they do. No matter if it's marketing, engineering, recruiting, writing, or project management. Sure, you also need to be well informed about what you're talking about. But if you truly want your message to inspire someone, you need to believe in what you're 'selling'. There is absolutely no substitute for that."
~ Colin Earnst

The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.
- Oscar Wilde

"A man's value to the community primarily depends on how far his feelings, thoughts, and actions are directed towards promoting the good of his fellows."
--Albert Einstein

The riches of life, the love and joy and exhilaration of life can be found only with an upward look. This is an exciting world. It crams-packed with opportunity. Great moments wait around every corner.
~ Richard M. Devos ~
(1926-, American Businessman, Co-founder of Amway Corp.)

God is no distant deity but a constant reality . . . . So? So live like it. And laugh like it.
-Charles Swindoll, 'Laugh Again'

"My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right."
- Theodore Hesburgh

"Abraham Lincoln understood that executive decision making is not simply a string of individuals orders. Rather, it is more of a continuous, uninterrupted process that is similar to the beating of a heart that sends blood throughout the body. Without it there is no life."
- Donald T. Phillips

"Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader. Don't fall victim to what I call the 'ready-aim-aim-aim syndrome.' You must be willing to fire."
- T. Boone Pickens

"You cannot make progress without making decisions."
- Jim Rohn

Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.
- Erma Bombeck

Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
-St. Augustine

"No one must shut his eyes and regard as nonexistent the sufferings of which he spares himself the sight. Let no one regard as light the burden of his responsibility."
--Albert Schweitzer

Benjamin Franklin said, "...in this world nothing is
certain but death and taxes."

To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forego even ambition when the end is gained - who can say this is not greatness?
~ William Makepeace Thackeray ~
(1811-1863, Indian-born British Novelist)

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
- Jennifer Unlimited

"I have learned this at least by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
--Henry David Thoreau

Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

Stand up to crises. Don't let them throw you! Fight to stay calm... even surmount the crisis completely and turn it into an opportunity. Refuse to renounce your self-image. No matter what happens, you must keep your good opinion of yourself. No matter what happens, you must hold your past successes in your imagination, ready for showing in the motion picture screen of your mind. No matter what happens, no matter what you lose, no matter what failures you must endure, you must keep faith in yourself. Then you can stand up to crises, with calm and courage, refusing to buckle; then you will not fall through the floor. You will be able to support yourself.
~ Maxwell Maltz ~
(American Plastic Surgeon, Author of "Psycho-Cybernetics")

To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail, our pride supports us; when we succeed, it betrays us."
- Charles Caleb Colton

"One reason God created time was so there would be a place to bury the failures of the past."
- James Long

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up that counts."
- Vince Lombardi

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind."
- William James

"Some people look at things as they are and say, 'Why?'. I look at things as they can be and say, 'Why not?'."
- Robert Kennedy

"Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends upon what you are made of."
- John C. Maxwell

Someone receives a promotion, gets an important assignment, makes a major discovery, or moves into the president's office. "He's lucky," an envious person remarks. "He gets the breaks; they're always in his favor." In reality, luck or the breaks of life had little or nothing to do with it. So-called "luck" usually is found at the exact point where preparation meets opportunity. For a time, an individual may get ahead by "pull," but eventually someone with push will displace him. Success is not due to a fortuitous concourse of stars at our birth, but to a steady trail of sparks from the grindstone of hard work each day.
~ Kenneth Hildebrand ~
American Author

"To be nobody - but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human can fight; and never stop fighting."
--E. E. Cummings

In this day when God is often referred to as 'It' or 'She' or 'Goddess' for the sake of leveling, I must say I can't recall Satan ever being referred to as 'She.'
- Jeffrey Jones

There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren't willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.
~ Michael Jordan ~
(1963-, American Basketball Player, Actor)

It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed
the lessons of failure.
~ Bill Gates ~
(1955-, American Businessman, Founder of Microsoft)

"First you must find your trajectory, and then comes the social coordination."
--Joseph Campbell

We must rest from all activities of our own contriving so that, having God working in us, we may repose in him.
-John Calvin

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. --Abraham Lincoln

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. --Confucius

Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing from something. --Wilson Mizner

Just remember, we're all in this alone. --Lily Tomlin

Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough, but not baked in the same oven. -- Yiddish Proverb

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and, whatever you hit, call it the target.

Anyone can cut an apple open and count the number of seeds. But, who can look at a single seed and count the trees and apples? ~ Dottie Walters ~

Living every day of your life fully, including the hard ones. Being the best you have it in you to be. And someday, being able to give something back. ~ Shirley Nelson ~ American Businesswoman

If you want to be successful, it's just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing. ~ Will Rogers ~ 1879-1935, American Humorist, Actor

One can go back toward safety or forward toward growth. ~ Abraham Maslow ~ 1908-1970, American Psychologist

The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone. ~ Orison Swett Marden
~ 1850-1924, American Author, Founder of Success Magazine

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. ~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~ 1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Prize Winner, 1964

It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life. ~ Cesar Chavez ~

What really counts is not the immediate act of courage or of valor, but those who bear the struggle day in and day out. ~ John F. Kennedy ~ 1917-1963, Thirty-fifth President of the USA

Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch--what makes you go beyond the norm. ~ Cicely Tyson ~

Success is measured not necessarily by what others see, but what they don't see - personal self-worth. Success is accomplishing what you most wish for yourself. ~ Lillion Vernon ~ American Businesswoman

Nothing of great value in life comes easily. The things of highest value sometimes come hard. The gold that has the greatest value lies deepest in the earth, as do the diamonds. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~ 1898-1993, American Christian Reformed Pastor, Speaker, Author

About the only value the story of my life may have is to show that one can, even without any particular gifts, overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable if one is willing to face the fact that they must be overcome. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~ 1884-1962, American First Lady, Columnist, Lecturer, Humanitarian

I have always found, when I was worrying, that the best thing to do was put my mind upon something, work hard and forget what was troubling me. ~ Thomas Edison ~ 1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE

If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing. ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ 1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat

The poorest man would not part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money forhealth. ~ Charles Caleb Colton ~ 1780-1832, British Sportsman Writer

The poorest man would part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money forhealth. ~ Charles Caleb Colton ~ 1780-1832, British Sportsman Writer

The poorest man would not part with health for money, but the richest would gladly part with all their money forhealth. ~ Charles Caleb Colton ~ 1780-1832, British Sportsman Writer

If the vision is there, the means will follow. ~ Faith Popcorn ~ American Author

Everybody saw my successful advertising and thought I was a big success. But, behind those successes were several failures that I had to learn from before I made it. I've always looked at failure as just another step you need to take to reach success. ~ Joseph Sugarman ~ American Businessman

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, whenit ought to be done, whether you like it or not. ~ Thomas Huxley ~ 1825-1895, British Biologist, Educator

The important thing is to dare to dream big, then take action to make it come true. ~ Joe Girard ~ American Sales Trainer, Author, Lecturer

The army commander of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him. ~ Confucius ~ BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher

I think for anyone who's gone through a crisis, there comes a turning point, an epiphany, that marks the beginning of the end. ~ Deborah Norville ~ American Journalist, Anchor of "Inside Edition"

My policy is to learn from the past, focus on the present, and dream about the future. I'm a firm believer in learning from adversity. Often the worst of times can turn to your advantage - my life is a study of that. ~ Donald Trump ~ 1946-, American Businessman, Billionaire

Ideas without action are worthless. ~ Harvey Mackay ~ American Businessman, Speaker, Author

Heaven never helps the men who will not act. ~ Sophocles, ~ BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet

Don't go through life, grow through life. ~ Eric Butterworth ~

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value. ~ Albert Einstein ~ 1879-1955, German-born American Physicist

The true perfection of man lies, not in what man has, but in what man is...Nothing should be able to harm a man but himself. Nothing should be able to rob a man at all. What a man really has is what is in him. What is outside of him should be a matter of no importance. ~ Oscar Wilde ~ 1856-1900, British Author, Wit

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. ~ Agatha Christie ~ 1891-1976, British Mystery Writer

If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul. ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner ~

I have always grown from my problems and challenges, from the things that don't work out, that's when I've really learned. ~ Carol Burnett ~ American Television Comedian

All progress has resulted from people who took unpopular positions. ~ Adlai E. Stevenson ~ 1900-1965, American Lawyer, Politician

Warning: Authorities warn that "try" is a dangerous expression that has enormous power to influence your behavior. It's toxic. Use it very carefully. When "try" creeps into your language or into your thoughts, pluck it out quickly. ~ Walter Anderson ~ American Trainer, Author

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. ~ George Eliot ~ 1819-1880, British Novelist

Our dreams are as real, while they last, as the occurrences of the daytime. We see, hear, feel, act, experiencepleasure and suffer pain, as vividly and actually in adream as when awake. The occurrences and transactions of a year are crowded into the limits of a second: and the dream remembered is as real as the past occurrences of life. ~ Albert Pike ~ 1809-1891, American Lawyer, Masonic Author, Historian

We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough. ~ Helen Keller ~ 1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist

They can conquer who believe they can. He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ 1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what people say. I just watch what they do. ~ Andrew Carnegie ~ 1835-1919, American Industrialist, Philanthropist

The greatest power is often simple patience. ~ E. Joseph Cossman ~ American Businessman, Author, Lecturer

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. ~ Jawaharlal Nehru ~ 1889-1964, Indian Nationalist, Statesman

Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it. ~ Jack Canfield ~ American Motivational Speaker, Author, Trainer

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. ~ Vincent Van Gogh ~ 1853-1890, Dutch Painter

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests. ~ Epictetus ~ 50-138, Phrygian Philosopher

The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for. ~ Maureen Dowd ~ American Newspaper Columnist

Everything you need you already have. You are complete right now, you are a whole, total person, not an apprentice person on the way to someplace else. Your completeness must be understood by you and experienced in your thoughts as your own personal reality. ~ Wayne Dyer ~ 1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer

We all have ability. The difference is how we use it. ~ Stevie Wonder ~ 1950-, American Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing. ~ John Andrew Holmes ~

The really unhappy person is the one who leaves undone what they can do, and starts doing what they don't understand; no wonder they come to grief. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~ 1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other. ~ Douglas Everett ~ American Hockey Player

The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary. ~ Thomas A. Edison ~ 1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE

You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home. ~ Apollo 13 Movie ~

The riches of life, the love and joy and exhilaration of life can be found only with an upward look. This is an exciting world. Its cram-packed with opportunity. Great moments wait around every corner. ~ Richard M. DeVos ~ 1926-, American Businessman, Co-founder of Amway Corp.

The riches of life, the love and joy and exhilaration of life can be found only with an upward look. This is an exciting world. Its cram-packed with opportunity. Great moments wait around every corner. ~ Richard M. DeVos ~ 1926-, American Businessman, Co-founder of Amway Corp.

To the illumined man or woman, a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same. ~ Bhagavad Gita ~ c. BC 400-?, Sanskrit Poem Incorporated Into the Mahabharata

A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. ~ Walter Bagehot ~
1826-1977, British Economist, Critic

Winning is not a sometime thing; It's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. ~ Vince Lombardi ~ 1913-1970, American Football Coach

Let one who wants to move and convince others, first be convinced and moved themselves. If a person speaks with genuine earnestness the thoughts, the emotion and the actual condition of their own heart, others will listen because we all are knit together by the tie of sympathy. ~ Thomas Carlyle ~ 1795-1881, Scottish Philosopher, Author

Everyone has limits. You just have to learn what your own limits are and deal with them accordingly. ~ Nolan Ryan ~ 1947-, American Baseball Player

The past is only the present become invisible and mute; and because it is invisible and mute, its memorized glances and its murmurs are infinitely precious. We are tomorrow's past. ~ Mary Webb ~ 1881-1927, British Novelist

Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor. ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr. ~ American Author of "Life's Little Instruction Book" Series

Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future. ~ Marilyn Ferguson ~ American Writer

To keep the Golden Rule we must put ourselves in other people's places, but to do that consists in and depends upon picturing ourselves in their places. ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick ~ 1878-1969, American Minister

People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom? ~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~ Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Teacher

I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes. ~ Sara Teasdale ~ 1884-1933, American Poet

Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower ~ 1890-1969, Thirty-fourth President of the USA

You are the only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life. ~ Les Brown ~ 1945-, American Speaker, Author, Trainer, Motivator Lecturer

The power which resides in man is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ 1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist

Success comes in cans, failure in can'ts. ~ Source Unknown ~

My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories. ~ Bjorn Borg ~ 1956-, Swedish Tennis Player

Our patience will achieve more than our force. ~ Edmund Burke ~ 1729-1797, British Political Writer, Statesman

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. ~ Milton Berle ~ 1908-, American Actor, Entertainer

'He insulted me, he cheated me, he beat me, he robbed me' -- those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace. ~ Buddha ~ 568-488 BC, Indian Born - Founder of Buddhism

When you feel that you have reached the end and that you cannot go one step further, when life seems to be drained of all purpose: What a wonderful opportunity o start all over again, to turn over a new page. ~ Eileen Caddy ~ American Spiritual Writer

Admonish your friends privately, but praise them openly. ~ Publilius Syrus ~ 1st Century BC, Roman Writer

We may affirm absolutely that nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. ~ Georg Hegel ~ 1770-1831, German Philosopher

There is a way to look at the past. Don't hide from it. It will not catch you -- if you don't repeat it. ~ Pearl Bailey ~ 1918-1990, American Vocalist, Movie and Stage Actress

Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings. ~ Andre Maurois ~ 1885-1967, French Writer

The impression forces itself upon one that men measure by false standards, that everyone seeks power, success, riches for himself, and admires others who attain them, while undervaluing the truly precious thing in life. ~ Sigmund Freud ~ 1856-1939, Austrian Physician - Founder of Psychoanalysis

There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he's absolutely free to choose. ~ William M. Bulger ~ 1934-, American Educator, Senator

You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with. ~ Wayne Dyer ~ 1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer

The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might of the force of habit and must understand that practices are what create habits. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires. ~ J. Paul Getty ~ 1892-1976, American Oil Tycoon, Billionaire

Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk. ~ Shirley Hufstedler ~ 1925-, American jurist and secretary of education

To live lightheartedly but not recklessly; to be gay without being boisterous; to be courageous without being bold; to show trust and cheerful resignation without fatalism -- this is the art of living. ~ Jean de La Fontaine ~ 1621-1695, French Poet

Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes and cannot tell the difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives. ~ Sidney Madwed ~ American Speaker, Consultant, Author, Poet

Few men during their lifetime comes anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used. ~ Richard E. Byrd ~ 1888-1957, American Aviator, Explorer, Rear-Admiral

When you get right down to the root of the meaning of the word "succeed," you find that it simply means to follow through. ~ F. W. Nichol ~

You may live in an imperfect world but the frontiers are not closed and the doors are not all shut. ~ Maxwell Maltz ~ American Plastic Surgeon, Author of "Psycho-Cybernetics"

Action is the highest perfection and drawing forth of the utmost power, vigor, and activity of man's nature. ~ Bishop Robert South ~ 1634-1716, British Clergyman

Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends. ~ William Shakespeare ~ 1564-1616,British Poet, Playwright, Actor

One is happy as a result of one's own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness - simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and, above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain. By the proper use of experience and thought one can draw much from oneself, by determination and patience once can even restore one's health... so let us live life as it is, and not be ungrateful. ~ George Sand ~ 1804-1876, French Novelist

He conquers who endures. ~ Persius ~ 34-62 AD, Satirical Poet

The minute a person whose word means a great deal to others dare to take the open-hearted and courageous way, many others follow. ~ Marian Anderson ~ 1902-1993, American Contralto Concert and Opera Singer

There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work. ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ~ 1834-1892, British Baptist Preacher

All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners... Looking for new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not learning, they're not growing... not moving toward excellence. ~ Denis Waitley ~ 1933-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert

Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones. ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ~ 1859-1930,British Author, "Sherlock Holmes"

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel in order to be tough. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~ 1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA

This is the miracle that happens every time to those who really love; the more they give, the more they possess. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~ 1875-1926, German Poet

The greatest problem you have is your greatest opportunity. ~ Michael Wickett ~ American Motivational Speaker, Sales Trainer

We must laugh before we are happy, for fear we die before we laugh at all. ~ Jean De La Bruyère ~ 1645-1696,French Classical Writer

Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue-to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak. ~ Socrates ~ BC 469-399,Greek Philosopher

And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last. ~ Marcus Aurelius ~ 121-80 AD,Roman Emperor, Philosopher

In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists. ~ Eric Hoffer ~ 1902-1983,American Author, Philosopher

Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others. ~ Fyodor Dostoevski ~ 1821-1881,Russian Novelist

You may feel like dwelling on your limits or your fears. Don't do it. A perfect prescription for a squandered, unfulfilled life is to accommodate self-defeating feelings while undercutting your finest, most productive ones. ~ Marsha Sinetar ~ American Author of "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love"

My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her. ~ George Washington ~ 1732-1799, First President of the USA

I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar. ~ Robert Brault ~

Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver. ~ Barbara De Angelis ~ American Expert on Relationship & Love, Trainer, Author

When you want to encourage a greater sense of responsibility in others (and yourself), emphasize the anticipation of accomplishment, not the penalties for failure. ~ Roger Crawford ~ American Resiliency Expert, Speaker, Author

I will greet this day with love in my heart. For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life itself but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of man and until I master this act I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on who I call can defend upon its force... my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day. ~ Og Mandino ~ 1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker

Your mind is powerful enough to do more than one thing at one time, but you can only do one thing well at one time. Just do what you're doing while you're doing it. ~ Ron Gilbert ~

Life is too short to waste. Dreams are fulfilled only through action, not through endless planning to take action. ~ David J. Schwartz ~ American Trainer, Author of "The Magic of Thinking Big"

There will always be a sacrifice required for results. It is the early bird who gives up sleeping in to get the worm. To get what you want, right on the heels of deciding what that is, you must also decide what you will do in exchange for the results you desire. ~ James R. Ball ~ American Businessman, Author, Speaker

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead ~ 1901-1978, American Anthropologist

It is true that money cannot buy happiness but it does make it possible for you to enjoy the best that the world has to offer. ~ George S. Clason ~ 1874-1940?, American Publisher, Author of "The Richest Man in Babylon"

There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come. ~ Victor Hugo ~ 1802-1885, French Poet, Dramatist, Novelist

Nothing happens unless first a dream. ~ Carl Sandburg ~ 1878-1967, American Poet

Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs. ~ Pearl Strachan Hurd ~

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. ~ Epictetus ~ 50-138, Phrygian Philosopher

The first thing I do in the morning is to make my bed and while I am making up my bed I am making up my mind as to what kind of a day I am going to have. ~ Robert Frost ~ 1875-1963, American Poet

If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work. ~ Thomas J. Watson ~ ?-1956, American Businessman, Founder of IBM

Luck affects everything. Let your hook always be cast; in the stream where you least expect it there will be a fish. ~ Ovid ~ BC 43-18 AD, Roman Poet

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. ~ Mark Twain 1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer

There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled? ~ Sophocles ~ BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet

I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~ 1884-1962, American First Lady, Columnist, Lecturer, Humanitarian

Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them. ~ Orison Swett Marden ~ 1850-1924, American Author, Founder of Success Magazine

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. ~ Amy Carmichael ~ 1867-? Irish Missionary

False friendship, like the ivy, decays and ruins the walls it embraces; but true friendship gives new life and animation to the object it supports. ~ Sir Richard Burton ~ 1821-1890, Explorer, Born in Torquay

If we wish to free ourselves from enslavement, we must choose freedom and the responsibility this entails. ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author

It's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes are our teachers -- they help us to learn. ~ John Bradshaw ~ American Author, Lecturer, Leading Expert On Recovery & Dysfunctional Families

There is great treasure there behind our skull and this is true about all of us. This little treasure has great, great powers, and I would say we only have learnt a very, very small part of what it can do. ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer ~ 1583-1640, British Dramatist

The harder I work the luckier I get. ~ Samuel Goldwyn ~ 1882-1974, American Film Producer, Founder of MGM

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. ~ Lou Holtz ~ 1937-, American Football Coach

Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built. ~ James Allen ~ 1864-1912, British-born American Essayist, Author of "As a Man Thinketh"

If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges. ~ Pat Riley ~ 1945, American Basketball Coach

Constant success shows us but one side of the world; adversity brings out the reverse of the picture. ~ Charles Caleb Colton ~ 1780-1832, British Sportsman, Writer

Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life. ~ Sophia Loren ~ 1934-, Italian Actress

The possibility of stepping into a higher plane is quite real for everyone. It requires no force or effort or sacrifice. It involves little more than changing our ideas about what is normal. ~ Deepak Chopra ~ East-Indian American Medical Doctor, New Age Author, Lecturer

No one can make us angry. People can say and do things to us but it is still up to us as individuals to do what we want with our emotions in response to those things. ~ Source Unknown ~

There is nothing you can't do, if you set your mind to it. Anything is possible. ~ Rick Hansen ~ Canadian Wheelchair Athlete, Speaker, Author, Founder of "Man in Motion World Tour"

It's not over until it's over. ~ Yogi Berra ~ 1925-, American Baseball Player

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins. ~ Jim Rohn ~ American Businessman, Author, Speaker, Philosopher

I guess that one of the most important things I've learned is that nothing is ever completely bad. Even cancer. It has made me a better person. It has given me courage and a sense of purpose I never had before. But you don't have to do like I did...wait until you lose a leg or get some awful disease, before you take the time to find out what kind of stuff you're really made of. You can start now. Anybody can. ~ Terry Fox ~ 1958-1981, Canadian man (with an artificial right leg) who ran across Canada to raise money for cancer research in a journey called "Marathon of Hope"

Happiness, like unhappiness, is a proactive choice. ~ Stephen R. Covey ~ American Speaker, Trainer, Author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it. ~ Margaret Thatcher ~ 1925-, British Stateswoman, Prime Minister (1979-90)

You cannot tailor make your situation in life, but you can tailor make your attitudes to fit those situations. ~ Zig Ziglar ~ 1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore. ~ Andre Gide ~ 1869-1951, French Author

Let every man or woman here, if you never hear me again, remember this, that if you wish to be great at all, you must begin where you are and with what you are. He who would be great anywhere must first be great in his own Philadelphia. ~ Russel H. Conwell ~ 1843-1925, American Lawyer, Baptist Minister, Lecturer

Let every man or woman here, if you never hear me again, remember this, that if you wish to be great at all, you must begin where you are and with what you are. He who would be great anywhere must first be great in his own Philadelphia. ~ Russel H. Conwell ~ 1843-1925, American Lawyer, Baptist Minister, Lecturer

Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified. ~ Samuel Johnson ~ 1709-1784, British Author

The truth of the matter is that there's nothing you can't accomplish if: (1) You clearly decide what it is that you're absolutely committed to achieving, (2) You're willing to take massive action, (3) You notice what's working or not, and (4) You continue to change your approach until you achieve what you want, using whatever life gives you along the way. ~ Anthony Robbins ~ 1960-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert

Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such. ~ Henry Miller ~ 1891-1980, American Author

Accept everything about yourself -- I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end -- no apologies, no regrets. ~ Clark Moustakas ~ Humanistic Psychologist

The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking. ~ Robert H. Schuller ~ 1926-, American Minister, Crystal Cathedral, Author, Social Leader

The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts. ~ Booker T. Washington ~ 1856-1915, American Black Leader and Educator

It is an eternal obligation toward the human being not to let him suffer from hunger when one has a chance of coming to his assistance. ~ Simone Weil ~ 1910-1943, French Philosopher, Mystic

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving. ~ St. Francis De Sales ~ 1567-1622, Roman Catholic Bishop, Writer

The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or coming back with excuses. ~ Napoleon Hill ~ 1883-1970, American Speaker, Motivational Author, "Think and Grow Rich"

We will either find a way, or make one. ~ Hannibal ~ BC 247-182, Carthaginian General, Statesman

My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success. ~ Helen Hayes ~ 1900-1993, American Actress

Time And health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. ~ Denis Waitley ~ 1933-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert

Realize that the reason most people fail isn't because of the competition but because of the limits they place upon themselves, allowing defeat to take over. Take responsibility for your destiny. You can come up with a performance, if you can reach down and dig deep enough into your competitive soul. You can overcome tremendous obstacles. ~ Bruce Jenner ~ 1954-, American Olympian, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Sports Commentator

True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The great blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it be, without wishing for what he has not. ~ Seneca ~ 4 B.C. - 65 A.D., Spanish-born Roman Statesman, philosopher

If one desires a change, one must be that change before that change can take place. ~ Gita Bellin ~

Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be -- because sooner or later, if you're posing, you will forget the pose and then where are you? ~ Fanny Brice ~ 1891-1951, American Entertainer

I love the man who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grows brave by reaction. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. ~ Thomas Paine ~ 1737-1809, Anglo-American Political Theorist, Writer

Every single life only becomes great when the individual sets upon a goal or goals which they really believe in, which they can really commit themselves to, which they can put their whole heart and soul into. ~ Brian Tracy ~ American Peak Performance Expert, Trainer, Speaker, Author

The person who knows HOW will always have a job. The person who knows WHY will always be his boss. ~ Diane Ravitch ~

Just because Fate doesn't deal you the right cards, it doesn't mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential. ~ Les Brown ~ 1945-, American Speaker, Author, Trainer, Motivator Lecturer

One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared. ~ Merlin Olsen ~ American Football Player, Sports Broadcaster, Actor

As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might. ~ Marian Anderson ~ 1902-1993, American Contralto Concert and Opera Singer

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ 1859-1915, American Author, Publisher

Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~ 1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ~ Walter Winchell ~ 1897-1972, American Journalist

EARN as much as you can. SAVE as much as you can. INVEST as much as you can. GIVE as much as you can. ~ Rev. John Wellesly ~ American Minister

Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it. ~ Irving Berlin ~ 1888-1989, Russian Composer

Men are often capable of greater things than they perform. They are sent into the world with bills of credit, and seldom draw to their full extent. ~ Sir Hugh Walpole ~ 1717-1797, British Author

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. ~ Eddie Robinson ~ American College Football Coach

We deem those happy who from the experience of life have learnt to bear its ills without being overcome by them. ~ Carl Jung ~ 1875-1961, Swiss Psychiatrist

I'm a very intense person. When I go after something, I want to go after it with everything I have. I want to push myself to the edge. ~ Greg Norman ~ 1955-, Australian Golfer

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. ~ Confucius ~ BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher

It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees. ~ Delores Ibarruri ~ 1895-1989, Spanish Politician, Orator

Yesterday is a canceled check: Forget it. Tomorrow is a promissory note: Don't count on it. Today is ready cash: Use it! ~ Edwin C. Bliss ~ American Author

You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take. ~ Wayne Gretzky ~ 1961-, Canadian Hockey Player

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ 1743-1826, Third President of the USA

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~ Anne Bradstreet ~ -1672, British Puritan Poet

The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without even having to fight them. ~ Lao-Tzu ~ BC 600-?, Chinese Philosopher, Founder of Taoism, Author of the "Tao Te Ching"

The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur. ~ Vince Lombardi ~

To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto and scramble through as well as I can. ~ Og Mandino ~ 1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker

Don't wait for your "ship to come in," and feel angry and cheated when it doesn't. Get going with something small. ~ Irene Kassorla ~

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. ~ David Lloyd George ~ 1863-1945, British Statesman, Prime Minister

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored. ~ Earl Nightingale ~ 1921-1989, American Radio Announcer, Author, Speaker, Co-founder of Nightingale-Conant Corp.

When a man and a woman have an overwhelming passion for each other, it seems to me, in spite of such obstacles dividing them as parents or husband, that they belong to each other in the name of Nature, and are lovers by Divine right, in spite of human convention or the laws. ~ Sebastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort ~ 1741-1794, French Writer, Journalist, Playwright

If you're still hanging onto a dead dream of yesterday, laying flowers on its grave by the hour, you cannot be planting the seeds for a new dream to grow today. ~ Joyce Chapman ~ American Author

I am always doing things I can't do, that's how I get to do them. ~ Pablo Picasso ~ 1881-1973, Spanish Artist

Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozey, and don't be afraid to hit the ball. ~ Billie Jean King ~ 1943-, American Tennis Player

Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy. ~ Robert Half ~ American Businessman, Founder of Robert Half & Associates

Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn. ~ John Wesley ~ 1703-1791, British Preacher, Founder of Methodism

When the archer misses the mark, he turns and looks for the fault within himself. Failure to hit the bull's eye is never the fault of the target. To improve your aim -- improve yourself. ~ Gilbert Arland ~

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. ~ Jimmy Dean ~ American Actor, Country Singer

You can have anything you want -- if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, have anything you desire, accomplish anything you set out to accomplish -- if you will hold to that desire with singleness of purpose. ~ Robert Collier ~ American Writer, Publisher

The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore. ~ Dale Carnegie ~ 1888-1955, American Author, Trainer

The person who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore. ~ Dale Carnegie ~ 1888-1955, American Author, Trainer

Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in. ~ Katherine Mansfield ~ 1888-1923, New Zealand-born British Author

Happiness must be cultivated. It is like character. It is not a thing to be safely let alone for a moment, or it will run to weeds. ~ Elizabeth Stuart Phelps ~ 1844-1911, American Writer

If you want happiness for an hour -- take a nap. If you want happiness for a day -- go fishing. If you want happiness for a month -- get married. If you want happiness for a year -- inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime -- help someone else. ~ Chinese Proverb ~

There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no insurmountable barrier except our own inherent weakness of purpose. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ 1859-1915, American Author, Publisher

Success is having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that is not enough, you have got to have hard work and a sense of purpose. ~ Margaret Thatcher ~ 1925-, British Stateswoman, Prime Minister (1979-90)

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. ~ John Wooden ~ 1910-, American Basketball Coach

Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then gets discouraged. that's not the place to become discouraged. ~ Thomas A. Edison ~ 1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE

If money is your hope for independence, you will never have it. The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability. ~ Henry Ford ~

Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. ~ Ella Fitzgerald ~

No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required, that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction. ~ Charles K. Adams ~

The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life, and the promise of future accomplishments. ~ Gustave Flaubert ~

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens. ~ John Homer Miller ~

To dream anything that you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself, to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed. ~ Bernard Edmonds ~

The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give. ~ Howard Cosell ~

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. ~ Oprah Winfrey ~

The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life-mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical. ~ Julius Erving ~

Don't be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don't make the same mistake twice. ~ Akio Morita ~

Success is always temporary. When all is said and done, the only thing you'll have left is your character. ~ Vince Gill ~

All that you accomplish or fail to accomplish with your life is the direct result of your thoughts. ~ James Allen ~

Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin. ~ Grace Hansen ~

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~

You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments. Using them up in any self-defeating ways means you've lost them forever. ~ Wayne Dyer ~

Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your mind's eye and you will be drawn toward it. Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would like to do or be. ~ Harry Emerson Fosdick ~

I am a big believer in the "mirror test." All that matters is if you can look in the mirror and honestly tell the person you see there, that you've done your best. ~ John McKay ~

There are two ways of meeting difficulties. You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them. ~ Phyllis Bottome ~

Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction. ~ Anne Frank ~

The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. ~ Vince Lombardi ~

Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. ~ Winston Churchill ~

Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. And success doesn't based on luck. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never -- yes, never -- sell yourself short. ~ David J. Schwartz ~

Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes. Keep hope alive. ~ Jesse Jackson ~

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds, your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. ~ Patanjali ~

We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. ~ Marian Wright Edelman ~

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not our circumstances. ~ Martha Washington ~

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life. ~ Greg Anderson ~

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~

Don't tell your problems to people: eighty percent don't care; and the other twenty percent are glad you have them. ~ Lou Holtz ~

We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no other way. ~ Earl G. Graves ~

I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself. ~ Walter Anderson ~

If you're proactive, you don't have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own. ~ Stephen R. Covey ~

You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning. ~ Barbara Sher ~

We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems. ~ Lee Iococca ~

When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous. ~ Wayne Dyer ~

The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It's the same thing, fear, but it's what you do with it that matters. ~ Cus D'Amato ~

I have no regrets. I wouldn't have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say. ~ Ingrid Bergman ~

Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be. ~ Charlie "Tremendous" Jones ~

I've had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven't run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can't outwork you, then smarts aren't going to do them much good. That's just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you'd be surprised at how much fun you can have. ~ Woody Hayes ~

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. ~ Grandma Moses ~

Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen. ~ Peter Marshall ~

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of the people you love. When you learn to tap into this source, you will truly have defeated age. ~ Sophia Loren ~

I have always felt that although someone may defeat me, and I strike out in a ball game, the pitcher on the particular day was the best player. But I know when I see him again, I'm going to be ready for his curve ball. Failure is a part of success. There is no such thing as a bed of roses all your life. But failure will never stand in the way of success if you learn from it. ~ Hank Aaron ~

Pure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return. ~ Peace Pilgrim ~

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. ~ Helen Keller ~

Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs. ~ Mario Andretti ~

To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless. ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton ~

As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given. ~ Mary Lou Retton ~

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die tomorrow. ~ James Dean ~

The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger ~

What you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to belong to someone else. But what you are will be yours forever. ~ Henry Van Dyke ~

I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me. ~ Charles Swindoll ~

It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before... to test your limits... to break through barriers. And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~ Anais Nin ~

Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand -- and melting like a snowflake. ~ Marie Beyon Ray ~

If you purify your soul of attachment to and desire for things, you will understand them spiritually. If you deny your appetite for them, you will enjoy their truth, understanding what is certain in them. ~ Saint John of the Cross ~

It is necessary for you to learn from others' mistakes. You will not live long enough to make them all yourself. ~ Hyman G. Rickover ~

If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything. ~ Mary Hemingway ~

Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower ~

Those who have lived a good life do not fear death, but meet it calmly, and even long for it in the face of great suffering. But those who do not have a peaceful conscience, dread death as though life means nothing but physical torment. The challenge is to live our life so that we will be prepared for death when it comes. ~ Source Unknown ~

Continuous, unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man be discouraged who has these. ~ James Whitcomb Riley ~

People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure. ~ Lao-Tzu ~

Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will. ~ Michel Eyquem De Montaigne ~

You don't learn to hold your own ground in the world by standing on guard, but by attacking and getting well hammered yourself. ~ George Bernard Shaw ~

We can't afford to waste tears on might-have-beens. We need to turn the tears into sweat that can take us to what can be. ~ Denis Waitley ~

You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside. ~ Wayne Dyer ~

The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved. ~ Samuel Smiles ~

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, "I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along." You must do the thing you think you cannot do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~

I go on working for the same reason that a hen goes on laying eggs. There is in every living creature an obscure but powerful impulse to active functioning. Life demands to be lived. Inaction, save as a measure of recuperation between bursts of activity, is painful and dangerous to the healthy organism - in fact, it is almost impossible. Only the dying can be really idle. ~ H. L. Mencken ~

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, t is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~ Marianne Williamson ~

If I care to listen to every criticism, let alone act on them, then this shop may as well be closed for all other businesses. I have learned to do my best, and if the end result is good then I do not care for any criticism, but if the end result is not good, then even the praise of ten angels would not make the difference. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~

Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible. ~ François de La Rochefoucauld ~

If your dream is a big dream, and if you want your life to work on the high level that you say you do, there's no way around doing the work it takes to get you there. ~ Joyce Chapman ~

Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better… or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future. ~ Og Mandino ~

In the end, the only people who fail are those who do not try. ~ David Viscott. ~

If you have one true friend you have more than your share. ~ Thomas Fuller ~

Keep away from small people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ~ Mark Twain ~

It takes a little courage, a little self-control and some grim determination, if you want to reach your goal. It takes a deal of striving and a firm and stern-set chin. No matter what the battle, if you really want to win, there's no easy path to glory. There's no road to fame. Life, however we may view it, is not a simple parlor game; but its prizes call for fighting, for endurance and for grit, for rugged disposition, and don't-know-when-to-quit. ~ Author Unknown ~

Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could. ~ Barbara De Angelis ~

Do not follow where the path may lead, Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.

A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change. ~ Earl Nightingale ~

You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action. ~ Anthony Robbins ~

If you want to take your mission in life to the next level, if you're stuck and you don't know how to rise, don't look outside yourself. Look inside. Don't let your fears keep you mired in the crowd. Abolish your fears and raise your commitment level to the point of no return, and I guarantee you that the Champion Within will burst forth to propel you toward victory. ~ Bruce Jenner ~

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. ~ Walt Disney ~

Self-acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. Don't numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory. ~ J. Donald Walters ~

The rewards for those who persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory. ~ Ted W. Engstrom. ~

Let every dawn of the morning be to you as the beginning of life. And let every setting of the sun be to you as its close. Then let everyone of these short lives leave its sure record of some kindly thing done for others; some good strength of knowledge gained for yourself. ~ John Ruskin ~

Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other -- it doesn't matter who it is -- and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other. ~ Mother Teresa ~

It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared. ~ Whitney Young, Jr. ~

Those who commence deliberately. They plod on. They stick to it. They persevere and finally reap their rewards. ~ Charles E. Popplerstone ~

Since time is the one immaterial object which we cannot influence -- neither speed up nor slow down, add to nor diminish -- it is an imponderably valuable gift. Each of us has a few minutes a day or a few hours a week which we could donate to an old folks' home or a children's hospital ward. The elderly whose pillows we plump or whose water pitchers we refill may or may not thank us for our gift, but the gift is upholding the foundation of the universe. ~ Maya Angelou ~

What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it. ~ Alexander Graham Bell ~

You cannot do a goal. Long-term planning and goal-setting must therefore be complemented by short-term planning. This kind of planning requires specifying activities. You can do an activity. Activities are steps along the way to a goal. Let's say you desire security. Putting $10.00 in the bank or talking to your stockbroker about your investment plans are activities that will move you toward your goal. ~ Alan Lakein ~

Do not let your circumstances control you. You change your circumstances. ~ Jackie Chan ~

You can have anything in the world you want, if you just help enough other people get what they want. ~ Zig Ziglar ~

Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can reach. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries and predecessors; try to be better than yourself. ~ Source Unknown ~

I do not know anyone who has gotten to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it will get you pretty near. ~ Margaret Thatcher ~

No man can fight his way to the top and stay at the top without exercising the fullest measure of grit, courage, determination, resolution. Every man who gets anywhere does so because he has first firmly resolved to progress in the world and then has enough stick-to-it-tiveness to transform his resolution into reality. Without resolution, no man can win any worthwhile place among his fellow men. ~ B.C. Forbes ~

To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. ~ William Osler ~

Someone receives a promotion, gets an important assignment, makes a major discovery, or moves into the president's office. "He's lucky," an envious person remarks. "He gets the breaks; they're always in his favor." In reality, luck or the breaks of life had little or nothing to do with it. So-called "luck" usually is found at the exact point where preparation meets opportunity. For a time, an individual may get ahead by "pull," but eventually someone with push will displace him. Success is not due to a fortuitous concourse of stars at our birth, but to a steady trail of sparks from the grindstone of hard work each day. ~ Kenneth Hildebrand ~

Stand up to crises. Don't let them throw you! Fight to stay calm... even surmount the crisis completely and turn it into an opportunity. Refuse to renounce your self-image. No matter what happens, you must keep your good opinion of yourself. No matter what happens, you must hold your past successes in your imagination, ready for showing in the motion picture screen of your mind. No matter what happens, no matter what you lose, no matter what failures you must endure, you must keep faith in yourself. Then you can stand up to crises, with calm and courage, refusing to buckle; then you will not fall through the floor. You will be able to support yourself. ~ Maxwell Maltz ~

To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forego even ambition when the end is gained - who can say this is not greatness? ~ William Makepeace Thackeray ~

There are powers inside of you which, if you could discover and use, would make of you everything you ever dreamed or imagined you could become. ~ Orison Swett Marden. ~

Think success, don't think failure. At work, in your home, substitute success thinking for failure thinking. When you face a difficult situation, think, "I'll win," not "I'll probably lose." When you compete with someone else, think, "I'm equal to the best," not "I'm out-classed." When opportunity appears, think "I can do it," never "I can't.' Let the master thought "I-will-succeed" dominate your thinking process. Thinking success conditions your mind to create plans that produce success. Thinking failure does the exact opposite. Failure thinking conditions the mind to think other thoughts that produce failure. ~ David J. Schwartz ~

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touchdown. ~ Ross Perot ~

A fellow must know where he wants to go, if he is going to get anywhere. It is so easy just to drift along. Some people go through school as if they thought they were doing their families a favor. On a job, they work along in a humdrum way, interested only in their salary check. They don't have a goal. When anyone crosses them up, they take their marbles and walk out. The people who go places and do things make the most of every situation. They are ready for the next thing that comes along on the road to their goal. They know what they want and are willing to go an extra mile. ~ William Menninger ~

There are plenty of teams in every sport that have great players and never win titles. Most of the time, those players aren't willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the team. The funny thing is, in the end, their unwillingness to sacrifice only makes individual goals more difficult to achieve. One thing I believe to the fullest is that if you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships. ~ Michael Jordan ~

When you are not passionate about your work, chances are you're not as turned on about life as possible. People who know their purpose, tend to have more energy, enthusiasm and joy at work and at home. You can identify your purpose, by exploring your passions. Look at who you are passionate about "being" rather than just what you are passionate about "doing." ~ Marcia Wieder ~

One comes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whether the statement be true of false. It comes to be dominating thought in one's mind. ~ Robert Collier ~

The riches of life, the love and joy and exhilaration of life can be found only with an upward look. This is an exciting world. It crams-packed with opportunity. Great moments wait around every corner. ~ Richard M. Devos ~

I was taught that everything is attainable if you're prepared to give up, to sacrifice, to get it. Whatever you want to do, you can do it, if you want it badly enough…and I do believe that. I believe that if I wanted to run a mile in four minutes I could do it. I would have to give up everything else in life, but I could run a mile in four minutes. I believe that if a man wanted to walk on water and was prepared to give up everything else in life, he could do that. ~ Stirling Moss ~

You just keep pushing. You just keep pushing. I made every mistake that could be made. But I just kept pushing. ~ Rene McPherson ~

The human spirit is so great a thing that no man can express it; could we rightly comprehend the mind of man nothing would be impossible to us upon the earth. ~ Paracelsus ~

Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. The only reason we really pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow. Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in the long term; it's who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment. ~ Anthony Robbins ~

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ~ Theodore Roosevelt ~

You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call "Failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford ~

Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself. ~ Alan Alda ~

People are either driven to action or complacency, mission or rust. You're either participating in the Game of Life or you're watching it from the grandstands. Herein lies a crucial difference. A champion plays the game: a spectator observes, criticizes and never really gets to live. A champion know what he or she wants and goes after it with carefully calculated goals and no-holds-barred action. A spectator feels that his or her life is not their own. They let others dictate their destiny. They become victims of life instead of masters of it. ~ Bruce Jenner ~

Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~

It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure. ~ Bill Gates ~

Nothing can add more power to your life than concentrating all your energies on a limited set of targets. ~ Nido Qubein ~

Before success comes in any man's life he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical things to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do. ~ Napoleon Hill ~

We pay a heavy price for our fear of failure. It is a powerful obstacle to growth. It assures the progressive narrowing of the personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure -- all your life. ~ John W. Gardner ~

Love comes when manipulation stops; when you think more about the other person than about his or her reactions to you. When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be vulnerable. ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers ~

The miracle, or the power, that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application, and perseverance under the promptings of a brave, determined spirit. ~ Mark Twain ~

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present – love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure – the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth. ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach ~

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation when they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. ~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~

Perhaps we're too embarrassed to change or too frightened of the consequences of showing that we actually care. But why not risk it anyway? Begin Today. Carry out a random act of seemingly senseless kindness, with no expectation or reward or punishment. Safe in the knowledge that one day, someone somewhere might do the same for you. ~ Princess Diana ~

Conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long; even if it is, the consciousness of possessing and using it well should satisfy one, and the great charm of all power is modesty. ~ Louisa May Alcott ~

The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come. ~ James Whitcomb Riley ~

Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk. ~ J.C. Penny ~

Write down the most important things you have to do tomorrow. Now, number them in the order of their true importance. The first thing tomorrow morning, start working on item Number 1, and stay with it until completed. Then take item Number 2 the same way. Then Number 3, and so on. Don't worry if you don't complete everything on the schedule. At least you will have completed the most important projects before getting to the less important ones. ~ Ivy Lee ~

I am learning to understand rather than immediately judge or to be judged. I cannot blindly follow the crowd and accept their approach. I will not allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowledge has transcended that and I have come to understand that life is best to be lived and not to be conceptualized. I am happy because I am daily growing and I am honestly not knowing where the limit lies. To be certain, every day there can be a revelation or a new discovery. I treasure the memory of the past misfortunes. It has added more to my bank of fortitude. ~ Bruce Lee ~

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward. ~ Henry Ford ~

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. ~ Mother Teresa ~

To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

By going over your day in imagination before you begin it, you can begin acting successfully at any moment. ~ Dorothea Brande ~

There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose. ~ Elbert Hubbard. ~

You can't ask for what you want unless you know what it is. A lot of people don't know what they want or they want much less than they deserve. First you have figure out what you want. Second, you have to decide that you deserve it. Third, you have to believe you can get it. And, fourth, you have to have the guts to ask for it. ~ Barbara De Angelis ~

If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do. ~ Lucille Ball ~

The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse. ~ Helen Keller ~

You have to persevere. You have to do it. I have insecurities. But whatever I'm insecure about I don't dissect it, but I'll go after it and say, "What am I afraid of?" I bet the average successful person can tell you they've failed so much more than they've had success. I've had far more failures than I've had successes. With every commercial I've gotten, there were 200 I didn't get. You have to go after what you're afraid of. ~ Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) ~

When you put faith, hope and love together, you can raise positive kids in a negative world. ~ Zig Ziglar ~

Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod. ~ Aristophanes ~

Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning. ~ Denis Waitley ~

If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done. ~ Dale Carnegie ~

You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. there are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind. ~ Darwin P. Kingsley ~

Press on. Obstacles are seldom the same size tomorrow as they are today. ~ Robert H. Schuller ~

You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own. ~ Mark Victor Hansen ~

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action. ~ Confucius ~

It's the constant and determined effort that breaks down all resistance, sweeps away all obstacles. ~ Claude M. Bristol ~

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. ~ Chinese Proverb ~

Every one's got it in him, if he'll only make up his mind and stick at it. None of us is born with a stop-valve on his powers or with a set limit to his capacities, There's no limit possible to the expansion of each one of us. ~ Charles M. Schwab ~

I will prepare and some day my chance will come. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~

Perhaps nobody ever accomplishes all that he feels lies in him to do; but nearly every one who tries his power touches the walls of his being. ~ Charles Dudley Warner ~

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him. ~ Buddha ~

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. ~ Brian Tracy ~

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is! ~ Anne Frank ~

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated…it is finished when it surrenders. ~ Ben Stein ~

History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats. ~ B. C. Forbes. ~

Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy. ~ Wayne W. Dyer ~

To succeed means that you may have to step out of line and march to the sound of your own drummer. ~ Keith DeGreen ~

I found that I could find the energy... that I could find the determination to keep on going. I learned that your mind can amaze your body, if you just keep telling yourself, I can do it... I can do it... I can do it! ~ Jon Erikson ~

Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive, it isn't. -- Richard Bach

I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right. ~ Albert Einstein ~

There’s no substitute for guts. ~ Paul "Bear" Bryant ~ (1913-1983, American Football Coach)

He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had failed. ~ William James ~ (1842-1910, American Psychologist, Professor, Author)

Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief. ~ Joseph Addison ~ (1672-1719, British Essayist, Poet, Statesman)

If you wished to be loved, love. ~ Seneca ~ (4 B.C.-65 A.D., Spanish-born Roman Statesman, philosopher)

Always Create Your Own Dreams and Live Life to the Fullest

Dreams can come true if you take the time
to think about what you want in life.
Get to know yourself.
Find out who you are.
Choose your goals carefully.
Be honest with yourself.
Always believe in yourself.
Find many interests and pursue them.
Find out what is important to you.
Find out what you are good at.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
Work hard to achieve successes.
When things are not going right,
don't give up - just try harder
Give yourself freedom to try out new things.
Laugh and have a good time.
Open yourself up to love.
Take part in the beauty of nature.
Be appreciative of all that you have.
Help those less fortunate than you.
Work towards peace in the world.
Live life to the fullest.
Create your own dreams and
follow them until they are a reality.

~ Susan Polis Schutz ~

Living a life of integrity is one of the greatest missions we can undertake. ~ Greg Anderson ~ (American Author of "The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness")

I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of the success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome. ~ Golda Meir ~ (1898-1978, Prime Minister of Israel, 1969-74)

In the arena of human life the honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action. ~ Aristotle ~ (BC 384-322, Greek Philosopher)

Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. ~ William Shakespeare ~ (1564-1616, British Poet, Playwright, Actor)

A friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you just the same. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ (1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

The family unit plays a critical role in our society and in the training of the generation to come. ~ Sandra Day O'Connor ~ (1930-, First American Woman Supreme Court Judge)

From my experience, forgiving is the only way to survive. ~ Molly Ringwald ~ (1968-, American Actress)

Being rich isn't about money. Being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to take time to stop and eat the heart of the watermelon. And some of us will be rich without ever being more than a paycheck ahead of the game. ~ Harvey Mackay ~ (American Businessman, Speaker, Author)

Something which we think is impossible now will not be impossible in another decade. ~ Constance Baker Motley ~ (First Black American Woman Federal Judge)

How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to do what really matters most. ~ Stephen Covey ~ (American Speaker, Trainer, Author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People")

Until you get dissatisfied, you won't do anything to really move your life to another level. Dissatisfaction is a gem. If you're totally satisfied, you're going to get comfortable. And then your life begins to deteriorate. ~ Anthony Robbins ~ (1960-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert)

Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential. ~ Liane Cardes ~ ()

It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause. Who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory
nor defeat. ~ Theodore Roosevelt ~ (1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA)

The important thing is not to stop questioning. ~ Albert Einstein ~ (1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy. ~ Malcomb S. Forbes ~ (1919-1990, American Publisher, Businessman)

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile. ~ Mother Teresa ~ (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do. ~ Leontyne Price ~ (Opera Singer)

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying a way small stones. ~ Chinese Proverb ~ ()

If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. ~ Mildred Mcafee ~ ()

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously. ~ Nicholas Butler ~ (1862-1947, American Educationist)

Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement. ~ Charles F. Kettering ~ (1876-1958, American Engineer, Inventor)

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in the world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, make them. ~ George Bernard Shaw ~ (1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. I like to work out. I like to play ball. I like to spend time with my friends. I like to make myself better every day. I like to try to learn. It doesn't take money to do that. ~ Steve Nash ~ ()

Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. ~ Colin Powell ~ (1937-, American Army General)

Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential. ~ Bruce Lee ~ (1940-1973, Chinese-American Actor, Director, Author, Martial Artist)

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~ William James ~ (1842-1910, American Psychologist, Professor, Author)

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~ (1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

Experience is not what happens to a man, it is what a man does with what happens to him. ~ Aldous Huxley ~ (1825-1895, British Biologist, Educator)

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes time. Vision WITH action can change the world. A true leader must first see an idea as opportunity, then choose to act upon it. ~ Joel Barker ~ (American Businessman, Consultant, Author)

Adversity is the foundation of virtue. ~ Japanese Proverb ~ ()

People do not lack strength; they lack will. ~ Victor Hugo ~ (1802-1885, French Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary. ~ Vidal Sassoon ~ (American Hairdresser)

Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company. ~ George Washington ~ (1732-1799, First President of the USA)

We should set goals within the limits of our resources while working to the limits of our powers. ~ Richard M. Nixon ~ (1913-1994, Thirty-seventh President of the USA)

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. ~ Don Marquis ~ (1878-1937, American Humorist, Journalist)

Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity. ~ Christopher Morley ~ (1890-1957, American Novelist, Journalist, Poet)

Enthusiasm, like measles, mumps and the common cold, is highly contagious. ~ Emory Ward ~ ()

All my life I used to wonder what I would become when I grew up. Then, about seven years ago, I realized that I was never going to grow up - that growing is an ever ongoing process. ~ M. Scott Peck ~ (American Psychiatrist, Author)

Other people's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. ~ Les Brown ~ (1945-, American Speaker, Author, Trainer, Motivator Lecturer)

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. ~ Albert Einstein ~ (1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works is tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. ~ Larry Bird ~ (American Basketball Player, Coach)

Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me. ~ Carol Burnett ~ (American Television Comedian)

If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.
~ Chinese Proverb ~ ()

Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tone the spirit just as exercise conditions the body. ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger ~ (1947-, Austrian-born American Actor, Author, Businessman)

You always pass failure on the way to success. ~ Mickey Rooney ~ (American Actor)

Inch by inch, it's a cinch. ~ Robert H. Schuller ~ (1926-, American Minister, Author, Social Leader)

There is no labor a person does that is undignified; if they do it right. ~ Bill Cosby ~ (1937-, American Actor, Comedian)

You must continue to gain expertise, but avoid thinking like an expert. ~ Denis Waitley ~ (1933-, American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert)

The more you know the less you need to say. ~ Jim Rohn ~ (American Businessman, Author, Speaker, Philosopher)

The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to create momentum. The most important rules that I ever adopted to help me in achieving my goals were those I learned from a very successful man who taught me to first write down the goal, and then to never leave the site of setting a goal without first taking some form of positive action toward its attainment. ~ Anthony Robbins ~ (1960-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. ~ Babe Ruth ~ (1895-1948, American Baseball Player)

When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom. ~ John Gray ~ (American Relationship Expert, Author)

Seek first to understand and then to be understood. ~ Stephen R. Covey ~ (American Speaker, Trainer, Author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People")

You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. ~ Walt Disney ~ (1901-1966, American Artist, Film Producer)

You're never a loser until you quit trying. ~ Mike Ditka, American Football Coach ~ ()

When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself. ~ Wayne Dyer ~ (1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

What you are will show in what you do. ~ Thomas A. Edison ~ (1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

If you expect nothing, you're apt to be surprised. You'll get it. ~ Malcolm S. Forbes ~ (1919-1990, American Publisher, Businessman)

The greatest genius will never be worth much if he pretends to draw exclusively from his own resources. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~ (1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

My life's work has been accomplished. I did all that I could. ~ Mikhail Gorbachev ~ (1931-, Soviet Statesman and President of USSR (1988-91))

If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today. ~ Lou Holtz ~ (1937-, American Football Coach)

Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. ~ Billy Graham ~ (1918-, American Evangelist)

The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it. ~ Wayne Gretzky ~ (1961-, Canadian Hockey Player)

What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after. ~ Ernest Hemingway ~ (1898-1961, American Writer)

You don't have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals. ~ Sir Edmund Hillary ~ (1919-, New Zealand Mountaineer, Explorer)

Getting in touch with your true self must be your first priority. ~ Tom Hopkins ~ (American Sales Trainer, Speaker, Author)

Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great minds rise above them. ~ Washington Irving ~ (1783-1859, American Author)

Part of being a champ is acting like a champ. You have to learn how to win and not run away when you lose. Everyone has bad stretches and real successes. Either way, you have to be careful not to lose your confidence or get too confident. ~ Nancy Kerrigan ~ (American Figure Skater)

Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down. ~ Charles F. Kettering ~ (1876-1958, American Engineer, Inventor)

Change yourself and your work will seem different. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~ (1898-1993, American Christian Reformed Pastor, Speaker, Author)

Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. ~ William Penn ~ (1644-1718, British Religious Leader, Founder of Pennsylvania)

Failures are like skinned knees, painful but superficial. ~ H. Ross Perot ~ (1930-, American Businessman & Politician)

Win or lose, do it fairly. ~ Knute Rockne ~ (1888-1931, Norwegian-born American Football Coach)

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~ Aesop ~ (620-560 BC, Greek Fabulist)


Practice Peace

Practice peace, peace you'll get.
Practice war, you'll regret.
For what you practice, that you teach.
Practice peace and peace you reach.
Practice peace, it'll exist.
Practice war, you'll resist
Learning a basic rule of life,
Practice war, you'll experience strife.
You practice peace or you don't.
Practice war and you won't
Own the greatest treasure you can find,
That of owning your peace of mind.
Practice peace, peace you'll get
Or practice war and you'll regret.

If I found a lamp with a genie with one wish to grant me,
I'd ask that peace be granted to all of humanity.
So the world's resources be used to create
A world where each person is free to orchestrate
His potential for the benefit of mankind.
That's what I'd wish if such a lamp I'd find.

If I could fly like a bird in the sky
Or swim in the sea like a fish
And find a magic lantern,
This is what I would wish.
Peace on earth, good will to man,
Not in a special season.
And the world should not be ruled by hate,
But by love and perfect reason.

If I could change the world in one fell swoop.
I'd eliminate the need to put people in a group
For inclusion or exclusion, then we'd see,
How much we have in common, our diversity.
Until we see how much we are alike,
We'll look for differences, things to dislike,
Instead of our humanity on which to build trust.
And to live in peace and be kind and just

~ Author Unknown ~



The path is smooth that leadeth on to danger. ~ William Shakespeare ~ (1564-1616, British Poet, Playwright, Actor)

You don't pay the price for success. You enjoy the price for success. ~ Zig Ziglar ~ (American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

To solve big problems you have to be willing to do unpopular things. ~ Lee Iacocca ~ (1924-, American Businessman, Former CEO of Chrysler)

If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time. ~ Marian Wright Edelman ~ (1939-, American Lobbyist)

Few things are necessary to make the wise man happy while no amount of material wealth would satisfy a fool. I am not a fool. ~ Og Mandino ~ (1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

Having once decided to achieve a certain task, achieve it at all costs of tedium and distaste. The gain in self confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labor is immense. ~ Thomas A. Bennett ~ ()

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. ~ Mark Twain ~ (1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)


Great Advice

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
Never trouble another what you can do yourself.
Never spend your money before you have it.
Never want what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.
Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst and cold.
We never repent of having eaten too little.
Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened
Take things always by their smooth handle.
When angry, count ten, before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.

~ Thomas Jefferson ~
(1743-1826, Third President of the USA)


We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away. ~ Chuang Tzu ~ (c 369 BC-286 BC, Chinese Philosopher)

Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character. ~ George Santayana ~ (1863-1952, American Philosopher, Poet)

Civilization rests on a set of promises; if the promises are broken too often, the civilization dies, no matter how rich it may be, or how mechanically clever. Hope and faith depend on the promises; if hope and faith go, everything goes. ~ Herbert Agar ~ (American Author)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door shall be opened. ~ Bible ~ (Sacred Scriptures of Christians and Judaism)

You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind. ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~ (1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

The superior man... does not set his mind either for or against anything, he will pursue whatever is right. The superior man thinks of virtue, the common man of comfort. ~ Confucius ~

Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen. ~ Lee Iacocca ~

I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do. ~ Helen Keller ~ (1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist)

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. ~ Oscar Wilde ~ (1856-1900, British Author, Wit)

Nothing in life is more exciting and rewarding than the sudden flash of insight that leaves you a changed person - not only changed, but for the better. ~ Arthur Gordon ~ ()

The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win. ~ Bobby Knight ~ (1940-, American Basketball Coach)


You Can Do It!

Despite limitations, there's room for change.
Fight your frustrations, try to rearrange.
Don't run from problems, put them on a shelf.
A lot of the answers come with changing yourself.
And you can do it, you know it's true.
You're the one who can change you.

Don't blame the world for what you're not.
Do the best with what you've got.
For no one's perfect, there's room to grow.
Keep on trying, though the going's slow.
Count up your assets. Don't deny.
You can improve, if you give it a try.
You can do it, you know it's true.
You are the one who can change you.

Don't wait around and just complain.
You are the one to soothe the pain.
Despite perception, there's room to move.
Fight your deceptions and get in the groove.
Look at your conflicts, try to renew.
With change they will fade from view.
You can do it, you know it's true.
You are the one who can change you.

Don't waste your time on what you're not.
Concentrate on what you've got.
Yes, you can do it.

~ Author Unknown ~


The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. ~ John Enoch Powell ~ (1912-, British Statesman)

Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. ~ Napoleon Hill ~ (1883-1970, American Speaker, Motivational Author, "Think and Grow
Rich")

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. ~ Lucille Ball ~ (1911-1989, American Actress)

Those who really desire to attain an independence, have only set their minds upon it, and adopt the proper means, as they do in regard to any other object which they wish to accomplish, and the thing is easily done. ~ P.T. Barnum ~ (1810-1891, American Showman, Entertainer, Circus Builder)

Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours. ~ Ludwig Van Beethoven ~ (1770-1827, German Composer)

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. ~ Milton Berle ~ (1908-, American Actor, Entertainer)

If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else. ~ Yogi Berra ~ (1925-, American Baseball Player)


IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love yous".. more "I'm sorrys".. but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute..look at it and really see it.. live it.. and never give it back.

~ Erma Bombeck ~
(1927 -- 1996, American Humorist, Author)


Success is 99 percent failure. ~ Soichiro Honda ~ (Japanese businessman, founder of Honda Motor Corp.)

With the power of conviction, there is no sacrifice. ~ Pat Benetar ~ (American Singer)

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong. ~ Muhammad Ali ~ (1942-, American Boxer)

Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice. Better than knowledge is meditation. But better still is surrender of attachment to results, because there follows immediate peace. ~ Bhagavad Gita ~ (c. BC 400, Sanskrit Poem Incorporated Into the Mahabharata)

A minute's success pays the failure of years. ~ Robert Browning ~ (1812-1889, British Poet)

My basic principle is that you don't make decisions because they are easy; you don't make them because they are cheap; you don't make them because they're popular; you make them because they're right. ~ Theodore Hesburgh ~ (American Educator)


FRIENDSHIP IS A PRICELESS GIFT

Friendship is a priceless gift, cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is greater than a mountain made of gold.
Gold is cold and lifeless, cannot see or hear,
And in time of trouble it's powerless to cheer.
It has no ears to listen, no heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort or lend a helping hand,
So when you ask God for a gift, be thankful if He sends,
Not diamonds, pearls or riches, but the love of real true friends.

~ Ella Steiner Wilcox ~
(1855-1919, American Poet, Journalist)


There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving and that's your own self. ~ Aldous Huxley ~ (1825-1895, British Biologist, Educator)

Difficulty, my brethren, is the nurse of greatness --a harsh nurse, who roughly rocks her foster-children into strength and athletic proportion. ~ William C. Bryant ~ (1794-1878, American Poet, Newspaper Editor)

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your
face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. ~ Mother Teresa ~ (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know it just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers. ~ Richard Bach ~ (1936-, American Author)

You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need. ~ Jerry Gillies ~ (American Author, Speaker)

About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won't like you at all. ~ Rita Mae Brown ~ (1944-, American Writer)


IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax, I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles,
but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live
sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments,
And if I had it to do over again,
I'd have more of them.
In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.
Just moments, one after another,
instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle,
a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

~ Nadine Stair ~
(85 years young woman)



Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. ~ Henry Ward Beecher ~ (1813-1887, American Preacher, Orator, Writer)

The miracle, or the power, that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application, and perseverance under the prompting of a brave, determined spirit. ~ Mark Twain ~ (1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)

Each problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems. ~ Rene Descartes ~ (1596-1650, French Philosopher, Scientist)

There is genius in persistence. It conquers all opposers. It gives confidence. It annihilates obstacles. Everybody believes in a determined man. People know that when he undertakes a thing, the battle is half won, for his rule is to accomplish whatever he sets out to do. ~ Orison Swett Marden ~

Whatever does not destroy me makes me stronger. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~ (1844-1900, German Philosopher)

Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things. ~ Denis Diderot ~ (1713-1784, French Philosopher)

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated. ~ Maya Angelou ~ (1928-, African-American poet, Writer, Performer)


Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

There are two days in every week that we should not worry about,
two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders,
its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed. Nor can we erase a
single word we said - yesterday is gone!

The other day we shouldn't worry about is tomorrow, with its
impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and
poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise either in splendor or behind a mask
of clouds - but it will rise. And until it does,
we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day - today. Any person can fight the
battles of just one day. It is only when we add the burdens of
yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives people mad - it is the
remorse of bitterness for something which happened
yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, live one day at a time!

~ Author Unknown ~



Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few stones upon it. ~ Albert Schweitzer ~ (1875-1965, German Born Medical Missionary, Theologian, Musician, and Philosopher)

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~ (1855-1919, American Poet, Journalist)

Those who want to succeed will find a way, those who don't will find an excuse! ~ Leo Aguila ~

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom. ~ George S. Patton ~ (1885-1945, American Army General during World War II)

If you got the guts to stick it out, you are going to make it. ~ Brian Hays ~ ()

The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed. ~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan ~ (1751-1816, Anglo-Irish Dramatist)

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. ~ John Wooden ~ (1910-, American Basketball Coach)


From My Heart With Love

When you look at me
I can't help but see
The never ending love
That's there for me
As I spread my wings
Like birds in flight
Take my hand
And hold it tight
The support you show
Throughout the years
Keeps me calm
And soothes my fears

Your faith gives me
The courage to dream
Of leaves in the wind
A glittering stream
Your strength fills me
With the assurance
To meet life's
Test of endurance
The knowledge and wisdom
That you share
Helps me make
Decisions with care

If I stumble, fall
Or lose my way
Your love is in
My life to stay
You hug my soul
You warm my heart
There is no doubt
We shall never part

~ Source Unknown ~


Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in reaching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny. ~ Carl Schurz ~ (1829-1906, German-born American Senator)

I'm not afraid of storms for I'm learning how to sail my ship. ~ Louisa May Alcott ~ (1832-1888, American Author)

There is nothing impossible to him who will try. ~ Alexander The Great ~ (352-323 BC, Alexander III, Ancient Macedonian King)

The thing you set your mind on is the thing you ultimately become. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne ~ (1804-1864, American Novelist, Short Story Writer)

For what is the best choice, for each individual is the highest it is possible for him to achieve. ~ Aristotle ~ (BC 384-322, Greek Philosopher)

Carpe Diem. Sieze the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary. ~ Robin Williams ~ (1952-, American Actor, Comedian)


THE EAGLE

There is an ancient Indian myth that tells of an
eagle's nest perched high up on a ledge.
One day one of the eaglets fell from the nest to
the plains below. The baby eagle was adopted by a
family of prairie chickens and nursed back to health.

Daily the eagle and the prairie chickens would walk the
plains scratching in the dust for fragments of food.
One day the eagle, now quite fully grown, looked up
above to the high rocky cliff face and
saw some wide winged birds gliding overhead.

"What are they called?" asked the eagle.

"They are eagles," replied the old bird.
"But don't ever imagine you could be like them.
You are one of us, a prairie chicken."
The eagle turned away and went on scratching in the dirt for food.

That bird had the capacity to stretch it's wings and fly.
We all have the capacity to soar and so few ever do.
We become bound by the negative beliefs and notions
that suggest "I am what I am, and can never change," or
thoughts that tell us "there is really no more to be
gained out of life, other than what I already have."

You are an eagle, so start to fly.

~ Source Unknown ~


Failure does not count. If you accept this, you'll be successful. What causes most people to fail is that after one failure, they'll stop trying. ~ Frank Burford ~ ()



To live we must conquer incessantly, we must have the courage to be happy. ~ Henri Frederic Amiel ~ (1821-1881, Swiss Philosopher, Poet, Critic)

Bullets cannot be recalled. They cannot be uninvented. But they can be taken out of the gun. ~ Martin Amis ~ (1949-, British Author)

Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills. ~ Minna Antrim ~ (1861-18?, American Epigrammist)

Give me a lever long enough, and a prop strong enough, I can single-handed move the world. ~ Archimedes ~ (c. 287-12212 BC, Greek Mathematician)

You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart. Then people are going to treat you better. You're going to find, yes you will, that you're beautiful as you feel. ~ Carole King ~ ()

One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. ~ Arthur Ashe ~ (1943-1993, American Tennis Player)


Your Life Holds Unlimited Potential and Wonderful Dreams

You have the ability
to attain whatever you seek;
within you is every potential
you can imagine.
Always aim higher than
you believe you can reach.
So often, you'll discover
that when your talents
are set free
by your imagination,
you can achieve any goal.
If people offer their
help or wisdom
as you go through life,
accept it gratefully.
You can learn much from those
who have gone before you.
But never be afraid or hesitant
to step off the accepted path
and head off in your own direction
if your heart tells you
that it's the right way for you.
Always believe that you will
ultimately succeed
at whatever you do,
and never forget the value
of persistence, discipline,
and determination.
You are meant to be
whatever you dream of becoming.

~ Edmund O'Neill ~



Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right. ~ Isaac Asimov ~ (1920-1992, Russian-born American Author)

Tears are the summer showers to the soul. ~ Alfred Austin ~ (1835-1914, British Poet)

It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire and many things to fear. ~ Francis Bacon ~ (1561-1626, British Philosopher, Essayist, Statesman)

The thing always happens that you really believe in. And the belief in a thing makes it happen. And I think nothing will happen until you thoroughly and deeply believe in it. ~ Frank Lloyd Wright ~ (1869-1959, American Architect)

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~ (1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

What you love is as unique to you as your fingerprints. You need to know that because nothing will make you really happy but doing what you love. ~ Barbara Sher ~ (American Author of "I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was")

The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice -- their choice. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower ~ (1890-1969, Thirty-fourth President of the USA)


I HAVE LEARNED...

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just
don't care back.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way
you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust,
and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life but who you
have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about fifteen
minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best
others can do but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's not what happens to people that's important.
It's what they do about it.

I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give
you heartache for life.

I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it,
there are always two sides.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I
want to be.

I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving
words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship
is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else
to take its place.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be
done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing
and have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you
when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be
angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the
longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of
experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and
less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that you should never tell a child their dreams are
unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating,
and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I've learned that your family won't always be there for you.
It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of
you and love you and teach you to trust people again.
Families aren't biological.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to
hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have
influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced
to choose sides even when I don't want to.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't
mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual
ahead of their actions.

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand
that friends change.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and
see something totally different.

I've learned that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.

I've learned that no matter the consequences, those who are
honest with themselves get farther in life.

I've learned that no matter how many friends you have, if you are their
pillar you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by
people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.

I've learned that the paradigm we live in is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you
a decent human being.

I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken
from you too soon.

I've learned that although the word "love" can have many
different meaning, it loses value when overly used.

I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line
between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and
standing up for what you believe.

~ Author Unknown ~



You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time. ~ Charles F. Kettering ~ (1876-1958, American Engineer, Inventor)

Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible. ~ Cherie Carter-Scott ~ (American Author, Speaker, Trainer)

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. ~ Sydney J. Harris ~ (1917-, American Journalist)


LEAVING THE CITY OF REGRETS

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I
found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be
unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it.
I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip."

I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines. It was an extremely
short flight. I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry
it myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand memories of
what might have been. No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the
Regret City International Airport. I say international because people
from all over the world come to this dismal town.

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they would be
hosting the year's most important event, the Annual Pity Party. I wasn't
going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading
citizens would be there.

First, there would be the Done family, you know, Should Have, Would Have
and Could Have. Then came the I Had family. You probably know ol' Wish
and his clan. Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and
Lost. The biggest family would be the Yesterday's. There are far too
many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share.

Then Shattered Dreams would surely make and appearance. And It's Their
Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed
in his life, and each story would be loudly applauded by Don't Blame Me
and I Couldn't Help It.

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing party knowing
that there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became
very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures
brought back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and
subsequent "pity party" could be canceled by ME! I started to truly
realize that I did not have to be there. I didn't have to be depressed.
One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO
HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous,
fulfilled, encouraged, as well as encouraging. Knowing this, I left the
City of Regret immediately and left no forwarding address. Am I sorry
for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no physical way
to undo them.

So, if you're planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please cancel
all your reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a place called,
Starting Again. I liked it so much that I have now taken up permanent
residence there. My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts
are so very helpful. By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy
baggage, because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival.
God bless you in finding this great town. If you can find it -- it's
in your own heart -- please look me up. I live on I Can Do It Street.

~ Larry Harp ~



There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. ~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~ (1225-1274, Italian Scholastic Philosopher and Theologian)

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. ~ Vincent van Gogh ~ (1853-1890, Dutch Painter)

Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them. ~ Brendan Francis ~ ()

To be nobody but yourself -- in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else -- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. ~ E.E. Cummings ~ (1894-1962, American Poet)



You don't always get what you ask for, but you never get what you don't ask for... unless it's contagious! ~ Franklyn Broude ~ ()

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability. ~ Confucius ~ (BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher)

The interesting thing is that there are so few important decisions. You don't have to go in the "right" direction. You don't have to enter the "right" business. What you have to do is have made a decision as to what you're going to do and then you just have to figure out how to succeed at it. ~ Ken Oshman ~ ()


THE MIRACLE

There is a miracle in the making,
And the miracle is you.
You awakening the beauty within;
Seeing things in a new light;
Taking the time to make your body healthy;
Making your mark so the right things will happen;
Setting the stage for the pleasures and promises of love;
Developing the special talents you have been given;
Expressing your own creativity in the way you are living.
Know this day that there has always been a wonderful you,
And life will help you grow if you let it.
Believe... tomorrow... that you will create an even healthier, happier you,
And the best will only get better.

~ Author unknown ~


Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records. ~ William A. Ward ~ ()

Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny. ~ Carl Schurz ~ (1829-1906, German-born American Senator)

You create your opportunities by asking for them. ~ Patty Hansen ~ (American Author)

If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything. ~ Win Borden ~ (American Businessman)

Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish. ~ Ovid ~ (BC 43-18 AD, Roman Poet)


RULES FOR BEING HUMAN

You will receive a body.
You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.

You will learn lessons.
You are enrolled in a full-time, informal school called life.

There are no mistakes, only lessons.
Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation.
The "failed" experiments are as much a part of
the process as the experiments that ultimately "work".

Lessons are repeated until they are learned.
A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it.
When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.

Learning lessons does not end.
There is no part of life that doesn't.
If you're alive, there are still lessons to be learned.

"There" is no better than "here".
When your "there" has become "here", you will simply obtain
another "there" that will again look better than "here".

Other people are merely mirrors of you.
You can not love or hate something about another person unless it
reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

What you make of your life is up to you.
You have all the tools and resources you need.
What you do with them is up to you.
The choice is yours.

~ Author Unknown ~



Once you've done the mental work, there comes a point you have to throw yourself into the action and put your heart on the line. That means not only being brave, but being compassionate towards yourself, your teammates and your opponents. ~ Phil Jackson ~ (American Basketball Coach)

The world is divided into people who do things and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There's far less competition. ~ Dwight Whitney Morrow ~ (1873-1931, American Lawyer, Banker, diplomat)

The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for. ~ Maureen Dowd ~ (American Newspaper Columnist)

Anybody can do just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes up his mind to do. We are all capable of greater things than we realize. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~ (1898-1993, American Christian Reformed Pastor, Speaker, Author)

I don't ever look back. I look forward. ~ Steffi Graf ~ (1969-, German Tennis Player)

There is no moment like the present. The man who will not execute his resolutions when they are fresh upon him can have no hope from them afterwards: they will be dissipated, lost, and perish in the hurry and scurry of the world, or sunk in the slough of indolence. ~ Maria Edgeworth ~ (1767-1849, British Writer)

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T. S. Eliot ~ (1888-1965, American-born British Poet, Critic)

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~ Walter Elliott ~ ()


ATTITUDES

The longer I live, the more I realize the
impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts,
It is more important than the past,
than education, than money,
than circumstances, than failures, than success,
than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance,
giftedness, or skill
It will make or break a company, a church, a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice
everyday regarding the attitude we will
embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past...
we cannot change the fact that people will
act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing that we can do is play on the one
string we have, and that is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what
happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you.

~ Charles Swindoll ~
(American Pastor, Author)


It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. ~ Zig Ziglar ~ (1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will be powerless
to vex your mind. ~ Leonardo Da Vinci ~ (1452-1519, Italian Inventor, Architect, Painter, Scientist, Sculptor)

The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love,which includes not only others but ourselves as well. ~ Elizabeth Kubler Ross ~

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. ~ Winston Churchill ~ (1874-1965, British Prime Minister)

I feel sorry for the person who can't get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile. ~ Walter Chrysler ~ (American Businessman, Founder of Chrysler Motors)

Acquire the courage to believe in yourself. Many of the things that you have been taught were at one time the radical ideas of individuals who had the courage to believe what their own hearts and minds told them was true, rather than accept the common beliefs of their
day. ~ Ching Ning Chu ~ (Chinese-American Businesswoman, Author)

I'd rather be a flop at show business than to be a success at something I didn't like. ~ George Burns ~ (1896-1996, American Comedy Actor)

Patience will achieve more than force. ~ Edmund Burke ~ (1729-1797, British Political Writer, Statesman)

The pen is mightier than the sword. ~ Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton ~ (1803-1873, British Novelist, Poet)

Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago. ~ Warren Buffett ~ (1930-, American Investment Entrepreneur)

I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels. ~ Pearl S. Buck ~ (1892-1973, American Novelist)

Should you shield the valleys from the windstorms, you would never see the beauty of their canyons. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ~ ()

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves. ~ William A. Ward ~ ()

Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don't just stand there, make it happen. ~ Lee Iacocca ~ (1924-, American Businessman, Former CEO of Chrysler)

Do one thing at a time and do that one thing as if your life depended upon it. ~ Eugene Grace ~ ()

There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success. ~ George M. Adams ~ (1878-1962, American Author)

Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day. ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ (1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat)

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on! ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~ (1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA)

There is only one success - To be able to spend your life in your own way. ~ Christopher Morley ~ (1890-1957, American Novelist, Journalist, Poet)

Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ (1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

You must have long range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short range failures. ~ Charles C. Noble ~ ()

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ~ Albert Einstein ~ (1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)


Risk It!

Too often we are scared,
Scared of what we might be able to do,
Scared of what people might think if we tried.
We let our fears stand in the way of our hopes.
We say no when we want to say yes.

We sit quietly when we want to scream,
And we shout with the others
When we should keep our mouths shut.

Why?

After all, we do only go around once.
There's really no time to be afraid.

So stop.

Try something you've never tried... Risk It!

~ Author Unknown ~


One must learn by doing the thing. For though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try. ~ Sophocles ~ (BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet)

We've removed the ceiling above our dreams. There are no more impossible dreams. ~ Jesse Jackson ~ (1941-, American Clergyman, Civil Rights Leader)

Success is the sum of small efforts -- repeated day in and day out. ~ Robert Collier ~ (American Writer, Publisher)

To get profit without risk, experience without danger and reward without work is as impossible as it is to live without being born. ~ A.P. Gouthey ~ ()

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. ~ St. Basil ~

The fruit of peace is love and the fruit of love is forgiveness. ~ Mary of Mejugorje ~

The heart sees better than the eye. ~ Hebrew Proverb ~


I Am Blessed Indeed!

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely girl, I envied her.
She seemed so happy. And I wish I were as fair.
And then, suddenly,she rose to leave, and I saw her hobble down the aisle,
She had one leg and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two legs,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

Later, walking down the street, I saw a boy with eyes of blue.
But he just stood and watched the others play.
So, I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others?"
But he looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew he could not hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

And later, I stopped to buy some sweets,
The lad who sold them had such charm,
I talked with him. If I were late, it would do no harm.
But as I turned to go, he said to me,
"I thank you, sir. You've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you."
"You see," he said, "I am blind."

Oh God forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

With legs to take me where I want to go,
With ears to hear the things I need to know,
With eyes to watch that radiant sunset glow.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,

I AM BLESSED INDEED! THE WORLD IS MINE!

~ Author Unknown ~


Today I forgive all those who have ever offended me. I give my love to all thirsty hearts, both to those who love me and to those who do not love me. ~ Paramahansa Yogananda ~ (Spiritual Author, Lecturer)

The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility. ~ Leland Kaiser ~

The happiest excitement in life is to be convinced that one is fighting for all one is worth on behalf of some clearly seen and deeply felt good. ~ Ruth Benedict ~ (1887-1948, American Anthropologist)

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself. ~ Mark Caine ~

Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments. ~ Rose Kennedy ~

The first step toward change is acceptance. Once you accept yourself, you open the door to change. That's all you have to do. Change is not something you do, it's something you allow. ~ Will Garcia ~

That best portion of a good man's life; his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~ William Wordsworth ~ (1770-1850, British Poet)


The Power of a Smile

She smiled at a sorrowful stranger.
The smile seemed to make him feel better.
He remembered past kindnesses of a friend,
And wrote him a thank you letter.
The friend was so pleased with the thank you.
That he left a large tip after lunch.
The waitress, surprised by the size of the tip,
Bet the whole thing on a hunch.
The next day she picked up her winnings,
And gave part to a man on the street.
The man on the street was grateful;
For two days he'd had nothing to eat.
After he finished his dinner,
He left for his small dingy room.
On the way he picked up a shivering puppy
And took him home to get warm.
The puppy was very grateful
To be in out of the storm.
That night the house caught on fire.
The puppy barked the alarm.
He barked till he woke the whole household
And saved everybody from harm.
One of the boys that he rescued grew up to be President.
All this because of a simple smile that hadn't cost a cent.

~ Author Unknown ~


Sometimes what seems like surrender isn't surrender at all. It's about what's going on in your own hearts. About seeing clearly the way life is and accepting it and being true to it, whatever the pain, because the pain of not being true to it is far, far greater. ~ Nicholas Evans ~

Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned. ~ Peter Marshall ~ (1902-1949, American Presbyterian Clergyman)

Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. ~ Charles Dickens ~ (1812-1870, British Novelist)

Possession of material riches, without inner peace, is like dying of thirst while bathing in a lake. ~ Paramahansa Yogananda ~ (Spiritual Author, Lecturer)

Perfect happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness. ~ Henry F. Amiel ~ (1821-1881, Swiss Philosopher, Poet, Critic)

One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love. ~ Sophocles ~ (BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet)

One must never lose time in vainly regretting the past nor complaining against the changes which cause us discomfort, for change is the very essence of life. ~ Anatole France ~ (1844-1924, French Writer)


ONE DAY AT A TIME

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.
Two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults
and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond
our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed. We cannot erase a single
word we said. Yesterday is gone!

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow, with its possible
adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow's sun will rise,
whether in a splendor or behind a mask of clouds. But it will rise,
until it does we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day: Today.

Any man (woman) can fight the battles of just one day. It is when you
and I add the burdens of two awful eternities - yesterday and tomorrow,
that we break down.

It is not necessarily the experience of today that disturbs one's
peace of mind. It is oftentimes the bitterness for something which
happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live one day at a time.

~ Author Unknown ~



One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes, another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years who makes a success of his life. ~ Edward B. Butler ~

The life of the individual only has meaning insofar as it aids in making the life of every living thing nobler and more beautiful. Life is sacred, that is to say, it is the supreme value to which all other values are subordinate. ~ Albert Einstein ~ (1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance. ~ John Petit-Senn ~ (1792-1870, French Poet)

No man is free who is not master of himself... Is freedom anything else than the power of living as we choose? ~ Epictetus ~ (50-138, Phrygian Philosopher)

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up. ~ Jesse Jackson ~ (1941-, American Clergyman, Civil Rights Leader)

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. ~ Peter Ustinov ~ (1921-, British Actor, Writer, Director)

Life is a romantic business, but you have to make the romance. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~ (1809-1894, American Author, Wit, Poet)

Life brings simple pleasures to us every day. It is up to us to make them wonderful memories. ~ Cathy Allen ~

Keep these concepts in mind: You've failed many times, although you don't remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. .... Don't worry about failure. My suggestion to each of you: Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try. ~ Sherman Finesilver ~ (American Judge)

Just as a sunbeam can't separate itself from the sun and a wave can't separate itself from the ocean; we can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love one indivisible divine mind. ~ Marianne Williamson ~ (1952-, American Author, Lecturer on Spirituality)

It takes time to succeed because success is merely the natural reward of taking time to do anything well. ~ Joseph Ross ~

No one's death comes to pass without making some impression, and those close to the deceased inherit part of the liberated soul and become richer in their humanness. ~ Hermann Broch ~ (1886-1951, Austrian Novelist)


ALWAYS BE...

Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.
Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with that you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you; they may change.

Above all, always be yourself.

~ Author Unknown ~


Now is the time when your action is practice. ~ The Dalai Lama ~ (1935-, Tibet Religious Leader Resides In India)

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. ~ Charles Darwin ~ (1809-1882, British Naturalist)

Your lost friends are not dead, but gone before, advanced a stage or two upon that road which you must travel in the steps they trod. ~ Aristophanes ~ (BC 448-380, Greek Comic Poet, Satirist)

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~ (1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

It is better to be happy for a moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while. ~ Don Marquis ~ (1878-1937, American Humorist, Journalist)

It is best to love wisely, no doubt; but to love foolishly is better than not to be able to love at all. ~ William M. Thackeray ~ (1811-1863, Indian-born British Novelist)

It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never finding the courage to let the person know how you feel. ~ Author Unknown ~



A GIFT OF LOVE

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked.

When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.

Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak."

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.

"But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician... "Could nothing be done?"

"I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided.

Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man.

Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret," said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.

Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. One day, he asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her."

"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet."

The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. One of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," his father whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they"?

REMEMBER...

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what can be seen, but what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

~ Author Unknown ~



In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on. ~ Robert Frost ~ (1875-1963, American Poet)

If you want to win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~ (1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. ~ Bhagavad-Gita ~ (c. BC 400-, Sanskrit Poem Incorporated Into the Mahabharata)

If you must begin then go all the way, because if you begin and quit, the unfinished business you have left behind begins to haunt you all the time. ~ Chogyam Trungpa ~

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will avoid one hundred days of sorrow. ~ Chinese Proverb ~

If people can be educated to see the lowly side of their own natures, it may be hoped that they will also learn to understand and to love their fellow men better. A little less hypocrisy and a little more tolerance towards oneself can only have good results in respect for our neighbor; for we are all too prone to transfer to our fellows the injustice and violence we inflict upon our own natures. ~ Carl Jung ~ (1875-1961, Swiss Psychiatrist)


SAVORING EVERY MOMENT IN LIFE

I move beyond old limitations and allow myself to express freely and creatively.
Life is about change, and I adapt easily to the new.
I choose to allow all my experiences to be joyous and loving.
I relax into the flow of life and let it provide all that I need easily and comfortably.
I forgive myself and others, release the past and move forward with love in my heart.
I love and approve of myself, am at peace with my own feelings and stand tall and free.
I am strong, capable, loving and lovable and perfect just as I am.
I freely love and enjoy life, allowing it to flow through me, rejoicing in my self-expression.
I allow every moment of every day to be joyous, harmonious and loving, and I feel peace and comfort in every area of my life.
I am enthusiastic about life and create it the way I want it to be and my life gets better and filled with more energy, vitality and passion every day.
I extend love to people everyday -- little by little, task by task, gesture by gesture, word by word.
I accept Divine guidance, trust the process of life and am always safe, secure and protected by Divine Love.
I rest securely knowing that all my needs are taken care of, only right action is taking place in my life and all details take care of themselves.

~ Author Unknown ~


How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser. ~ Lou Holtz ~ (1937-, American Football Coach)

Great work is done by people who are not afraid to be great. ~ Fernando Flores ~

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche ~ (1844-1900, German Philosopher)

It is not what we read, but what we remember that makes us learned. It is not what we intend but what we do that makes us useful. And, it is not a few faint wishes but a lifelong struggle that makes us valiant. ~ Henry Ward Beecher ~ (1813-1887, American Preacher, Orator, Writer)


TRUE FRIENDSHIP

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "No Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away."

The lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's trench.

As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, though, Sir," the soldier said.

"How do you mean, 'worth it?'" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"

"Yes, Sir," the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.'"

~ Author Unknown ~


Experience has taught me that we have to take care of ourselves from the outside in as well as from the inside out. In other words, we need to take care of our internal health as well as our physical appearance, and our mental and spiritual well-being. You may think I'm stating the obvious, but I think the reason so many programs fail is that they focus on one body part at a time instead of treating the whole person. ~ Julian Whitaker ~ (American Doctor)

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. ~ Anais Nin ~ (1914-1977, French-born American Novelist, Dancer)

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. ~ Ruth Ann Schabacker ~

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. ~ Dale Turner ~


His Motto: "I Can Do It!"

Disabled and blinded as a boy, Steven Weighman emerged from a coma to
confront the world.

Maggie Rossiter
The Saginaw (Michigan) News

In 1960, doctors predicted Steven Weighman wouldn't live 24 hours.
A car hit the horse Weighman was riding at a Freeland, Michigan farm.
The crash hurled him out of the saddle, smashing his head on the pavement.
For three months, the 8-year-old boy lay in a coma near death.

Although the accident left him in a wheelchair, blind and with speech
difficulties, Weighman is an active participant in life. He says he counts
his blessings--especially for family members, teachers, therapists, doctors,
and college professors who were instrumental in his drive to survive.

"It's taken a long time, and his own ingenuity, for him to get where
his is," says Barbar Taylor, 65, a 31-year veteran consultant for blind
students. She retired in 1990 from the Saginaw School District.
"He always said, 'I can do it.'"

Even though Weighman's hands are gnarled fists, he used Morse code and
a computer to write his autobiography--a self-published 224-page book,
"Don't Count Me Out."

"I did it one dot at a time," he said during a recent autograph
session at Leaman's Green Applebarn in Saginaw, Michigan.
"Some days I worked eight hours and other days I worked 15. I have a
special program that translates the Morse code into words."
"I wrote it to give other people hope."

Writing coaches and professors at Ferris State University in Big
Rapids, Michigan, spent four years helping Weighman, 46, with his life
story.

Although the book probably will never hit the best-seller list, it's an
inspiring story about a determined man and his parents - Gene and Ellen
Weighman - who refused to give up despite the odds.

It's also a tribute to the dozens of people who have supported Weighman
through the years.

The book contains a chilling account of the crash, along with a
bittersweet story about Arthur Hill High School student Katy Ely, who
accepted his invitation to the homecoming game and dance.
He also likes to talk about Delta College English Professor Larry Levi,
who often encouraged him to write, and former Frankmuth High School
football coach Roger Tompkins' friendship.

"With an open mind, he accepted me as I was," Weighman writes, "He let
me be part of the football team. He picked me up for every game and gave
me a seat on the 50-yard line."

Former Saginaw and Frankenmuth residents, the Weighmans now live in
Stanwood, about 25 miles west of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

"A lot of people have really made a difference in my life," he says.
"From grade school right through today, they didn't count me out."

What happened to Weighman is every parent's nightmare.

"We were too dumb to believe the doctors when they said he wasn't going
to live," Ellen Weighman says.

The Weighman - Gene, 77, and Ellen, 70 - have devoted a lifetime to
helping their son achieve the most with his limited capabilities.

They learned to suction his tracheotomy tube. They fed him through a
gastrostomy tube. They drove him to special therapy centers, including the
now-closed Institute for the Development of Human Potential in Philadelphia.

Doctors, therapists, teachers and college professors find his story amazing.

Early in his career, retired Saginaw pediatrician Dr. Eugene Rank, now
70, met Weighman and his parents at the former Saginaw General Hospital.

"Ellen Weighman was the most unforgettable person I ever met in all my
years of practice," says Rank. "Every kid should have a mother like Ellen,
because she was never going to give up. But Steve taught me that anything
was possible."

Despite Weighman's disabilities, he attended high school proms,
political rallies, concerts and baseball games.

Weighman graduated from Frankenmuth High School in 1976 after attending
classes at Handley Schoool and Arthur Hill High School.

Students and Frankenmuth residents nominated Weighman to receive a
special honor from Guzenhausen, Germany - Frankenmuth's sister city - for
his "achievement with courage."

"Valor is the strength not of legs and arms, but of heart and soul,"
said former Frankenmuth Mayor Elmer P. Simon as he handed weighman a
trophy.

Studies at Delta College and Central Michigan University followed a
two-year stint at the Michigan Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in
Kalamazoo.

In 1994, Weighman enrolled at Ferris State University, where English
professors and tutors have designed independent study courses to help him
improve his writing skills.

Now tapping out about eight words a minute, Weighman is working on a
children's book about an Indian girl who is physically handicapped.

"And he has ideas for more," says Judith DeDay, 53, a tutor at Ferris.
"He wanted to tell his story, but he didn't realize how unique it was,"
she said. "His ambition and his book are incredible accomplishments.
"He doesn't live in regrets, he just keep looking forward."

(The book is available by sending a check or money order for $14.95 plus $3.50 shipping and handling charges to: Blue Spruce Publishing, 8442 Small Avenue, Stanwood, MI, 49346. USA)




Dream big dreams, then put on your overalls and go out and make the dreams come true. ~ Fred Van Amburgh ~

Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live. ~ Norman Cousins ~ (1915-1990, American Editor, Humanitarian, Author)

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ (1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Prize Winner, 1964)

Chance is a word void of sense, nothing can exist without a cause ~ Voltaire ~ (1694-1778, French Historian, Writer)

Bigness comes from doing many small things well. Individually, they are not very dramatic transactions. Together, though, they add up. ~ Edward S. Finkelstein ~

Be a life long or short, its completeness depends on what it was
lived for. ~ David Starr Jordan ~ (1851-1931, American Biologist, Educator)


To Be Your Best Self

The good you find in others, is in you too.
The faults you find in others, are your faults as well.
After all, to recognize something you must know it.
The possibilities you see in others, are possible for you as well.
The beauty you see around you, is your beauty.
The world around you is a reflection,
a mirror showing you the person you are.
To change your world, you must change yourself.
To blame and complain will only make matters worse.
Whatever you care about, is your responsibility.
What you see in others, shows you yourself.
See the best in others, and you will be your best.
Give to others, and you give to yourself.
Appreciate beauty, and you will be beautiful.
Admire creativity, and you will be creative.
Love, and you will be loved.
Seek to understand, and you will be understood.
Listen, and your voice will be heard.
Teach, and you will learn.
Show your best face to the mirror, and
you'll be happy with the face looking back at you.

~ Author Unknown ~



Always hold firmly to the thought that each one of us can do something to bring some portion of misery to an end. ~ Author Unknown ~

All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. ~ Brian Tracy ~ (American Trainer, Speaker, Author, Businessman)

Anything you strive to hold captive will hold you captive and if you desire freedom you must give freedom. ~ Peace Pilgrim ~ (1908-1981, American Peace Activist)

Defeat is a state of mind. No one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality. To me, defeat in anything is merely temporary, and its punishment is but an urge for me to greater effort to achieve my goal. Defeat simply tells me that something is wrong in my doing; it is a path leading to success and truth. ~ Bruce Lee ~ (1940-1973, Chinese-American Martial Artist, Actor, Director, Author)

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~ (1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)


Blessings Usually Come in Disguise!

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the
horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood
to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find
his little hut in flames, with the smoke rolling up to the sky.

The worst had happened; everything was lost.

He was stung with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that
was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

Never forget BLESSINGS do come in disguise!!!

~ Author Unknown ~



After winter comes the summer. After night comes the dawn. And after every storm, there comes clear, open skies. ~ Samuel Rutherford ~ (1600-1661, Scottish Pastor)

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts. But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. ~ Author Unknown ~

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. ~ St. Basil ~ (329-379, Bishop of Caesarea)

The love we give away is the only love we keep. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ (1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

Most people diffuse their psychic energy (attention) in hundreds of random ways. Those who flow focus their psychic energy intentionally upon the task at hand. It really boils down to knowing your goal, concentrating upon it, remaining determined and having the self-discipline to complete what you are doing. ~ Dick Sutphen ~

If I have been able to see farther than others, it was because I stood on the shoulders of giants. ~ Sir Isaac Newton ~ (1642-1727, British Scientist, Mathematician)

Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ (1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Prize Winner, 1964)

Respect the past in the full measure of its desserts, but do not make the mistake of confusing it with the present nor seek in it the ideals of the future. ~ Jose Incenerios ~

I look at victory as milestones on a very long highway. ~ Joan Benoit Samuelson ~ (1957-, American Marathon Runner)

You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can't possibly live long enough to make them all yourself. ~ Sam Levenson ~

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ (American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author)

Great things are only possible with outrageous requests. ~ Thea Alexander ~ (American Science Fiction Writer)

The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one. ~ Russell Lynes ~ (1910-, American Editor, Critic)

You don't just luck into things. You build them step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities. ~ Barbara Bush ~ (American First Lady, Wife of President George Bush)

Let us be about setting high standards for life, love, creativity, and wisdom. If our expectations in these areas are low, we are not likely to experience wellness. Setting high standards makes every day and every decade worth looking forward to. ~ Greg Anderson ~ (American Author)

Life demands from you the strength that you possess. Only one feat is possible—not to have run away. ~ Dag Hammarskjold ~ (1905-1961, Swedish Statesman, Secretary-General of U.N.)

For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~ (1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

There's often no way you can look into the game of life and determine whether or not you'll get that big break tomorrow or whether it will take another week, month, year or even longer. But it will come! ~ Zig Ziglar ~ (1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move. ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ (1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat)

I always try to turn my personal struggles into something helpful for others. ~ Henri Nouwen ~ (Christian Author)

Where I was born and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest. ~ Georgia O'Keefe ~

Victory; a matter of staying power. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ (1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. ~ George MacDonald ~ (1824-1905, Scottish Novelist)

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try. ~ Beverly Sills ~ (American Opera Singer)

Men talk as if victory were something fortunate. Work is victory. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ (1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I wouldn't pass it around. Wouldn't be doing anybody a favor. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't say embrace trouble. That's as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say, meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. ~ (1841-1935, American Judge)

You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them. ~ Michael Jordan ~ (1963-, American Basketball Player, Actor)

Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little. ~ Edmund Burke ~ (1729-1797, British Political Writer, Statesman)

You're either part of the solution or part of the problem. ~ Eldridge Cleaver ~ (1935-, American Black Leader, Writer)

You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature. ~ Les Brown ~ (1945-, American Speaker, Author, Trainer, Motivator Lecturer)

You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted. ~ Ruth E. Renkl ~

I have come to discover through earnest personal experience and dedicated learning that ultimately the greatest help is self-help; that there is no other help but self-help -- doing one's best, dedicating oneself wholeheartedly to a given task, which happens to have no
end but is an on-going process. ~ Bruce Lee ~ (1940-1973, Chinese-American Actor, Martial Artist, Author)

Why do some people always see beautiful skies and grass and lovely flowers and incredible human beings, while others are hard-pressed to find anything or any place that is beautiful? ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ (American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author)

When you worry about the problems of tomorrow, you are creating unhappiness for yourself today. ~ Shantidasa ~

When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cried and you rejoice. ~ Old Indian Saying ~

When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly. ~ Barbara J. Winter ~

When Love speaks, the voice of all the gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony. ~ William Shakespeare ~ (1564-1616, British Poet, Playwright, Actor)

We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history we make today. ~ Henry Ford ~ (1863-1947, American Industrialist, Founder of Ford Motor Company)

We should have no regrets. The past is finished. There is nothing to be gained by going over it. Whatever it gave us in the experiences it brought us was something we had to know. ~ Rebecca Beard ~

We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no other way. ~ Earl G. Graves ~

We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. ~ Kahlil Gibran ~ (1883-1931, Lebanese Poet, Novelist)

We are not here to merely make a living. We are here to enrich the world, and we impoverish ourselves if we forget this errand. ~ Woodrow T. Wilson ~ (1856-1924, Twenty-eighth President of the USA)

We are each an angel with only one wing. And we can only fly while embracing each other. ~ Luciano De Crescenzo ~

We are all designed for a specific purpose; we all have something for which each of us, and each of us alone, is responsible. ~ Naomi Stephan ~

We always have enough to be happy if we are enjoying what we do have - and not worrying about what we don't have. ~ Ken Keyes, Jr. ~ (1921-1995, American Author)

Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace. ~ Albert Schweitzer ~ (1875-1965, German Born Medical Missionary, Theologian, Musician, and Philosopher)

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~ (1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest to all of us. ~ Meister Eckhart ~ (1260-1326 AD, German Mystic)

We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us. ~ Virginia Satir ~ (American Family Therapist, Lecturer, Trainer, Author)

The rainbow of God's promises is always above the trials and storms of life. ~ Charles Shepson ~

To often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ (American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author)


Dare To Risk!

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change,grow or love.
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.
He has forfeited his freedom.
Only a person who takes risks is free.

~ Author Unknown ~

To live as fully, as completely as possible, to be happy... is the true aim and end to life. ~ Llewelyn Powers ~

There never has been, and cannot be, a good life without self-control. ~ Leo Tolstoy ~ (1828-1910, Russian Novelist, Philosopher)


It Takes Courage...

It takes courage to refrain from gossip when others delight in it,
To stand up for the absent person who is being abused.

It takes courage to live honestly within your means,
And not dishonestly on the means of others.

It takes courage to be a REAL man or a TRUE woman,
To hold fast to your ideals when it causes you
To be looked upon as strange and peculiar.

It takes courage to be talked about,
And remain silent, when a word would justify you in the eyes of others,
But which you dare not speak because it would injure another.

It takes courage to refuse to do something
That is wrong although everyone else may be doing it

It takes courage to live according to your own convictions,
To deny yourself what you cannot afford.
To love your neighbor as yourself!

~ Author Unknown ~



There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. ~ George Sand ~ (1804-1876, French Novelist)

There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only a scarcity of resolve to make it happen. ~ Wayne Dyer ~ (1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

There is no greater glory than love, nor any greater punishment than jealousy. ~ Lope de Vega ~

The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. ~ Benjamin Mays ~

The sun is always shinning. Even though clouds may come along and obscure the sun for a while, the sun is always shining. The sun never stops shining. And even though the earth turns, and the sun appears to go down, it really never stops shining. ~ Louise L. Hay ~ (American Metaphysical Teacher, Lecturer, Author)

The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can't be organized or regulated. It isn't true that everybody should follow one path. Listen to your own truth. ~ Ram Dass ~ (American Spiritual Author, Lecturer)

Greatness is defined by someone who is not simply awesome and wonderful in the sport they compete in but goes beyond that and is great in whatever they do off the track or off the court. They can make a difference in the world, whether it's by helping kids or helping
people in need. ~ Marion Jones ~ (1975-, American Athlete)


Today May Be Your Last... So Always Live For The MOMENT!

Say to yourself...

I may never see tomorrow. There is no written guarantee. Things that happened yesterday belong to history. I can't predict the future. I can't change the past. I have just the present moment. So I must treat it as my last. I must use this moment wisely, for it soon will pass away, and be lost to me forever as part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet. Be a friend to the friendless. Make an empty life complete. The unkind things I do today may never be undone. And friendships that I fail to win may never be won.

I thank God with humble heart for giving me this day.

~ Author Unknown ~


The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who without a dream. ~ Harry Kemp ~

The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart, head and hands. ~ Robert M. Pirsig ~ (American Author)

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously. ~ Nicholas Butler ~ (1862-1947, American Educationist)

The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them. ~ Mark Twain ~ (1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)


The Soul of a Peaceful Person

I have found a place to go where the grass is always green.
It is a place where you can sit and do nothing.
It is a place made just for you.
You can actually decorate it yourself.
This place can be a good place to go after a long hard day at work or school.
It is sanctuary where you can pray or talk to a friend.
You can also make lifelong friends here.
This special place is where everyone can find it, yet not all do.
It is a secret place, you don't even have to tell anyone that you have it,
But it will show on your face.
The road to this place is not external, but internal.
You can make this journey sitting in a chair.
This journey can take minutes, days, or even years.
I must warn you though, this place can disappear,
Be painful if not taken care of properly.

This place I speak of is the soul of a peaceful person.

~ Author Unknown ~


Reality Is Something You Rise Above

You don't have to be a puppet manipulated by outside powerful forces;
You can become the powerful force yourself.
Don't make your thoughts your prison.

The obstacles you face are mental barriers
which can be broken by adopting a more positive approach.
Don't pray for tasks equal to your powers.
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.

You are bigger than anything that can happen to you.
This is where you will win the battle, in the playhouse of your mind.
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.

Courage is the capacity to confront what can be imagined.
You are more important than your problems.

~ Author Unknown ~


It's Never Too Late to Make a Change

At any time, you can decide to change the road you're on in life, take a new direction, follow a new trail. You're the only one who really knows what you want from life and if you're on the right road for you. You're the only one who can fulfill your dreams and receive the joys and happiness that come from reaching those aspirations.

Don't expect others to be responsible for your happiness and your success. You must take control and be in charge of your destiny and day-to-day situations. Take advice (most of the time it's free!) and listen to what others have to say and what concerns they have; it's important to have different points of view. But always validate those words of wisdom with your own set of standards and make sure the advice has meaning to your sense of reality.

You must understand yourself enough to know what you want in life and what desires you believe are worthwhile for your future. You need to depend upon yourself and your talents. Appreciate others for their personal skills and abilities, but always continue to focus on your own strengths and energies. Life is much too short to spend it worrying about someone else's accomplishments or expecting someone else to be responsible for making your life better.

If you have dreams, then you have a purpose. You have something to believe in and work towards obtaining. Dedicate yourself to yourself. Promise yourself a life filled with love, and then whatever roads you travel will be the roads you want them to be.

~ Author Unknown ~



You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind. ~ Darwin P. Kingsley ~

Are you worried about pressure? I look at it this way: Pressure is having to do something you are not totally prepared to do. ~ Harvey Mackay ~ (American Businessman, Speaker, Author)

You only lose energy when life becomes dull in your mind. Your mind gets bored and therefore tired of doing nothing. Get interested in something! Get absolutely enthralled in something! Get out of yourself! Be somebody! Do something. The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~ (1898-1993, American Christian Reformed Pastor, Speaker, Author)

You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning. ~ Billy Wilder ~ (1906-, American Film Director)

God is the friend of silence. Trees, flowers, grass grow in silence. See the stars, moon, and sun how they move in silence. ~ Mother Teresa ~ (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

For whatever reason, God has blessed me with the ability, put me in a position to make these leaps and bounds. I'm fulfilling my part of the bargain, which is to give back and be a positive influence on others. That's all you can do; take what you've been given and spread it around. ~ Denzel Washington ~ (1954-, American Actor)

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. ~ Christopher Reeve ~ (1952-, American Actor, Motivational Speaker (who became paralysed from the neck down after a freak horseback-riding accident))

Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life. ~ Ann Landers ~ (1918-, American Advice Columnist)

If I wanted to become a tramp, I would seek information and advice from the most successful tramp I could find. If I wanted to become a failure, I would seek advice from people who have never succeeded. If I wanted to succeed in all things, I would look around me for those who are succeeding, and do as they have done. ~ Joseph Marshall Wade ~

Change is an easy panacea. It takes character to stay in one place and be happy there. ~ Elizabeth Clarke Dunn ~

Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation? ~ Jane Austen ~ (1775-1817, British Novelist)

Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back. ~ Arthur Rubinstein ~ (1887-1982, Polish-born American Pianist-artist)

You really have to look inside and find your inner strength, and say, "I'm proud of what I am and who I am, and I'm just going to be myself." ~ Mariah Carey ~ (1969-, American Singer)

Always demanding the best of oneself, living with honor, devoting one's talents and gifts to the benefits of others - these are the measures of success that endure when material things have passed away. ~ Gerald R. Ford ~ (1913-, Thirty-eighth President of the USA)

Friendship renders prosperity more brilliant, while it lightens adversity by sharing it and making its burden common. ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero ~ ( c. 106-43 BC, Great Roman Orator, Politician)

A life without love, no matter how many other things we have, is an empty, meaningless one. ~ Leo Buscaglia ~ American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author)

A meal, however simple, is a moment of intersection. It is at once the most basic, the most fundamental, of our life's activities, maintaining the life of our bodies; shared with others it can be an occasion of joy and communion, uniting people deeply. ~ Elise Boulding ~

Adversity not only draws people together but brings forth that beautiful inward friendship, just as the cold winter forms ice-figures on the window panes which the warmth of the sun effaces. ~ Soren Kierkegaard ~ 1813-1855, Danish Philosopher, Writer)

All the gold in the world has no significance. That which is lasting are the thoughtful acts which we do for our fellow man.~ Adolfo Prieto ~ (1867-1945)

I'd been busy, busy, so busy, preparing for life, while life floated by me, quiet and swift as a regatta. ~ Lorene Cary ~ (American Writer)

In dangerous valleys and hazardous pathways, the true neighbor will lift some bruised and beaten brother to a higher and more noble life. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ (1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1964)

If a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. ~ Edgar Watson Howe ~ (1853-1937, American Journalist, Author)

I've Learned...

I've learned ... That you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved...
The rest is up to them.
I've learned ... That no matter how much I care...
Some people just don't care back.
I've learned ... That it takes years to build up trust...
And only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned ... That it's not what you have in your life ...
But who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned ... That you can get by on charm
For about fifteen minutes...
After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned ... That you shouldn't compare yourself
To the best others can do ... But to the best you can do.
I've learned ... That it's not what happens
To people that's important ... It's what they do about it.
I've learned ... That you can do something in an instant ...
That will give you heartache for life.
I've learned ... That no matter how thin you slice it ...
There are always two sides.
I've learned ... That it's taking me a long time ...
To become the person I want to be.
I've learned ... That it's a lot easier to react ...
Than it is to think.
I've learned ... That you should always leave loved ones
With loving words ...
It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned ... That you can keep going
Long after you think you can't.
I've learned ... That we are responsible for what we do ...
No matter how we feel.
I've learned ... That either you control your attitude ...
Or it controls you.
I've learned ... That regardless of how hot and steamy
A relationship is at first ...
The passion fades and there had better
Be something else to take its place.
I've learned ... That heroes are the people
Who do what has to be done
When it needs to be done...
Regardless of the consequences.
I've learned ... That learning to forgive takes practice.
I've learned ... That there are people who love you dearly...
But just don't know how to show it.
I've learned ... That money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned ... That my best friend and I can do anything ...
Or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned ... That sometimes the people you expect
To kick you when you're down ...
Will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned ... That sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry ...
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I've learned ... That true friendship continues to grow,
Even over the longest distance...
Same goes for true love.
I've learned ... That maturity has more to do with
What types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them ...
And less to do with how many
Birthdays you've celebrated.
I've learned ... That you should never tell a child
Their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and
What a tragedy it would be if they believed it.
I've learned ... That your family won't always be there for you.
It may seem funny ...
But people you aren't related to can take care of you
And love you and teach you to trust people again.
Families aren't biological.
I've learned ... That no matter how good a friend is,
They're going to hurt you every once in a while ...
And you must forgive them for that.
I've learned ... That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned ... That no matter how bad your heart is broken ...
The world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned ... That our background and circumstances
May have influenced who we are ...
But we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned ... That just because two people argue,
It doesn't mean they don't love each other ...
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do.
I've learned ... That sometimes you have to put
The individual ahead of their actions.
I've learned ... That we don't have to change friends ...
If we understand that friends change.
I've learned ... That you shouldn't be so eager
To find out a secret ... It could change your life forever.
I've learned ... That two people can look at the exact same thing...
and see something totally different.
I've learned ... That no matter how you try to protect your children,
They will still eventually get hurt...
And you will hurt in the process.
I've learned ... That there are many ways
Of falling and staying in love.
I've learned ... That no matter the consequences,
Those who are honest with themselves ...
Get farther in life.
I've learned ... That your life can be changed in a matter of hours
By people who don't even know you.
I've learned ... That even when you think you have no more to give,
When a friend cries out to you ...
You will find the strength to help.
I've learned ... That writing, as well as talking ...
Can ease emotional pains.
I've learned ... That the paradigm we live in
Is not all that is offered to us.
I've learned ... That credentials on the wall ...
Do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned ... That the people you care most about in life...
Are taken from you too soon.
I've learned ... That it's hard to determine where to draw the line
between being nice and not hurting people's feelings ...
And standing up for what you believe.

~ Kathy Kane Hansen ~

I will tell you that there have been no failures in my life. I don't want to sound like some metaphysical queen, but there have been no failures. There have been some tremendous lessons. ~ Oprah Winfrey ~ (1954-, American TV Personality, Actress, Author)

If a man does only what is required of him, he is a slave. If a man does more than is required of him, he is a free man. ~ Chinese Proverb ~

Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success. ~ David O. McKay ~

If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford ~ (1893-1979, Canadian-born American Actress)

When someone gives the hospital a gift of $5 and you know he can afford less than that, thank him graciously. When someone gives the hospital $5,000 and you know he could afford five times that, say, "that will help." ~ Robert H. Thorson ~

Just for today I will be happy. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime. Just for today… ~ Sybyl F. Partridge ~

If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship, we must love our friends for their sakes rather than for our own. ~ Charlotte Bronte ~ (1816-1855, British Novelist)

MY MIRACLE

How does one measure a miracle?
What kind of gauge does one use?
Should miracles be stupendous and grand,
Breathtaking, enormous, and huge?

Must the colors be vivid and shockingly bright?
What volume of sound should one hear?
Are miracles crafted of pure solid gold,
Or fashioned of jewels so dear?

How will I know if I've seen one?
Will there be angels flying around?
Will the sun be brilliantly shining?
Will I see stars and a moon beaming down?

Where do I look for my miracle?
How will I know one is near?
A simple answer then came to me,
"Dear child, just look in a mirror."

~ Virginia A. Ellis ~

I Resolve: to strive to contribute something to the world, its work and the people in it; to spend and be spent in worthy service; to adhere, the best I can, to the Golden Rule. ~ B.C. Forbes ~

I will smile at friend and foe alike and make every effort to find, in him or her, a quality to praise, now that I realize the deepest yearning of human nature is the craving to be appreciated. ~ Og Mandino ~ (1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

I thought I had reached a point in life where everything would be smooth. But it is not. It just gets more jagged and pitted and filled with turns that take you into the dark recesses of your mind. It never seems to get easy. ~ Sylvester Stallone ~ (1946-, American Actor)

I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do. That is character! ~ Theodore Roosevelt ~ (1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA)

When we are willing to make peace within ourselves, and peace with the environment in which we live and peace with each other and the animals we love and peace with the world so there are no wars, we will begin to understand how blessed we humans really are while we're on this earth and among each other and the more we strive for this Peace on Earth the more we will leave Paradise behind for those that come after us. ~ Brenda Vaccaro ~ (American Actress)

The Space Age is shrinking distances between us on the planet and in the universe with irreversible momentum, bringing us ever closer to each other. We will eventually live in the intimacy of a village. A village lives by the harmonious cooperation of its people – to share in the digging of a well or the reaping of a harvest or the education of its children. So I believe the Peace of the Millennium is inevitable - and I celebrate it! ~ Burgess Meredith ~ (1907-1997, American Actor, Director)

Every crisis is an opportunity. Let us confront the crisis of worldwide apathy, despair and violence by taking the opportunity to join hands across this great earth on January 1, 2000 and rise together like the Phoenix from the ashes to create an active, a hopeful, a kinder civilization. ~ Victoria Principal ~ (American Actress)

As people we commit ourselves to making this world a happy and peaceful planet for all its inhabitants and pledge our unfailing support. We therefore join all other countries in promoting January 1, 2000 as a day of peace, ushering the dawn of a new millennium – a millennium of peace. ~ Keith C. Mitchell ~ (Prime Minister of Grenada)

I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people convinced that they are about to change the world, I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another. ~ Ellen Goodman ~ (American Journalist)

If a ship has sunk, I can't bring it up. If it is going to be sunk, I can't stop it. I can use my time much better working on tomorrow's problem than fretting about yesterday's. Besides, if I let those things get me, I wouldn't last long. ~ Ernest J. King ~ (1878-1956, American Navy officer)

I glory in this world of men and women, torn with troubles, yet living on to love and laugh through it all. ~ Carl Sandburg ~ (1878-1967, American Poet)

I know unless I'm true to myself I couldn't be happy. Too much emphasis is placed today on externals and too little on character. ~ Betty White ~ (1924- American Actress)

For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the chances are you're not going to be very happy. If someone bases his [or her] happiness on major events like a great job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn't going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness. ~ Andy Rooney ~ (American Television News Personality)

I am responsible for my own wellbeing, my own happiness. The choices and decisions I make regarding my life directly influences the quality of my days. ~ Kathleen Andrus ~

How many joys are crushed under foot because people look up at the sky and disregard what is at their feet? ~ Catharina Elisabetha Goethe ~

Her life was like running on a treadmill or riding on a stationary bike; it was aerobic, it was healthy, but she wasn't going anywhere. ~ Julia Phillips ~

You've got to get up in the morning with a smile on your face, and show the world all the love in your heart. ~ Carole King ~ (1941-, American Composer-lyricist)

In all people there are two sets of feelings: One is fear, the other is love. If there is fear, then we shrink as a person. But love, wow! That can move mountains! ~ Jorgen Roed ~

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. ~ Emily Dickinson ~ (1830-1886, American Poet)

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island, cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them. ~ Francis Bacon ~ (1561-1626, British Philosopher, Essayist, Statesman)

I come to the office each morning and stay for long hours doing what has to be done to the best of my ability. And when you've done the best you can, you can't do any better. So when I go to sleep I turn everything over to the Lord and forget it. ~ Harry S. Truman ~ (1884-1972, Thirty-third President of the USA)

I believe that if you think about disaster you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience. ~ Edward Vernon Rickenbacker ~ (1890-1973, American Aviator, World War I Ace)

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. ~ Ann Frank ~ (1929-1945, German Jewish Refugee, Diarist)

If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying. Would you sell both your eyes for a million dollars… or your legs… or your hands… or your hearing? Add up what you do have, and you'll find that you won't sell them for all the gold in the world. The best things in life are yours, if you can appreciate yourself. ~ Dale Carnegie ~ (1888-1955, American Author, Trainer)

It is not the level of prosperity that makes for happiness but the kinship of heart to heart and the way we look at the world. Both attitudes are within the power, so that a man is happy so long as he chooses to be happy, and no one can stop him. ~ Aleksander Solzhenitsyn ~ (1918-, Russian Novelist)

He who receives a good turn should never forget it; he who does one should never remember it. ~ Pierre Charron ~

He that does good to another, does good also to himself, not only in the consequences, but in the act; for the consciousness of well-doing is, in itself, ample reward. ~ Seneca ~

He that can't endure the bad will not live to see the good. ~ Yiddish Proverb ~

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ~ Epictetus ~ (50-120, Stoic Philosopher)

By working together, pooling our resources and building on our strengths, we can accomplish great things. ~ Ronald Reagan ~ (1911-, Fortieth President of the USA, Actor)

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. ~ Margaret Lee Runback ~

Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all. ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ (1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat)

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. ~ William Arthur Ward ~

Give thanks for sorrow that teaches you pity; for pain that teaches you courage - and give exceeding thanks for the mystery which remains a mystery still - the veil that hides you from the infinite, which makes it possible for you to believe in what you cannot see. ~ Robert Nathan ~ (1894-1985, American Novelist)

Friendship consists in forgetting what one gives and remembering what one receives. ~ Alexandre Dumas the Younger ~ (1824-1895)

You can achieve anything you want in life if you have the courage to dream it, the intelligence to make a realistic plan, and the will to see that plan through to the end. ~ Sidney A. Friedman ~ (1935-, American Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Author)

Every person is responsible for all the good within the scope of his abilities, and for no more, and none can tell whose sphere is the largest. ~ Gail Hamilton ~ (1833-1896, American Writer, Humorist)

Every cause needs people more than money, for when the people are with you and you are giving your cause their attention, interest, confidence, advocacy and service, financial support should just about take care of itself; whereas, without them in the right quality and quantity in the right places and the right states of mind and spirit, you might as well go and get lost. ~ Harold J. Seymour ~

Education, in the broadest of truest sense, will make an individual seek to help all people, regardless of race, regardless of color, regardless of condition. ~ George Washington Carver ~ (1864-1943, American Scientist)

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. ~ Robert F. Kennedy ~ (1925-1968, American Attorney General, Senator)

Each of us comes into life with fists closed, set for aggressiveness and acquisition. But when we abandon life our hands are open; there is nothing on earth that we need, nothing the soul can take with it. ~ Fulton J. Sheen ~ (1895-1979)

Don't be content with doing only your duty. Do more than your duty. It's the horse that finishes a neck ahead wins the race. ~ Andrew Carnegie ~ (1835-1919, American Industrialist, Philanthropist)

Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. ~ Charles F. Kettering ~ (1876-1958, American Engineer, Inventor)

Happiness is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are. ~ John B. Sheerin ~

Birds sing after a storm; why shouldn't people feel as free to delight in whatever sunlight remains to them? ~ Rose F. Kennedy ~ ( 1890-1995, Mother of President John F. Kennedy)

Be generous! Give to those you love; give to those who love you; give to the fortunate; give to the unfortunate - yes, give especially to those you don't want to give. You will receive abundance for your giving. The more you give, the more you will have! ~ W. Clement Stone ~ (1902-, American Businessman, Author)

At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child or a parent. ~ Barbara Bush ~ (1925-, American First Lady, Wife of President George Bush)

When you give away a little piece of your heart, you're giving away the only thing you can give away, which, after you do, you got more left than you had before you gave some of it away. ~ Don Hutson ~ (American Sales Trainer)

As we advanced in life it becomes more and more difficult, but in fighting the difficulties the inmost strength of the heart is developed. ~ Vincent van Gogh ~ (1853-1890, Dutch Painter)

Apparent failure may hold in its rough shell the germs of a success that will blossom in time, and bear fruit throughout eternity. ~ Frances Ellen Watkins Harper ~

A human being is happiest and most successful when dedicated to a cause outside his own individual, selfish satisfaction. ~ Benjamin Spock ~ (1903-, American Pediatrician)

All things are possible until they are proved impossible - and even the impossible may only be so, as of now. ~ Pearl S. Buck ~ (1892-1973, American Novelist)

Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is. ~ Blaise Pascal ~ (1623-1662, French Scientist, Religious Philosopher)

If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him, for an investment in knowledge pays the best interest. ~ Joseph E. O'Donnell ~

Life is not always what one wants it to be, but to make the best of it as it is, is the only way of being happy. ~ Jennie Jerome Churchill ~ (1854-1921, Mother of British Prime Minster Winston Churchill)

If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can't accomplish it. You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through. ~ Rosalynn Carter ~ (1927-, American First Lady, Wife of President Jimmy Carter)

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring. ~ Oscar Wilde ~ (1856-1900, British Author, Wit)

Everlasting Beauty... Starting From The Inside Out...

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For beautiful eyes, seek out the good in other people.
To lose weight, let go of stress and the need to control others.
To improve your ears, listen to the word of God.
Touch someone with your love.
Rather than focus on the thorns of life,
Smell the roses and count your blessings.
For poise, walk with knowledge and self-esteem.
To strengthen your arms, hug at least three people a day.
To strengthen your heart, forgive yourself and others.
Don't worry and hurry so much.
Rather walk this earth lightly and yet leave your mark.
~ Author Unknown ~

Make each day useful and cheerful and prove that you know the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be happy, old age without regret and life a beautiful success. ~ Louisa May Alcott ~ (1832-1888, American Author)

Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands. ~ Cathy Better ~

Most of my major disappointments have turned out to be blessings in disguise. So whenever anything bad does happen to me, I kind of sit back and feel, well, if I give this enough time, it'll turn out that this was good, so I shouldn't worry about it too much. ~ William Gaines ~

If you let yourself be absorbed completely, if you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments. ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh ~ (1906-, American Author)

It is a good thing to be rich and a good thing to be strong, but it is a better thing to be loved by many friends. ~ Euripdes ~ (480-406 B.C., Greek Philosopher)

Let's dare to be ourselves, for we do that better than anyone else. ~ Shirley Briggs ~

Pray to God, but keep rowing to shore. ~ Russian Proverb ~

MOVING FORWARD...

Everything you know is based on what has already happened in your life.
And yet, your only influence right now is over things that have not yet
happened. The things that have already happened have gotten you to where
you are right now. What you need to be concerned with, however, is where
to go from here.

Because you're so intimately familiar with your own past, it may seem
you have no choice but to continue moving in the same direction as before.
But that is not true. Your future doesn't equal your past. Right now,
there are an infinite number of paths you can take. The one you're
currently on is only one of them. Any of the rest is available to you.

If you're completely satisfied with where you're going, then, by all
means keep on going that way. But there's no reason in the world you
have to keep following that same path if it doesn't bring you full
and lasting fulfillment.

Every moment you have a choice, regardless of what has happened before.
Choose right now to move forward, positively, and confidently into
your incredible future.

~ Author Unknown ~

Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do. ~ Kathleen Winsor ~

Nothing is more powerful than an individual acting out of his conscience, thus helping to bring the collective conscience to life. ~ Norman Cousins ~ (1915-1990, American Editor, Humanitarian, Author)

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. ~ Antoine De Saint-Exupery ~ ( 1900-1944, French Aviator, Writer)

If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, distribute even some of that. But do not hesitate to give alms. ~ Apocrypha ~

Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you are a mistake. ~ Georgette Mosbacher ~ (American Business Executive)

Living in the past is a dull and lonely business; looking back strains the neck muscles, causes you to bump into people not going your way. ~ Edna Ferber ~ (1887-1968, American Author)

Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed. ~ Corita Kent ~ (1918-1986, American Artist)

Let the moment come when nothing is left but life, and you will find that you do not hesitate over the fate of material possessions. ~ Edward Vernon Rickenbacker ~ (1890-1973, American Aviator, World War I Ace)

Make one person happy each day and in forty years you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a little time, at least. ~ Charley Willey ~

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

~ Author Unknown ~

It's OK to mess up. You should give yourself a break. ~ Billy Joel ~ (1949-, American Musician, Piano Man, Singer, Songwriter)

My days of whining and complaining about others have come to an end. Nothing is easier than fault finding. All it will do is discolor my personality so that none will want to associate with me. That was my old life. No more. ~ Og Mandino ~ (1923-1996, American Inspirational Writer, Speaker)

It has never been, and never will be, easy work! But the road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination. ~ Marian Zimmer Bradley ~

Money spent on myself may be a millstone about my neck; money spent on others may give me wings like the angels. ~ Roswell Dwright Hitchcock ~ (1817-1887)

Love grows by giving. The love we give away is the only love we keep. The only way to retain love is to give it away. ~ Elbert Hubbard ~ (1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)
When I Wake Up Each Morning
And See you Next to Me
I Know that My Day Will Be All Right

Sometimes it is hard
to put feelings into words
but I want you to know
how you affect me
When I wake up
and see you in the morning
I am so happy
that we are together
I respect you
I admire you
I love you deeply
When I wake up
each morning
and see you next to me
no matter what happens
I know that my
day will
be
all right

~ Susan Polis Schutz ~

Canada is not merely a neighbor of negroes. Deep in our history of struggle for freedom Canada was the North Star. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr., CBC Massey Lectures, 1967

"The most extraordinary thing about the 20th century was the failure of God to die. The collapse of mass religious belief, especially among the educated and prosperous, had been widely and confidently predicted. It did not take place. Somehow, God survived, flourished even." -- Paul Johnson in THE QUEST FOR GOD (Harper Collins); cited in READER'S DIGEST (Dec. 1998)
File under: Atheism, Death of God
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

The Power of Silence
It may be the most effective communication tool
In an article titled "All the Right Moves" in FAST COMPANY (May 1999), chess master and sought-after mentor Bruce Pandolfini says:
"My lessons consist of a lot of silence. I listen to other teachers, and they're always talking. I let my students think. If I do ask a question [whyare you making that move?] and I don't get the right answer, I'll rephrase the question -- and wait. I never give the answer. Most of us really don't appreciate the power of silence. Some of the most effective communication -- between student and teacher, between master players -- takes place during silent periods."
God, too, teaches eloquently with silence.
File under: Discipleship, Prayer
Scripture: Isaiah 45:15

Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying
all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end. ~ Germain de Stael ~ (1766-1817, French-Swiss Novelist)

It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up, we will then begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ~ (1926-, Swiss-born American Psychiatrist)

Love one human being purely and warmly, and you will love all. The heart in this heaven, like the sun in its course, sees nothing from the dew drop to the ocean, but a mirror which it brightens, and warms and fills. ~ Johann Richter ~ (1763-1825)

Luck? I don't know anything about luck. I've never banked on it, and I'm not afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: hard work - and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't.~ Lucille Ball ~ (1911-1989, American Actress)

It is easy enough to be pleasant when life blows by like a song. But the man worthwhile is the one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong. ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox ~ (1855-1919, American Poet, Journalist)

If you would like to live in a community in which you may have pride, then dedicate yourself in a spirit of humility and your responsibilities in that community. ~ Herbert Victor Prochnow ~ (Russian Author)

There is no past that we can bring back by longing for it. There is only an eternally new now that builds and creates itself out of the Best as the past withdraws. ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~ (1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

The Face In The Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what THAT face has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or spouse
Whose judgment upon you must pass;
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people might think you are a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy or gal,
But the face in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look it straight in the eye.
That's the one you must please, never mind all the rest,
For that's the one with you clear up to the end.
And you know you have passed your most dangerous test
If the face in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on your back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the face in the glass.

~ Dale Wimbrow ~

Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent. ~ Carl Jung ~ (1875-1961, Swiss Psychiatrist)

Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed. ~ Jim Rohn ~ (American Businessman, Author, Speaker, Philosopher)

What allows us, as human beings, to psychologically survive life on earth, with all of its pain, drama, and challenges, is a sense of purpose and meaning. ~ Barbara De Angelis ~ (American Expert on Relationship & Love, Author)

There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now. ~ James Baldwin ~ (1924-1987, American Author)

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. ~ Henry David Thoreau ~ (1817-1862, American Essayist, Poet, Naturalist)

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning. ~ J. B. Priestley ~ (1894-1984, American Writer)

One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody every night you go to bed. ~ Ann Landers ~ (1918-, American Advice Columnist)

Your Dimension Of Greatness

No one can know the potential,
Of a life that is committed to win;
With courage - the challenge it faces,
To achieve great success in the end!
So, explore the Dimension of Greatness,
And believe that the world CAN be won;
By a mind that is fully committed,
KNOWING the task can be done!

Your world has no place for the skeptic,
No room for the DOUBTER to stand;
To weaken your firm resolution
That you CAN EXCEL in this land!

We must have VISION TO SEE our potential,
And FAITH TO BELIEVE that we can;
Then COURAGE TO ACT with conviction,
To become what GOD MEANT us to be!

So, possess the strength and the courage,
To conquer WHATEVER you choose;
It's the person WHO NEVER GETS STARTED,
That is destined FOREVER to lose!

~ Author Unknown ~

If we all tried to make other people's paths easy, our own feet would have a smooth even place to walk on. ~ Myrtle Reed ~

Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage. ~ St. Francis of Assisi ~ (1181-1226, Italian Preacher, Founder of the Franciscan Order)

Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. The rest will be given. ~ Mother Teresa ~ (1910-1997, Albanian-born Roman Catholic Missionary)

Live and work to make a difference, to make things better, even the smallest things. Give full consideration to the rights and interests of others. No business is successful, even if it flourishes, in a society that does not care for or about its people. ~ Eugene C. Dorsey ~

No man can tell whether he is rich or poor by turning to his ledger. It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich or poor according to what he is, not according to what he has. ~ Henry Ward Beecher ~ (1813-1887, American Preacher, Orator, Writer)

Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience. ~ Victoria Holt ~

A SECRET HIDDEN WITHIN YOU

The Creator gathered all of Creation and said, "I want to hide
something from the humans until they are ready for it. It is the
realization that they create their own reality."

The eagle said, "Give it to me, I will take it to the moon."

The Creator said, "No. One day they will go there and find it."

The salmon said, "I will bury it on the bottom of the ocean."

"No. They will go there too."

The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the Great Plains."

The Creator said, "They will cut into the skin of the Earth and
find it even there."

Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of Mother Earth, and
who has no physical eyes but sees with spiritual eyes, said,
"Put it inside of them."

And the Creator said, "It is done."

~ Author Unknown ~

Neither situations nor people can be altered by the interference of an outsider. If they are to be altered, that alteration must come from within. ~ Phyllis Bottome ~ (1884-1963, American Writer)

It will never rain roses. When we want to have more roses, we must plant more trees. ~ George Eliot ~ (1819-1880, British Novelist)

One day you've got to realize that resources don't belong to you. Work with God to plant the seeds in the lives of other people. ~ Jack Echerd ~

The man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth, which was his to administer during his life, will pass away "unwept, unhonored, and unsung," no matter to what uses he leaves the dross which he cannot take with him. ~ Andrew Carnegie ~ (1835-1919, American Industrialist, Philanthropist)

The man who foolishly does me wrong, I will return to him the protection of my most ungrudging love; and the more evil comes from him, the more good shall go from me. ~ Buddha ~ (568-488 BC, Founder of Buddhism)

Nothing will content him who is not content with a little. ~ Greek Proverb ~

Of all the things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship. ~ Epicurus ~ (c.341-270 BC, Greek Philosopher)

It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones. ~ Jean Webster ~

The best of all things is to learn. Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever. ~ Louis L'Amour ~ (1908-1988, American Western Author)

Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps till the legend, "over steep ways to the stars," fulfills itself. ~ W.C. Doane ~

The making of money, the accumulation of material power, is not all there is to living… and the man who misses this truth misses the greatest joy and satisfaction that can come into his life – service for others. ~ Edward Bok ~ (1863-1930, Dutch-born American Editor)

Success is not counted by how high you have climbed but by how many people you brought with you. ~ Wil Rose ~

It isn't the things that happen to us, it's the things we think are going to happen to us that drive us almost crazy. ~ Kathleen Norris ~ (1880-1966, American Novelist)

Sure, the world is full of trouble. But, as long as we have people undoing trouble, we have a pretty good world. ~ Helen Keller ~ (1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist)

It is in struggle and service with our brothers and sisters, individually and collectively, that we find the meaning of life. ~ Jesse Jackson ~ (1941-, American Clergyman, Civil Rights Leader)

Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared to believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances. ~ Bruce Barton ~ (1886-1967, American Marketing Expert, Author)

Simplicity is the most difficult thing to secure in this world; it is the last limit of experience and the last effort of genius. ~ George Sand ~ (1804-1876, French Novelist)

The biggest things are always the easiest to do because there is no competition. ~ William Van Horne ~ (1843-1915)

We must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time; we can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment. But we can beg for an increase of love in our hearts that will vitalize and transform all our individual actions. ~ Dorothy Day ~ (1897-1980, American Religious Leader)

Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others. ~ Danny Thomas ~

Some of us might find happiness if we quit struggling so desperately for it. ~ William Feather ~ (1888-19?, American Writer, Businessman)

Simplicity is the most difficult thing to secure in this world; it is the last limit of experience and the last effort of genius. ~ George Sand ~ (1804-1876, French Novelist)

Dreams become reality when we keep our commitments to them. ~ Judy Wardell Halliday ~ Weight Control Expert

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. ~ Christopher Crowfield ~

The only goal you can't accomplish is the one that you don't go after!
Author: Vilis Ozols, President Ozols Business Group
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do something.
Author: Earl Nightengale, founder Nightengale Conant, Inc.
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

When you shoot for the moon and you come up short, you still end up among the stars.
Author: Les Brown, author and motivational speaker
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
Author: Napoleon Hill, author "Think and Grow Rich"
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

Go as far as you can see, when you get there you'll see further.
Author: Latvian proverb
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

The problem with punctuality, is that nobody is there to appreciate it!
Author: Latvian Proverb
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

When your values are clear, your decision-making is easy.
Author: Roy "Walt" Disney, 1901-1966
Submitted by: Mark Sanborn, author "Sanborn on Success"

Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.
Author: Unknown
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

Luck favors momentum.
Author: Unknown
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

The trouble with being in a rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
Author: Lilly Tomlin, actress and comedian
Submitted by: Ozols Business Group

There are those who can only see the fly specs on the window of the world. - Earl Nightengale

There are those who believe they can, and those who believe they can’t: both are correct. -(unknown)

Man’s mind, stretched to a new idea, never goes back to its original dimensions. - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Far better it is to dare mighty things than to take rank with those poor timid spirits who know neither victory nor defeat. - Teddy Roosevelt

Eagles don’t flock - H. Ross Perot

Every person, all the events in your life, are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you. - Richard Bach

When you come to a fork in the road, take it! - Yogi Berra

A little bit of something is better than a lot of nothing. - Dan Millman

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. - a forgotten NPR announcer

“Information, skills, and competence only take you to “good.” And everyone playing the game is at least good. The bottom line is that “good” isn’t good enough these days. Passion, fire, burning commitment, and desire --- these are the qualities that will take you from “good” to “outstanding.” Robert Kreigel’s book, “If It ain’t broke…BREAK IT!”

There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first. When you learn to live for others, they will live for you. ~ Paramahansa Yogananda ~ (1893-1952)

Every person who has become successful has simply formed the habit of doing things that failures disliked doing and will not do. ~ John Maxwell ~

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. ~ Albert Einstein

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~ English Proverb ~

No man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle, pure, and good without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness. ~ Phillips Brooks ~ 1835-1893, American Minister, Poet)

Life is a lot like tennis - the one who can serve best seldom loses. ~ Anonymous

If you try to be well rounded, you won't peak at anything. - Robert Kriegal

Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich. ~ Sarah Bernhardt ~ (1844-1923, French Actress)

Oh God, don't envy me, I have my own pains. ~ Barbara Streisand ~ (1942-, American Singer, Actress)

There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. ~ Beverly Sills

We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. ~ Carlos Castaneda ~ (American Anthropologist, Author)

The best answer to anger is silence. --- German Proverb.

Big pay and little responsibility are circumstances seldom found together. --- Napoleon Hill

A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools. --- Spanish proverb.

Nothing is more conducive to peace of mind than not having any opinions at all. --- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude. --- Timothy Bentley

An unsupervised teenager with a modem is as dangerous as an unsupervised teenager with a gun. --- Gail Thackeray, 1996.

This mournful truth is ev'rywhere confess'd,- Slow rises worth by poverty depress'd. --- Dr. Samuel Johnson, Vanity of Human Wishes. Line 176.

Most of us can learn to live in perfect comfort on higher levels of power. Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth. Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. It is evident that our organism has stored-up reserves of energy that are ordinarily not called upon - deeper and deeper strata of explosible material, ready for use by anyone who probes so deep. The human individual usually lives far within his limits. --- William James

Great minds have purposes, others have wishes. --- Washington Irving

Half of all scientific discoveries ever made were made in the 20th century. Creation is accelerating, and even the acceleration appears to be accelerating. --- JOHN TEMPLETON

The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. --- Theodore Rubin

Universities should be safe havens where ruthless examination of realities will not be distorted by the aim to please or inhibited by the risk of displeasure. --- Kingman Brewster, Jr.

Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them. --- Aristotle

Beware of little expensed; a small leak will sink a great ship. -- Benjamin Franklin

The sentiment of justice is so natural, and so universally acquired by all mankind, that it seems to be independent of all law, all party, all religion. --- Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire

Happiness isn't something you experience, it's something you remember. --- Oscar Levant

The trouble with the average family today is that it's hard to support it and the government on one income.

Men blaspheme what they do not know. --- Blaise Pascal, Pensees. 1670.

Unlike presidential administrations, problems rarely have terminal dates. --- General Dwight David Eisenhower, from the State of the Union address, 1961.

Government of man by man in every form is oppression. --- Pierre Joseph

Immature poets borrow, mature poets steal. --- T. S. Eliot

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. --- Richard L. Evans

Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence. --- Henrik Tikkanen

Everything the government gives out it has taken from someone else. --- Anonymous

If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him. --- Francis Bacon

The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is, to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when to be obeyed. --- Nathaniel Hawthorne

I suppose people in general can be cruel to one another because it's easier to do the wrong thing; kindness takes an effort most are not willing to exert. --- Kersti Kahar

The mere absence of war is not peace. The mere absence of recession is not growth. --- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. --- Hugh Downs

Baby's heads have no hair, Old men's heads are just as bare; Between the cradle and the grave, Lies a haircut and a shave.

One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year. --- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Without the assistance of that Divine Being... I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. --- Abraham Lincoln

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want. --- Margaret Young

Fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid. --- Francis Bacon, Essays: Of Praise.

Knowledge is the only instrument of production that is not subject to diminishing returns. --- J.M. Clarke

There are no foolish questions and no man becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions. --- Charles Proteus Steinmetz

What's gone, and what's past help, should be past grief. -- Shakespeare

Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds. --- Socrates

Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it. --- Sir William Haley

Schapiro's Explanation: The grass is always greener on the other side -- but that's because they use more manure.

Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world any more. There is always something to make you wonder, in the shape of a leaf, the trembling of a tree. --- Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river. -- Cordell Hull

The way to learn is to begin. --- Anonymous

When the well is dry, we know the worth of oil. -- Poor Jimmy's Almanac

It's an old adage that the way to be safe is never to be secure.... Each one of us requires the spur of insecurity to force us to do our best. --- Harold W. Dodds

A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself. --- Anonymous

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. --- Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

No man is an Island, entire of it self; every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee. --- John Donne, Devotions, XVII.

Man has now conquered almost everything in nature except human nature. --- Anonymous

Happiness lies, first of all, in health. --- George William Curtis

Wealth is not what we have, but what we are. --- Anonymous

Once an opportunity has passed, it cannot be caught. --- Anonymous

The grand aim of all science is to cover the greatest number of empirical facts by logical deduction from the smallest number of hypotheses or axioms. --- Albert Einstein

Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side. -LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Maxims

Without freedom, no one really has a name. -- Milton Acorda

Military intelligence is a contradiction in terms. --- Groucho Marx

The amount of flak on any subject is inversely proportional to the subject's true value.

Zeal for the public good is the characteristic of a man of honor and a gentleman, and must take the place of pleasures, profits and all other private gratifications. --- Steele

Goodwill is the one and only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy. --- Marshall Field

Every cook has to learn how to govern the state. --- Nikolai Lenin, Will the Bolsheviks Retain Government Power? 1917.

Happiness is an inside job. --- William Arthur Ward

This is an age-old truth: People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy. --- Anonymous

Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don't have. It's so simple-yet so hard for the human mind to comprehend. --- Bits & Pieces.

Beautiful forms and compositions are not made by chance, nor can they ever, in any material, be made at small expense. A composition for cheapness and not excellence of workmanship is the most frequent and certain cause of the rapid decay and entire destruction of arts and manufactures. --- Josiah Wedgwood

Sorrow is like a precious treasure, shown only to friends. --- African Proverb.

Don't throw away the old bucket until you know whether the new one holds water. --- Swedish Proverb.

A woman is the only thing that I am afraid of that I know will not hurt me. --- Abraham Lincoln

You have freedom when you're easy in your harness. --- Robert Lee Frost

You might well remember that nothing can bring you success but yourself. --- Napoleon Hill

I can't help feeling a certain pride in the admiration of women. I suspect that is one of my biggest failings. -- Jose Torres

The time is right to make new friends.

A guilty conscience is the mother of invention. --- Carolyn Wells

By gnawing through a dyke even a rat may drown a nation. -- Edward Burke

The great difficulty in education is to get experience out of ideas. --- George Santayana

There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going. --- Beverly Sills

Patience is the key to paradise. --- Turkish Proverb.

If you have to be in a soap opera try not to get the worst role. --- Boy George

Hot lead can be almost as effective coming from a linotype as from a firearm. --- John O'Hara, The Portable F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1945, introduction.

Illusion is the first of all pleasures. --- Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire

Untold suffering seldom is.

For knowledge, too, is itself power. --- Francis Bacon, Religious Meditations.

Governments do not give people rights. The People give government power in order to protect their preexisting rights. --- Colorado Attorney General's Office, 1993.

As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of demand.

Business is never so healthy as when, like a chicken, it must do a certain amount of scratching for what it gets. --- Henry Ford

To every Ph.D. there is an equal and opposite Ph.D, which explains why it is so easy to find expert witnesses who contradict each other.

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. This sentence was much used in the Revolutionary period. It occurs even so early as November, 1755, in an answer by the Assembly of Pennsylvania to the Governor, and forms the motto of Franklin's "Historical Review", 1759, appearing also in the body of the work.-Frothingham: Rise of the Republic of the United States, p. 413. --- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania. 1759.

In the battle of existence, Talent is the punch; Tact is the clever footwork.

But facts are facts and flinch not. --- Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book.

Look to the future and not to the past To find those things you want to make last. --- Jonivan

When virtue is lost, benevolence appears; when benevolence is lost, right conduct appears; when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder. --- Lao Tse, or Tsu, or Tze, or Tzu, or Tsze

Old proverb says, That bird is not honest That filleth his own nest. --- John Skelton, Poems Against Garnesche.

Revenge has no more quenching effect on emotions than salt water has on thirst. --- Walter Weckler, Newsweek.

One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its result, and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community. --- Albert Einstein, On Education.

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. --- Bill Cosby

Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. --- Confucius

He was not of an age but for all time. --- Ben Jonson, To the Memory of My Beloved, the Author Mr. William Shakespeare.

Where Example keeps pace with Authority, Power hardly fails to be obey'd. --- William Penn

When someone disagrees with me, I do not have to immediately start revising what I just said. People don't want me to always agree with them. They can sense this is phony. They can sense I am trying to control them: I am agreeing with them to make them like me. They feel; 'I don't want to exist to like you. I DON'T exist to like you.'". --- Hugh Prather, Notes.

If you see a formula in the Physical Review that extends over a quarter of a page, forget it. It's wrong. Nature isn't that complicated. --- Bernd T. Matthias

After the verb 'To Love,' 'To Help' is the most beautiful verb in the world! --- Bertha Freifrau Von Suttner

The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as a little god to which you must be loyal, how can you hope to find inward peace?
- A.W. Tozer
Silence is true wisdom's best reply.
- Eurpides
Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
- George Washington
Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders, than from the arguments of it opposers.
- William Penn
Morality does not make a Christian, yet no man can be a Christian without it.
- Daniel Wilson
I intend to live forever. So far, so good
- Stephen Wright
Atheistic morality is not impossible, but it will never answer our purpose.
- Roswell Dwight Hitchcock
There are many religions, but there is only one morality.
- John Ruskin
What the wise do in the beginning, fools do in the end.
- Warren Buffett
There is an eloquent silence: it serves sometimes to approve, sometimes to condemn; there is a mocking silence; there is a respectful silence.
- Francois De La Rochefoucauld
There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.
- Michel de Montaigne
The great advantage of telling the truth is that one is so much more likely to sound convincing.
- Susan Howatch
The moral life of any people rises or falls with the vitality or decay of its religious life.
- John Sutherland Bonnell
Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.
- Leo Tolstoy
Piety and morality are but the same spirit differently manifested. Piety is religion with its face toward God; morality is religion with its face toward the world.
- Tryon Edwards
The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility.
- Charles C. Colton
God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please, you can never have both.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must undertake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.
- Phillips Brooks
Maintaining a complicated life is a great way to avoid changing it.
- Elaine St. James
There is no true and abiding morality that is not founded in religion.
- Henry Ward Beecher
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
It is faith among men that holds the moral elements of society together, as it is faith in God that binds the world to his throne.
- William Maxwell Evarts
To know how to say what other people only think, is what makes poets and sages; and to dare to say what others only dare to think, makes men martyrs or reformers.
- Elizabeth Rundle Charles
The more accurately we search into the human mind, the stronger traces we everywhere find of the wisdom of Him who made it.
- Edmund Burke
Let us live as people who are prepared to die, and die as people who are prepared to live.
- James S. Stewart
A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.
- Doug Larson
Learn to say no. It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
To endeavor to domineer over conscience is to invade the citadel of heaven.
- Charles the Fifth
The church is the only conscience the government has. When the church is silent, the state can have no conscience.
- Edward W. Grant
A man without God is not like a cake without raisins; he is like a cake without the flour and milk; he lacks the essential ingredients...
- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Nature gives man corn but he must grind it; God gives man a will but he must make the right choices.
- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Marriages may be made in heaven, but man is responsible for the maintenance work.
- Changing Times
Real pain can alone cure us of imaginary ills.
- Jonathan Edwards
A sleeping pill will never take the place of a clear conscience.
- Edie Cantor
When death, that great reconciler has come, it is never our tenderness that we repent of, but our severity.
- George Eliot
Life begets life. Energy begets energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.
- Sarah Bernhardt
Little things console us because little things afflict us.
- Blaise Pascal
Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
- Abigail Adams
What is most obvious may be most worthy of analysis. Fertile vistas may open out when commonplace facts are examined from a fresh point of view.
- L.L. Whyte
Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There is a smile of Love, And there is a smile of Deceit, And there is a smile of smiles In which these two smiles meet.
- William Blake
Renouncing the honors at which the world aims, I desire only to know the truth... and to the maximum of power, I exhort all other men to do the same.
- Plato
When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
- U.S. Grant
The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
- Abraham Lincoln
There is no gain except by loss; There is no life except by death; There is no vision but by faith.
- Walter Chalmers Smith
There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
I do not believe in that word fate. It is the refuge of every self-confessed failure.
- Andrew Soutar
They that worship God merely from fear, Would worship the devil too, if he appear.
- Anonymous
A God all mercy, is a God unjust.
- Israel Zangwill
God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil to exist.
- St. Augustine
God made man a little lower than the angels, and he has been getting a little lower ever since.
- Will Rogers
The 7 Modern Sins: Politics without principles, Pleasures without conscience, Wealth without work, Knowledge without character, Industry without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice.
- Canon Frederic Donaldson
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
- Epictetus
Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its hand.
- Bodie Thoene
When something important is going on, silence is a lie.
- A.M. Rosenthal
A wise man is one who has finally discovered that there are some questions to which nobody has the answer.
- Unknown
A Truth that's told with bad intent Beats all the Lies you can invent
- William Blake
The Bible is the rock on which our Republic rests.
- Andrew Jackson
To the influence of the Bible we are indebted for the progress made in civilization, and to this we must look as our guide in the future.
- Ulysses S. Grant
The only disability in life is a bad attitude.
- Scott Hamilton
God, who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creatures in order that he may love and perfect them.
- C.S. Lewis
Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.
- Nikki Giovanni
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
- Thomas Paine
Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.
- William Shakespeare
Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.
- Dan Rather
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom not to strangle the stubborn atheists who can't see You when You're right under their noses!
- Anonymous
Adversity is the diamond dust heaven polishes its jewels with.
- Robert Leighton
As sure as God puts His children in the furnace of affliction, He will be with them in it.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
He who doubts from what he sees Will ne'er believe, do what you please.
- William Blake
Why didn't someone tell me that I can become a Christian and settle the doubts afterward?
- William Rainey Harper
Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
- Mark Twain
The best of what we do and are, Just God, forgive!
- William Wordsworth
We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.
- C.S. Lewis, on confession
A thousand pounds and a bottle of hay, Is all one thing at Doomsday.
- John Ray
We evaluate others with a Godlike justice, but we want them to evaluate us with a Godlike compassion.
- Sydney J. Harris
Whoever considers the study of anatomy, I believe will never be an atheist; the frame of man's body, and coherence of his parts, being so strange and paradoxical, that I hold it to be the greatest miracle of nature.
- Edward Herbert
"I can forgive but I cannot forget," is only another way of saying, "I cannot forgive."
- Henry Ward Beecher
Words must be weighed, not counted.
- Polish Proverb
Little minds are interested in the extraordinary; great minds in the commonplace.
- Elbert Hubbard
Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it.
- Christopher Morley
Shared joy is double joy and shared sorrow is half-sorrow.
- Swedish Proverb
He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass.
- George Herbert
The heart must be kept tender and pliable; otherwise agnosticism converts to skepticism... for apologetics is aimed at persuading doubters, not at refuting the defiant. He who demands a kind of proof that the nature of the case renders impossible, is determined that no possible evidence shall convince him.
- Edward John Carnell
We commit the Golden Rule to memory and forget to commit it to life.
- Anonymous
Our strength is often composed of the weakness we're damned if we're going to show.
- Mignon McLaughlin
Everyone complains of his memory, and nobody complains of his judgment.
- La Rochefoucald
Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good.
- Joe Paterno
One person with a belief is a social power equal to 99 who have only interests.
- John Stuart Mill
If you risk nothing, then you risk everything.
- Geena Davis
A man has deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of the Bible.
- Woodrow Wilson
He became what we are that He might make us what He is.
- Athanasius (speaking of Jesus of Nazareth)
Love doesn't just sit there like a stone, it has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.
- Ursula K. LeGuin
It is human to err; it is devilish to remain willfully in error.
- St. Augustine
Nothing is more harmful to a new truth than an old error.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.
- Marilyn Vos Savant
We can conceive of a world in which God corrected the results of abuse of free will by His creatures: so that a wooden beam became soft as grass when used as a weapon... But such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and therefore, freedom of the will would be void.
- C.S. Lewis
The proud man hath no God; the envious man hath no neighbor; the angry man hath not himself. What good then, in being a man, if one has neither himself nor a neighbor nor God?
- Joseph Hall
God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us.
- Niccolo Machiavelli
Insomuch as any one pushes you nearer to God, he or she is your friend.
- Anonymous
A good man, through obscurest aspirations, Has still an instinct of the one true way.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This world has too low a ceiling for aspiring man!
- J. Wallace Hamilton
The line between good and evil passes not between principalities and powers, but oscillates within the human heart. And even the most rational approach to ethics is defenseless if there isn't the will to do what is right.
- Unknown
If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out of danger?
- Thomas Henry Huxley
There is no truth existing which I fear, or would wish unknown to the whole world.
- Thomas Jefferson
We must never throw away a bushel of truth because it happens to contain a few grains of chaff.
- Dean Stanley
You do not destroy an idea by killing people; you replace it with a better one.
- Edward Keating
If you truly want to understand something, try to change it.
- Kurt Lewin
Friends come and go, but enemies accumulate.
- Thomas F. Jones, Jr.
The eyes shout what the lips fear to say.
- Will Henry
The only factor becoming scarce in a world of abundance is human attention.
- Kevin Kelly, Wired Magazine
It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.
- Mark Twain
One can have knowledge without having wisdom, but one cannot have wisdom without having knowledge.
- R.C. Sproul
The tree of deepest root is found, Least willing still to quit the ground: 'Twas therefore said by ancient sages, That love of life increased with years; So much, that in our latter stages, When pain grows sharp and sickness rages, The greatest love of life appears.
- Lady Thrale
We cannot do evil to others without doing it to ourselves.
- Joseph Francois Eduard Desmahis
The real problem is in the hearts and minds of men. It is not a problem of physics but of ethics. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil from the spirit of man.
- Albert Einstein
'Tis not where we lie, but whence we fell; The loss of heaven's the greatest pain in hell.
- Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Anyone can devise a plan by which good people go to heaven. Only God can devise a plan whereby sinners, which are His enemies, can go to heaven.
- Lewis Sperry Chafer
A self-made man? Yes, and worships his creator.
- Henry Austin Clapp
Most men forget God all day and ask Him to remember them at night.
- Anonymous
The religion of the atheist has a God-shaped blank at its heart.
- H.G. Wells
1097. We choose to go to the moon, not because it's easy but because it's hard.
- John F. Kennedy
1098. May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face And the rain fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
- Irish blessing
Some are atheists by neglect; others are so by affectation; they that think there is no God at some times do not think so at all times.
- Benjamin Whichcote
God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December.
- James M. Barrie
The defect of equality is that we desire it only with our superiors.
- Henry Becque
If there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is something that could better be changed in ourselves.
- C.G. Jung
If I were to begin life again, I should want it as it was. I would only open my eyes a little more.
- The Journal of J. Renard
"Friends don't let friends drive drunk". I think we could adopt something like "friends don't want friends to go to hell.
- Chuck Gallini
Here is a test to see if your mission on earth is finished. If you are alive, it isn't.
- Francis Bacon
There are times when silence has the loudest voice.
- Leroy Brownlow
We're all proud of making little mistakes. It gives us the feeling we don't make any big ones.
- Andrew A. Rooney
If necessity is the mother of invention, discontent is the father of progress.
- David Rockefeller
We can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by.
- Will Rogers
The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.
- Archibald MacLeish
Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices--just recognize them.
- Edward R. Murrow
No sciences are better attested than the religion of the Bible.
- Sir Isaac Newton
Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand; but as for me, I always noticed that the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand.
- Mark Twain
Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
- Indian Proverb
God made man to be somebody, not just to have things.
- Anonymous
Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. No husbandman would sow a grain of corn if he hoped not it would grow up and become seed... Or tradesman would set himself to work if he did not hope to reap benefit thereby.
- Martin Luther
Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear.
- Benedict de Spinoza
Faith on a full stomach may be simply contentment
- but if you have it when you're hungry, it's genuine.
- Frank A. Clark
Reason saw not, till faith sprung the light.
- John Dryden
Oh that it were my chief delight, To do the things I ought! Then let me try with all my might To mind what I am taught.
- Jane Taylor
The almighty dollar, that great object of universal devotion throughout our land, seems to have no genuine devotees in these peculiar villages.
- Washington Irving, on observing a Creole village.
All men are born equal but the tough job is to outgrow it.
- Don Leary
Do not let the good things in life rob you of the best things.
- Buster Rothman
Expect people to be better than they are; it helps them to become better. But don't be disappointed when they are not; it helps them to keep trying.
- Merry Browne
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.
- G.K. Chesterton
The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways.
- Gene Hackman
I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.
- Stephen Wright
"Men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all the other alternatives."
- Abba Eban
What we do not understand we do not possess.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Our Creator would never have made such lovely days and have given us the deep hearts to enjoy them unless we were meant to be immortal.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
There's no point in burying the hatchet if you're going to put up a marker on the site.
- Sydney J. Harris
As if we could kill time without injuring eternity!!
- Henry David Thoreau
You live and learn. Or you don't live long.
- Robert A. Heinlein
I've made such a terrible mess of things... and all I wanted to do was rule the universe.
- Unknown
In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.
- Richard Baxter
Charity gives itself rich; covetousness hoards itself poor.
- German Proverb
I had a thousand questions to ask God; but when I met Him they all fled and didn't seem to matter.
- Christopher Morley
If man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?
- Blaise Pascal
Love sought is good, but given unsought is better.
- William Shakespeare
The proud man counts his newspaper clippings--the humble man his blessings.
- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
The faith that will shut the mouths of lions must be more than a pious hope that they will not bite.
- Missionary Tidings
How cruelly sweet are the echoes that start, When memory plays an old tune on the heart!
- Eliza Cook
A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul.
- Dwight L. Moody
Humility is strong, not bold; quiet, not speechless; sure, not arrogant.
- Estelle Smith
There is no love which does not become help.
- Paul Tillich
Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open.
- Unknown
If time is not real, then the dividing line between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between good and evil, is also an illusion.
- Herman Hesse
I refuse to believe I am a piece of dust scuttering through uncaring space. I believe I count--that I have work to do--that there is need of me... With my last breath, I sing a psalm.
- Rita Duskin
A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify; A never dying soul to save, And fit it for the sky.
- Charles Wesley
The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes.
- Confucius
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
In actual life every great enterprise begins with and takes its first forward step in faith.
- August Wilhelm von Schlegel
Faith goes up the stairs that love has made and looks out the window which hope has opened.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The universe is a stairway leading nowhere unless man is immortal.
- Edgar Young Mullins
Fear not that your life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall never have a beginning.
- Cardinal John Henry Newman
The history of the world suggests that without love of God there is little likelihood of a love for man that does not become corrupt.
- Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon
If you cannot hate evil, you cannot love good.
- Struthers Burt
It is hard for the good to suspect evil as it is hard for the bad to suspect good.
- Cicero
Atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark.
- C.S. Lewis
Is it any wonder that to this day this Galilean is too much for our small hearts?
- H.G. Wells
I have sent for you that you may see how a Christian can die.
- Joseph Addison, on his deathbed to his stepson.
Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.
- Anonymous
Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them.
- Alfred North Whitehead
Christianity is not a theory or speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a living presence.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Give us a genuine Christianity that may provoke persecution, but will not provoke contempt.
- Amzi Clarence Dixon
Remember change and change for the better are often two different things.
- Unknown
Evil is only good perverted.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Good had but one enemy, the evil; but the evil has two enemies, the good and itself.
- Johannes von Muller
There is a difficulty about disagreeing with God. He is the source from which all your reasoning power comes: you could not be right and He wrong any more than a stream can rise higher than its own source... you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.
- C.S. Lewis
Human things must be known to be loved: but Divine things must be loved to be known.
- Blaise Pascal
Love must be learned again and again... Hate needs no instruction, but waits only to be provoked.
- Katherine Anne Porter
Justice is truth in action.
- Joseph Joubert
Neither genius, fame, nor love show the greatness of the soul. Only kindness can do that.
- Jean Baptiste Henri Lacordaire
Our lives are a manifestation of what we think about God.
- Anonymous
Fate is not the ruler, but the servant of Providence.
- Edward George Bulwer-Lytton
Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain; Here patriot Truth her glorious precepts draw, Pledged to Religion, Liberty, and Law.
- Joseph Story (1779-1845): Motto of the "Salem Register."
Unthinking, idle, wild, and young, I laughed and danced and talked and sung.
- Princess Amelia
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear; not absence of fear.
- Mark Twain
I Believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I am not feeling it. I believe in God even when He is silent.
- Anonymous Jewish holocaust victim
Frustration is commonly the difference between what you would like to be and what you are willing to sacrifice to become what you would like to be.
- Unknown
There's not a joy the world can give like that it takes away.
- Lord Byron
People hasten to judge in order not to be judged themselves.
- Albert Camus
If you tell the truth, sooner or later somebody's going to find you out.
- Unknown
Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. There are lots of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it.
- C.S. Lewis
Always do right. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
- Mark Twain
Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.
- Billy Sunday
The idea of strictly minding our own business is moldy rubbish. Who could be so selfish?
- Myrtie Barker
It is never wise to seek or wish for another's misfortune. If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang.
- Charley Reese
I couldn't wait for success... so I went ahead without it.
- Jonathan Winters
Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.
- Erich Fromm
There are so many men who can figure costs, and so few who can measure values.
- California Tribune
Even if you're on the right track you'll get run over if you just sit there.
- Will Rogers
Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.
- Leonardo da Vinci
Who we are never changes. Who we think we are... does.
- Unknown
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots.
- Frank A. Clark
A man may be damned for despairing to be saved.
- Jeremy Taylor
Even for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief, death cannot long divide; for is it not as if the rose that climbed my garden wall had bloomed the other side?
- Alice Cary
I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because, by it, I see everything else.
- C.S. Lewis
Some things must be good in themselves, else there could be no measure whereby to lay out good and evil.
- Benjamin Whichcote
Good has two meanings: it means both that which is good absolutely and that which is good for somebody.
- Aristotle
God hears no sweeter music than the cracked chimes of the courageous human spirit ringing in imperfect acknowledgement of His perfect love.
- Joshua Loth Liebman
Love that seeks to do men good is cowardice when it refuses to prevent them from doing wrong.
- Shailer Mathews
Heaven may be defined as the place which men avoid.
- Henry David Thoreau
If there were no hell, no one would worry about heaven.
- Welsh Proverb
Heaven is not to be looked upon only as the reward, but the natural effect, of a religious life.
- Joseph Addison
A man may go to heaven with half the pains it cost him to purchase hell.
- Henry Fielding
One of the greatest artifices the devil uses to engage men in vice and debauchery, is to fasten names of contempt on certain virtues, and thus fill weak souls with a foolish fear of passing for scrupulous, should they desire to put them in practice.
- Blaise Pascal
A great fear, when it is ill-managed, is the parent of superstition; but a discreet and well-guided fear produces religion.
- Jeremy Taylor
A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain.
- Samuel Johnson
Doing an injury puts you below your enemy; revenging one makes you even with him; forgiving sets you above him.
- Nylic Review
Ten armchair theoreticians cannot match one doer.
- Anonymous
The timid folk beseech me, the wise ones warn me, They say that I shall never grow to stand so high. But I shall climb among hills of vanished lightning, And stand knee deep in thunder with my head against the sky.
- Winifred Willes
Packed in my skin from head to toe Is one I know and do not know.
- Edwin Muir
When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God.
- Reverend Charles Allen
A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
- Thomas Paine
The optimist already sees the scar over the wound; the pessimist still sees the wound beneath the scar.
- Ernst Schroder
The man who bows the lowest in the presence of God stands the straightest in the presence of sin. -Author Unknown
OK, so if psychics are real, why do they have to ask you for your name?
- Stephen Wright
I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.
- Frank A. Clark
It is only about things that do not interest one that one can give a really unbiased opinion, which is no doubt the reason why an unbiased opinion is always valueless.
- Oscar Wilde
You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
- James D. Miles
To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own.
- Abraham Lincoln
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
- Quotations of Courage & Vision
A book, tight shut, is but a block of paper.
- Chinese proverb
There is no other way of guarding oneself against flattery than by letting men understand that they will not offend you by speaking the truth; but when everyone can tell you the truth, you lose their respect.
- Niccolo Machiavelli
Once I drew like Raphael but it has taken me a lifetime to draw like a child.
- Pablo Picasso
We can forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
- Plato
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.
- Bishop W.C. Magee
Errors, like straws, upon the surface flow; He who would search for pearls must dive down below.
- John Dryden
The devil comes where money is; where it is not he comes twice.
- Swedish Proverb
How else but through a broken heart May Lord Christ enter in.
- Oscar Wilde
Who spits against heaven, it falls in his face.
- Anonymous
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.
- William Shakespeare
It is easy for them that have never known love to sneer at love.
- Welsh Proverb
God doesn't always smooth the path, but sometimes He puts springs in the wagon.
- Marshall Lucas
All growth that is not towards God is growing to decay.
- George Macdonald
The devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own.
- Thomas a Kempis
Not he that adorns but he that adores makes a divinity.
- Baltasar Gracian Morales
Ceremony and great professing renders friendship as much suspect as it does religion.
- William Wycherley
It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.
- Richard Braunstein
If you want to bake an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the Universe.
- Carl Sagan
If we are ever in doubt about what to do, it is a good rule to ask ourselves what we shall wish on the morrow that we had done.
- John Lubbock
You can't wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.
- Navajo Proverb
I can do only one thing at a time, but I can avoid doing many things simultaneously.
- Asleigh Brilliant
Optimism is an intellectual choice.
- Diana Schneider
Opinions are flexible prejudices.
- Gerald Horton Bath
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots.
- Frank A. Clark
The quickest way to become an old dog is to stop learning new tricks.
- John Rooney
After all is said and done, more has usually been said than done.
- Michael W. Hamrick
As long as I see any thing to be done for God, life is worth having; but O how vain and unworthy it is to live for any lower end!
- David Brainerd
Our prayers are answered not when we are given what we ask but when we are challenged to be what we can be.
- Morris Alder
The two words "information" and "communication" are often used interchangeably, but they signify quite different things. Information is giving out; communication is getting through.
- Sydney J. Harris
There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.
- Clare Boothe Luce
Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.
- Al Bernstein
Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is easy to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who, in the midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
We desire most what we ought not to have
- Publilius Syrus
The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.
- James Branch Cabell
Life, like a dome of many-colored glass, Stains the white radiance of eternity.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift.
- Aeschylus
The wisest word man reaches is the humblest he can speak.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk.
- Cicero
Man is an able creature, but he has made 32,600,000 laws and hasn't yet improved on the Ten Commandments.
- Anonymous
Strike from mankind the principles of faith, and man would have no more history than a flock of sheep.
- John Bulwer
They that know God will be humble; they that know themselves cannot be proud.
- John Flavel
Humility is the first of virtues--for other people.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
There is no permanent place in [this universe] for evil... Evil may hide behind this fallacy and that, but it will be hunted from fallacy to fallacy until there is no more fallacy for it to hide behind.
- Thomas Carlyle
The heart has eyes that the brain knows nothing of.
- Dr. Charles Henry Parkhurst
Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.
- Will Rogers
Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.
- Jean Sibelius
It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
- William G. McAdoo
When you run into someone who is disagreeable to others, you may be sure he is uncomfortable with himself; the amount of pain we inflict upon others is directly proportional to the amount we feel within us.
- Sydney J. Harris
If this age is remembered for anything, it will perhaps be for the speed with which we embrace things and let them go.
- David Konigsberg
My life is in the hands of any fool who makes me lose my temper.
- Joseph Hunter
Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.
- Vaclav Havel
Many things are lost for want of asking.
- English Proverb
If you don't place your foot on the rope, you'll never cross the chasm.
- Liz Smith
Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.
- Peter Drucker
You cannot climb to salvation on atheistic steppes.
- Anonymous
A little philosophy inclineth a man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth man's mind to religion.
- Sir Francis Bacon
He loseth nothing that loseth not God.
- George Herbert
Whatever man loves, that is his god. For he carries it in his heart; he goes about with it night and day; he sleeps and wakes with it, be it what it may
- wealth or self, pleasure or renown.
- Martin Luther
Love does not die easily. It is a living thing. It thrives in the face of all life's hazards, save one-- neglect.
- James D. Bryden
Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth.
- C.S. Lewis
It is astonishing how little one feels poverty when one loves.
- John Bulwer
The thought of immortality is as well founded as any other well authenticated postulate of the human reason.
- John Haynes Holmes
After death the soul possesses self-consciousness, otherwise, it would be the subject of spiritual death, which has already been disproved. With this self-consciousness necessarily remains personality and the consciousness of personal identity.
- Immanuel Kant
Hypocrisy is the homage which vice renders to virtue.
- Francois de La Rochefoucald
Hypocrites in the Church? Yes, and in the lodge and at the home. Don't hunt through the Church for a hypocrite. Go home and look in the mirror. Hypocrites? Yes. See that you make the number one less.
- Billy Sunday
God's whole employment is to lift up the humble and to cast down the proud.
- Anonymous
Socrates, being asked what countryman he was, answered, "I am a citizen of the whole world." But ask a Christian what countryman he is, and he will answer, "A citizen of heaven."
- William Secker
To get to heaven, turn right and keep straight.
- Wesleyan Methodist
Gratitude is the heart's memory.
- Anonymous
Gratitude is from the same root word as grace--the boundless mercy of God. Thanksgiving is from the same root word as think, so to think is to thank.
- Willis P. King
We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.
- C.S. Lewis
There are three things that only God knows: the beginning of things, the cause of things and the end of things.
- Welsh Proverb
One that confounds good and evil is an enemy to good.
- Edmund Burke
God is truth and light His shadow.
- Plato
There are times when God asks nothing of His children except silence, patience, and tears.
- Charles Seymour Robinson
It is highly convenient to believe in the infinite mercy of God when you feel the need of mercy, but remember also his infinite justice.
- Benjamin Robert Haydon
The Lord is my shepherd, that's all I want.
- Small child misquoting the Bible's 23rd Psalm
I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.
- Mary Gardiner Brainard
He who leaves God out of his reasoning does not know how to count.
- Italian Proverb
As you give, so shall you receive. Contribute more and you will receive more. If you want a stronger rebound, throw the ball harder.
- Sunshine Magazine
Like madness is the glory of this life.
- William Shakespeare
Freedom has only the meaning with which men endow it. It is not enough to pay lip service to the concept of religious liberty. We must pay heart service to it as well, else it remains an empty phrase instead of a living reality.
- Kenneth B. Keating
There will be no true freedom without virtue, no true science without religion, no true industry without the fear of God and love to your fellow citizens.
- Charles Kingsley
The best way to get even is to forget.
- Anonymous
He who forgives ends a quarrel.
- African Proverb
Yes, the first morning of creation wrote what the last dawn of reckoning shall read.
- Omar Khayyam
Faith affirms what the senses do not affirm, but not the contrary of what they perceive. It is above and not contrary to.
- Blaise Pascal
Christian faith is a grand cathedral, with divinely pictured windows. Standing without, you can see no glory, nor can imagine any, but standing within, every ray of light reveals a harmony of unspeakable splendors.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
When men cease to be faithful to their God, he who expects to find them faithful to each other will be much disappointed.
- George Horne
On the whole, more people are cheated by believing nothing than by believing too much.
- P.T. Barnum
Live by faith until you have faith.
- Josh Billings
Every evil comes to us on wings and goes away limping.
- French Proverb
Our character is but the stamp on our souls of the free choices of good and evil we have made through life.
- John Cunningham Geikie
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
- William Shakespeare
All the devils respect virtue.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
'Tis an easier matter to raise the devil than to lay him.
- Desiderius Erasmus
So at the end of the long journey I have come to this: that I am a moral personality under orders.
- William L. Sullivan
The cross is "I" crossed out.
- Anonymous
The Christian church is not a congregation of righteous people. It is a society of those who know they are not good.
- Dwight E. Stevenson
Posted on a church bulletin board: "Do come in--Trespassers will be forgiven."
The Church has many critics but few rivals.
- Anonymous
If ever man was God or God man, Jesus Christ was both.
- George Gordon, Lord Byron
The charity that hastens to proclaim its good deeds, ceases to be charity, and is only pride and ostentation.
- William Hutton
Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them.
- The Defender
The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. No book in the world equals the Bible for that.
- James McCosh
A belief is not true because it is useful.
- Henri Frederic Amiel
All ages of belief have been great; all of unbelief have been mean.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
He does not believe that does not live according to his belief.
- Thomas Fuller
It is not for man to rest in absolute contentment. He is born to hopes and aspirations as the sparks fly upward, unless he has brutified his nature and quenched the spirit of immortality which is his portion.
- Robert Southey
Atheism is the death of hope, the suicide of the soul.
- Anonymous
Man is neither angel nor brute, and the unfortunate thing is that he who would act the angel acts the brute.
- Blaise Pascal
There is not a heart that but has its moments of longing, yearning for something better.
- Henry Ward Beecher
I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
- Pablo Picasso
Sometimes I think I understand everything... Then I regain consciousness.
- Ashleigh Brilliant
In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
- Theodore Roosevelt
Reality is not optional.
- Thomas Sowell
I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know, the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.
- Albert Schweitzer
You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Babylon in all its desolation is a sight not so awful as that of the human mind in ruins.
- Scrope Davies
Our days begin with trouble here, Our life is but a span, And cruel death is always near, So frail a thing is man.
- New England Primer
If you have made mistakes... there is always another chance for you... you may have a fresh start any moment you chose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.
- Mary Pickford
And Marlowe, Webster, Fletcher, Ben, Whose fire-hearts sowed our furrows when The world was worthy of such men.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Why thus longing, thus forever sighing, For the far-off, unattained, and dim; While the beautiful all round thee lying, Offers up its low, perpetual hymn?
- Harriet W. Sewall
To look up and not down, To look forward and not back, To look out and not in, and To lend a hand.
- Edward Everett Hale
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
- Hugh Downs
When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly.
- Patrick Overton
While Thee I seek, protecting Power, Be my vain wishes stilled; And may this consecrated hour, With better hopes be filled.
- Helen Maria Williams
'Twas whispered in heaven, 'twas muttered in hell, And echo caught faintly the sound as it fell; On the confines of earth 'twas permitted to rest, And the depths of the ocean its presence confessed.
- Catherine M. Fanshawe
Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the north-wind's breath, And stars to set; but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O Death!
- Felicia D. Hemas
I'm very lonely now, Mary, For the poor make no new friends; But oh they love the better still, The few our Father sends!
- Lady Dufferin
Nor peace nor ease the heart can know; Which, like the needle true, Turns at the touch of joy or woe, But turning, trembles too.
- Lady Greville
This dead of midnight is the noon of thought, And Wisdom mounts her zenith with the stars.
- Lady Barbauld
Sin can bring pleasure, but never happiness.
- R.C. Sproul
Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.
- Peter F. Drucker
One of the many divine qualities of the Bible is this: it does not yield its secrets to the irreverent and censorious.
- J. I. Packer
Ill gotten gains will be ill spent.
- Cicero
No man should so act as to make a gain out of the ignorance of another.
- Cicero
Chance is a word devoid of sense; nothing can exist without a cause.
- Voltaire
Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.
- George Washington
The world breaks everyone and afterward, many are strong at the broken places. Those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these, it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.
- Ernest Hemingway
Mistake, error, is the discipline through which we advance.
- William Ellery Channing
Friendship always benefits; love sometimes injures.
- Seneca
We're born with "go" up to our eyeballs. It's "stop" and "can't" that we learn.
- Anonymous
If your dreams turn to dust... vacuum.
- Unknown
A man ninety years old was asked to what he attributed his longevity. 'I reckon,' he said, with a twinkle in his eye, 'It's because most nights I went to bed and slept when I should have sat up and worried."
- Dorothea Kent
We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it..
- Eeyore (A.A. Milne)
Seek simplicity but distrust it.
- A.N. Whitehead
Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkers. The power of a car is separate from the way the car is driven.
- Edward de Bono
One thing at least is certain-This life flies; One thing is certain and the rest is lies; The Flower that once has blown forever dies.
- Rubiayat
Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish.
- Euripides
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.
- Ellen Parr
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
- Tom Brokaw
Men honor what lies within the sphere of their knowledge, but do not realize how dependent they are on what lies beyond it.
- Chuang-tse
Time is swift, it races by; Opportunities are born and die... Still you wait and will not try-- A bird with wings who dares not rise and fly.
- Pooh (A.A. Milne)
An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life.
- Author unknown
There is man for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet.
- Samuel Beckett
The world is a spiritual kindergarten, where thousands of bewildered infants are trying to spell GOD with the wrong blocks.
- Edward Arlington Robinson
When you have robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in your power. He is free again.
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.
- Mignon McLaughlin
An age is called Dark, not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it.
- James A. Michener
The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
- Chinese Proverb
Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.
- George Seaton
Errors like straws upon the surface flow; He who would search for pearls must dive below.
- John Dryden
People need responsibility. They resist assuming it, but they cannot get along without it.
- John Steinbeck
Crowding a life does not always enrich it.
- Unknown
Fame is a cancer and ego: its seed.
- Toad the Wet Sprocket
Always put off until tomorrow what you shouldn't do at all.
- Morris Mandel
If you ask enough people, you can usually find someone who will advise you to do what you were going to do anyway.
- Weston Smith
That which we call sin in others is experiment for us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you cannot win, make the one ahead of you break the record.
- Jan McKeithen
Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor, to console him for what he is.
- Wall Street Journal
You can get through life with bad manners, but it's easier with good manners.
- Lillian Gish
Opportunity is often difficult to recognize; we usually expect it to beckon us with beepers and billboards.
- William Arthur Ward
If moral behavior were simply following rules, we could program a computer to be moral.
- Samuel P. Ginder
The main discomfort in being a middle-of-the-roader is that you get sideswiped by partisans going in both directions.
- Sydney J. Harris
Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.
- Paul Tillich
There are more self-marred people in the world than there are self-made.
- Arnold H. Glasow
The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.
- J.M. Power
If you have never been amazed by the very fact that you exist, you are squandering the greatest fact of all.
- Jim Fiebig
Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.
- Reinhold Niebuhr
A habit is something you can do without thinking
- which is why most of us have so many of them.
- Frank A. Clark
Whoever wants to be a judge of human nature should study people's excuses.
- Hebbel
We need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.
- Omar Bradley
One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness
- it is usually returned.
- Cort R. Flint
Never try to make anyone like yourself
- you know, and God knows, that one of you is enough.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
There's a difference between opinion and conviction. My opinion is something that is true for me personally; my conviction is something that is true for everybody--in my opinion.
- Sylvia Cordwood
When a deep injury is done us, we never recover until we forgive.
- Alan Paton
Time neither subtracts nor divides, but adds at such a pace it seems like multiplication.
- Bob Talbert
Let not thy will roar, when thy power can but whisper.
- Thomas Fuller
It's important that people know what you stand for. It's equally important that they know what you won't stand for.
- Mary H. Waldrip
In labors of love, every day is payday.
- Gaines Brewster
Some things have to be believed to be seen.
- Ralph Hodgson
Time marks us while we are marking time.
- Theodore Roethke
The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.
- Peter F. Drucker
One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
- John Wooden
Sainthood emerges when you can listen to someone's tale of woe and not respond with a description of your own.
- Andrew V. Mason, M.D.
People are always making rules for themselves and always finding loop- holes.
- William Rotsler
Most of us are umpires at heart; we like to call balls and strikes on somebody else.
- Leo Aikman
Time is a versatile performer. It flies, marches on, heals all wounds, runs out, and will tell.
- Franklin P. Jones
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
- General George S. Patton, Jr.
Only some of us can learn by other people's mistakes. The rest of us have to be the other people.
- Chicago Tribune
I have lived in this world just long enough to look carefully the second time into things that I am the most certain of the first time.
- Josh Billings
Exasperation is the mind's way of spinning its wheels until patience restores traction.
- George L. Griggs
I believe that there are too many accommodating preachers... Jesus Christ did not say "Go into the world and tell the world that it is quite right." The Gospel is something completely different. In fact, it is directly opposed to the world.
- C.S. Lewis
While faith makes all things possible, it is love that makes all things easy.
- Evan H. Hopkins
There is practically nothing that men do not prefer to God. A tiresome detail of business, an occupation utterly pernicious to health, the employment of time in ways one does not dare to mention. Anything rather than God.
- Francois de Salignac de La Mothe Fenelon
Make sure the thing you're living for is worth dying for.
- Charles Mayes
So live that after the minister has ended his remarks, those present will not think they have attended the wrong funeral.
- Anonymous
For I never have seen, and never shall see, that the cessation of the evidence of existence is necessarily the evidence of the cessation of existence.
- William Frend De Morgan
What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again? Which is more difficult: to be born, or to rise again? That what has never been should be, or that what has been should be again? Is it more difficult to come into being than to return to it?
- Blaise Pascal
True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us.
- Tryon Edwards
Without humility, we keep all our defects; and they are only crusted over by pride, which conceals them from others, and often from ourselves.
- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
All mortals tend to turn into the thing they are pretending to be.
- C.S. Lewis
Entrance into heaven is not at the hour of death, but at the moment of conversion.
- Benjamin Whichcote
There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking.
- Alfred Korzybski
Everyone is an explorer. How could you possibly live your life looking at a door and not open it?
- Robert D. Ballard
It has been more wittily than charitably said that hell is paved with good intentions; they have their place in heaven also.
- Robert Southey
Many would be scantily clad if clothed in their humility.
- Anonymous
The strength and happiness of a man consists in finding out the way in which God is going, and going that way too.
- Henry Ward Beecher
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
[As an atheist] I never noticed that the very strength of the pessimists' case poses us a problem. If the universe is so bad, how on earth did human beings ever come to attribute it to the activity of a wise and good Creator?
- C.S. Lewis
The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident.
- Charles Lamb
The world embarrasses me, and I cannot think this watch exists and has no Watchmaker.
- Voltaire
If God would concede me His omnipotence for 24 hours, you would see how many changes I would make in the world. But if He gave me His wisdom too, I would leave things as they are.
- J.M.L. Monsabre
If God were to grant me His perfect love, I would save all who have ever been born; but if He would grant me His perfect justice as well, the universe would conclude just as it shall, in its glory as well as its tragedy.
- Anonymous
God often visits us, but most of the time we are not at home.
- Joseph Roux
Our ground of hope is that God does not weary of mankind.
- Ralph W. Sockman
The celestial order and the beauty of the universe compel me to admit that there is some excellent and eternal Being, Who deserves the respect and homage of men.
- Cicero
My argument against God was that the universe seemed unjust. But how had I got the idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.
- C.S. Lewis
It is more reverent to believe in the works of the Deity than to comprehend them.
- Tacitus
Whosoever walks toward God one cubit, God runs toward him twain.
- Anonymous
The difficulty is not so great to die for a friend, as to find a friend worth dying for.
- Henry Home
I desire so to conduct... this administration that if at the end,... I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside me.
- Abraham Lincoln
God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
No man is free who is a slave to the flesh.
- Seneca
We ought to flee the friendship of the wicked, and the enmity of the good.
- Epictetus
He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for every one has need to be forgiven.
- George Herbert
God forgives
- forgives not capriciously, but with wise, definite, Divine pre arrangement; forgives universally, on the grounds of an atonement and on the condition of repentance and faith.
- Richard Salter Storrs
But what is freedom? Rightly understood, A universal license to be good.
- Hartley Coleridge
Every person should have a special cemetery lot in which to bury the faults of friends and loved ones.
- Anonymous
'Tis writ on Paradise's gate, "Woe to the dupe that yields to fate!"
- Hafiz
Fate does not jest and events are not a matter of chance. There is no existence out of nothing.
- Gamal Abdel Nasser
Some wish they did, but no man disbelieves.
- Edward Young
Feast, and your halls are crowded; fast, and the world goes by.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
God overrules all mutinous accidents, brings them under his laws of fate, and makes them all serviceable to His purpose.
- Marcus Aurelius
All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as a ruined edifice, before one single word--faith.
- Napoleon Bonaparte
If a man have a strong faith he can indulge in the luxury of skepticism.
- Frederich Wilhelm Nietzsche
He who is in evil, is also in the punishment of evil.
- Emanuel Swedenborg
It is never a question with any of us of faith or no faith; the question is always in what or whom do we put our faith.
- Anonymous
...Or sells eternity to get a toy.
- William Shakespeare
For, were it not good that evil things should also exist, the omnipotent God would almost certainly not allow evil to be, since beyond doubt it is just as easy for Him not to allow what He does not will, as for Him to do what He will.
- St. Augustine
A year of self-surrender will bring larger blessings than fourscore year of selfishness.
- Anonymous
It is the devil's masterstroke to get us to accuse him.
- George Meredith
The question is not whether a doctrine is beautiful but whether it is true. When we wish to go to a place, we do not ask whether the road leads through a pretty country, but whether it is the right road.
- Augustus William and Julius Charles Hare
He who takes no position will not sway the human intellect.
- William Greenough Thayer Shedd
Nothing is dead but that which wished to die.
- Edward Young
The Devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men, some for their instruction, some for their ruin.
- St. Augustine
The chief trouble with the church is that you and I are in it.
- Charles H. Heimsath
The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works.
- St. Augustine
Conscience is condensed character.
- Anonymous
Ideals are like tuning forks: sound them often to bring your life up to standard pitch.
- S.D. Gordon
Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.
- Anonymous
Simple rules for saving money: To save half, when you are fired by an eager impulse to contribute to a charity, wait and count to forty. To save three quarters, count sixty. To save all, count sixty-five.
- Mark Twain
The opposite of joy is not sorrow. It is unbelief.
- Leslie Weatherfield
So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it, the more confident my hope that they will prove useful citizens, and respectful members of society.
- John Quincy Adams
An atheist's most embarrassing moment is when he feels profoundly thankful for something, but can't think of anybody to thank for it.
- Mary Ann Vincent.
If life is a comedy to him who thinks and a tragedy to him who feels, it is a victory to him who believes.
- Anonymous
If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of.
- Maier's Law
Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in
love."
- Albert Einstein
Faith is love taking the form of aspiration.
- William Ellery Channing
Atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man.
- Sir Francis Bacon
Let go of your attachment to being right, and suddenly your mind is more open. You're able to benefit from the unique viewpoints of others, without being crippled by your own judgment.
- Ralph Marston
Do not pray for easier lives, pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work will be no miracle, but YOU will be a miracle.
- Phillips Brooks
Far away, there in the sunshine, are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they may lead.
- Louisa May Alcott
Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are going.
- Chinese Proverb
Better trust all, and be deceived, And weep that trust and that deceiving, Than doubt one heart, that if believed, Had blessed one's life with true believing.
- Frances Anne Kemble
A liberty to that only which is good, just, and honest.
- John Winthrop
And there 's a lust in man no charm can tame, Of loudly publishing our neighbour's shame; On eagles' wings immortal scandals fly, While virtuous actions are but born and die.
- Stephen Harvey
Small habits well pursued betimes, May reach the dignity of crimes.
- Hannah More
Though man a thinking being is defined, Few use the grand prerogative of mind. How few think justly of the thinking few! How many never think, who think they do!
- Jane Taylor

Isn't is amazing that almost everyone has an opinion to offer about the Bible, and yet so few have studied it?
- R.C. Sproul
Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort.
- Dave Weinbaum
The first and almost the only book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. I speak as a man of the world.
- Thomas Jefferson
I know the Bible is inspired because it finds me at a greater depth of my being than any other book.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.
- George Eliot
There is no evil that does not promise inducements. Avarice promises money; luxury, a varied assortment of pleasures; ambition, a purple robe and applause. Vices tempt you by the rewards they offer.
- Seneca
We believe no evil till the evil's done.
- La Fontaine
They do more harm by their evil example than by their actual sin.
- Cicero
Experience teaches slowly, and at the cost of mistakes.
- James Anthony Froude
Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced. Even a proverb is no proverb to you till your life has illustrated it.
- John Keats
Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest human beings infinite distances continue, a wonderful living side by side can grow, if they succeed in loving the distance between them which makes it possible for each to see the other whole against the sky.
- Rainer Rilke
When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found.
- Unknown
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.
- Albert Einstein
A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a "Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
- Mohandis K. Gandhi
The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.
- Lou Holtz
The Past is over for all of us... the Future is promised to none of us.
- Wayne Dyer
For every person who climbs the ladder of success, there are a dozen waiting for the elevator.
- Unknown
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!
- Anatole France
Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for: it is a thing to be achieved.
- William Jennings Bryant
Perhaps no sin so easily besets us as a sense of self-satisfied superiority to others.
- William Osler
To see a world in a grain of sand And heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in one hour.
- William Blake
If you believe that feeling bad or worrying long enough will change a past or future event, then you are residing on another planet with a different reality system.
- Unknown
Do no seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.
- Basho
"How do you know so much about everything?" was asked of a very wise and intelligent man; and the answer was "By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as to anything of which I was ignorant."
- John Abbott
Ideas must work through the brains and the arms of good and brave men, or they are no better than dreams.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The next moment is as much beyond our grasp, and as much in God's care, as that a hundred years away. Care for the next minute is just as foolish as care for a day in the next thousand years. In neither can we do anything, in both God is doing everything.
- C.S. Lewis
Truth hurts--not the searching after; the running from!
- John Eyberg
No man, for any considerable time, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
You don't plow under the corn because the seed was planted with a neighbor's shovel.
- Ken Kesey (On Abortion)
Always give 100%, and you'll never have to second-guess yourself.
- Tommy John
You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.
- Henry Ford
You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.
- Margaret Thatcher
We can often endure an extra pound of pain far more easily than we can suffer the withdrawal of an ounce of accustomed pleasure.
- Reader's Digest
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
- St. Augustine
Your successes and happiness are forgiven you only if you generously consent to share them.
- Albert Camus
Be sure that you put your feet in the right place, and then stand firm.
- Unknown
Want a thing long enough, and you don't.
- Chinese Proverb
People sometimes forget that a rat race can be won only by a rat.
- Paul Palmer
Half-truths are like half a brick-- they can be thrown farther.
- Hyman von Rickover
Success may be the ability to be happy with whatever we're stuck with.
- Marilyn vos Savant
If we have our own why of life, we can bear almost any how.
- Friedrich Nietzsche
What I admire in Columbus is not his having discovered a world but his having gone to search for it on the faith of an opinion.
- A. Robert Turgot
The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you do the work.
- Patricia Clafford
You have to be careful about being too careful.
- Beryl Pfizer
The pleasure we derive from doing favors is partly in the feeling it gives us that we are not altogether worthless.
- Eric Hoffer
The work will teach you how to do it.
- Estonian Proverb
A perfect wife is one who doesn't expect a perfect husband.
- Anonymous
Men show their character in nothing more clearly than by what they think laughable.
- Goethe
The kindest word in all the world is the unkind word, unsaid.
- Anonymous
How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.
- David B. Norris
There is no better or more blessed bondage than to be a prisoner of hope.
- Roy Z. Kemp
The truth is not always dressed for the evening.
- Margaret Lewerth
Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.
- Paul Tillich
We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable.
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Good luck is with the man who doesn't include it in his plan.
- Graffitti
People seem to get nostalgic about a lot of things they weren't so crazy about the first time around.
- Webster's Crosswords
God hides things by putting them all around us.
- Anonymous
Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong. Sometimes it's letting go.
- Sylvia Robinson
The true test of humility is whether you can say grace before eating crow.
- Robert Orben
The soldiers fight, and the kings are heroes.
- Jewish Proverb
There are two freedoms: the false where a man is free to do what he likes; and the true where a man is free to do what he ought.
- Charles Kingsley
If at first you don't succeed, you are running about average.
- M.H. Alderson
People far prefer happiness to wisdom, but that is like wanting to be immortal without getting older.
- Sydney J. Harris
Words must surely be counted among the most powerful drugs man ever invented.
- Leo Rosten
You can't expect a person to see eye to eye with you when you're looking down on him.
- Bits & Pieces
A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.
- Arnold H. Glasow
One advantage of marriage is that, when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you, it keeps you together until you fall in again.
- Judith Viorst
You can't test courage cautiously.
- Annie Dillard
The best discipline, maybe the only discipline that really works, is self discipline.
- Walter Kiechel III
Pride is tasteless, colorless, and sizeless. Yet it is the hardest thing to swallow.
- August B. Black
A place is yours when you know where all the roads go.
- Stephen King
Many people today don't want honest answers insofar as honest means unpleasant or disturbing. They want a soft answer that turneth away anxiety.
- Louis Kronenberger
Many people feel "guilty" about things they shouldn't feel guilty about, in order to shut out feelings of guilt about things they should feel guilty about.
- Sydney J. Harris
"I must do something" will always solve more problems than "Something must be done."
- Unknown
If anything is worth doing, it is worth telling someone how to do it well.
- Franklin P. Jones
When we have "second thoughts" about something, our first thoughts don't seem like thoughts at all
- just feelings.
- Sydney J. Harris
An argument is the longest distance between two points of view.
- Dan Bennett
God asks no man whether he will accept life. That is not a choice. You MUST take it. The only choice is HOW.
- Henry Ward Beecher
Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.
- Anonymous
Love is not blind
- it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.
- Rabbi Julius Gordon
Divine wisdom, intending to detain us some time on earth, has done well to cover with a veil the prospect of the life to come; for if our sight could clearly distinguish the opposite bank, who would remain on this tempestuous coast of time?
- Madame Anne Germaine de Stael
Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.
- C.S. Lewis
Seems it strange that thou shouldst live forever? Is it any less strange that thou shouldst live at all? This is a miracle; and that no more.
- Edward Young
Humility is a virtue all men preach, none practice, and yet everybody is content to hear. The master thinks it good doctrine for his servants, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.
- John Seldon
I saw about a peck of counterfeit dollars once. Did I go to the window and throw away all my good dollars? No! Yet you reject Christianity because there are hypocrites, or counterfeit Christians.
- William E. Biederwolf
Heaven is not always angry when He strikes, But most chastises those whom He likes.
- John Pomfret
When you speak of heaven, let your face light up... When you speak of hell
- well then, your everyday face will do.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
You cannot stuff a great life into a small dream.
- Anonymous
Nor can a man with grace his soul inspire, More than the candles set themselves on fire.
- John Bunyan
Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns.
- Anonymous
A grateful thought toward heaven is of itself a prayer.
- Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
And I smiled to think God's greatness flowed around our incompleteness; Round our restlessness, His rest.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.
- Benjamin Franklin
Happiness is not the end of life; character is.
- Henry Ward Beecher
God has two dwellings: one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.
- Izaak Walton
He who thinks most of heaven will do most for earth.
- Anonymous
He will never get to heaven who desires to go there alone.
- Thomas Fuller
The filth that our muddled, sincere, resentful enemies fling at the Holy One, either does not stick, or, sticking, turns into glory.
- C.S. Lewis
Religion is the first thing and the last thing, and until a man has found God, and been found by God, he begins at no beginning and works to no end.
- H.G. Wells
As it is said of the greatest liar that he tells more truth than falsehoods, so it may be said of the worst man that he does more good than evil.
- Samuel Johnson
Yet those that call evil good and good evil shall one day have their way... and regret it for eternity.
- Anonymous
If the blind put their hand in God's, they find their way more surely than those who see but have not faith or purpose.
- Helen Keller
The very impossibility in which I find myself to prove that God is not, discloses to me His existence.
- Jean de La Bruyere
God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn... That is why it is no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness apart from Himself, because there is no such thing.
- C.S. Lewis
It were better to have not opinion of God at all, than such an opinion as is unworthy of Him: for the one is disbelief, the other is contempt.
- Sir Francis Bacon
He who gives when he is asked has waited too long.
- Sunshine Magazine
God may well be taken as a substitute for everything; but nothing can be taken as a substitute for God.
- Anonymous
We find freedom when we find God; we lose it when we lose Him.
- Paul E. Scherer
On the choice of friends, Our good or evil name depends.
- John Gay
A man there was, though some did count him mad, The more he cast away the more he had.
- John Bunyan, on giving
There is a virtuous fear which is the effect of faith, and a vicious fear which is the product of doubt and distrust... Persons of the one character fear to lose God; those of the other character fear to find Him.
- Blaise Pascal
The happiest people are less forgetting and more forgiving.
- Anonymous
We live by Faith; but Faith is not the slave Of text and legend. Reason's voice and God's Nature's and Duty's never are at odds.
- John Greenleaf Whittier
If by fate anyone means the will or power of God, let him keep his meaning but mend his language; for fate commonly means a necessary process which will have its way apart from the will of God and men.
- St. Augustine
Fate! There is no fate. Between the thought and the success God is the only agent.
- Edward George Bulwer-Lytton
Like a good chess player, Satan is always trying to manoeuvre you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.
- C.S. Lewis
All things are ordered by God, but His providence takes in our free agency, as well as His own sovereignty.
- Tryon Edwards
The mason asks but a narrow shelf to spring his brick from; man requires only an infinitely narrower one to spring his arch of faith from.
- Henry David Thoreau
He who fears God need fear nothing else, and he who fears not God needs to fear everything else.
- Anonymous
Faith and love are apt to be spasmodic in the best minds. Men live on the brink of mysteries and harmonies into which they never enter, and with their hand on the doorlatch, they die outside.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Never let a man imagine that he can pursue a good end by evil means, without sinning against his own soul. The evil effect on himself is certain.
- Robert Southey
Talk faith. The world is better off without, Your uttered ignorance and morbid doubt.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
While man's desires and aspirations stir, he cannot choose but err.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
He who has no vision of eternity has no hold on time.
- Thomas Carlyle
Faith is, in the spiritual realm, what money is in the commercial realm.
- Anonymous
That there is a devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil.
- Cotton Mather
Doubters invert the metaphor and insist that they need faith as big as a mountain in order to move a mustard seed.
- Unknown
I do not pray for a lighter load, but for a stronger back.
- Phillips Brooks
The word "Angel" simply means "messenger." If angels are messengers, then someone, somewhere must be sending a message.
- Dan Schaeffer
Why is the Atheist's main target always Jesus of Nazareth, and never Buddha, Confucius, or Mohammed? Why is the aspiring athlete's target always the true champion and never the also-rans?
- Anonymous
In agony or danger, no nature is atheist. The mind that knows not what to fly to, flies to God.
- Henry More
Atheism is a disease of the soul before it becomes an error of understanding.
- Plato
We must not suppose that if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world.
- C.S. Lewis
For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this I believe
- that unless I believe, I should not understand.
- St. Anselm
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.
- Maori proverb
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
- Spencer
None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.
- Goethe
Courage can't see around corners, but goes around them anyway.
- Mignon McLaughlin
Not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
- George Sala
In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
A sacred burden is this life ye bear: Look on it, lift it, bear it solemnly, Stand up and walk beneath it steadfastly. Fail not for sorrow, falter not for sin, But onward, upward, till the goal ye win.
- Frances Anne Kemble, addressed to the Young Gentlemen leaving the Lenox Academy, Mass.
May I govern my passion with absolute sway, And grow wiser and better as my strength wears away.
- Walter Pope
A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner, so if one's life is cold and bare he can blame no one but himself.
- Louis L'Amour
People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they've done.
- Cullen Hightower
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.
- Confucius
Diligence is the mother of good fortune, and idleness, its opposite, never brought a man to the goal of any of his best wishes.
- Cervantes
Love at first sight is no miracle. When two people have been looking at each other for years that's a miracle.
- Unknown
It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye.
- The Little Prince
To teach is to learn twice.
- Joseph Joubert
Experience is a hard teacher, it tests first and teaches afterward.
- Unknown
No matter what accomplishments you achieve, somebody helps you.
- Althea Gibson
You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.
- John Morley
The human mind is as driven to understand as the body is driven to survive.
- Hugh Gilmore
Beauty is in the heart of the beholder.
- Al Bernstein
To do injustice is more disgraceful than to suffer it.
- Plato
Know yourself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
- Ann Landers
A fool is someone whose pencil wears out before its eraser does.
- Marilyn vos Savant
In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy.
- Karl Reiland
Everywhere, except in theology, there has been a vigorous growth of skepticism about skepticism itself.
- C.S. Lewis
The gift of happiness belongs to those who unwrap it.
- Andrew Dunbar
What single ability do we all have? The ability to change.
- Leonard Andrews
Just remember--when you think all is lost, the future remains.
- Bob Goddard
Don not make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.
- Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
The impossible is often the untried.
- Jim Goodwin
Improvement begins with "I."
- Arnold H. Glasow
Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of man you are.
- Thomas Carlyle
We can't give our children the future, strive though we may to make it secure. But we can give them the present.
- Kathleen Norris
It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can do only a little. Do what you can.
- Sydney Smith
To know things as they are is better than to believe things as they seem.
- Tom Wicker
Science has promised us truth. It has never promised us either peace or happiness.
- Gustave Le Bon
Fools live to regret their words, wise men to regret their silence.
- Will Henry
Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.
- Art Linkletter
Truth never damages a cause that is just.
- Mohandas K. Gandhi
Everything looks impossible for the people who never try anything.
- Jean-Louis Etienne
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
- Thomas Paine
A true friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else.
- Len Wein
Change starts when someone sees the next step.
- William Drayton
Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.
- Edwin Markham
Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof.
- John K. Galbraith
A woman means by Unselfishness chiefly taking trouble for others; a man means not giving trouble to others...Thus while the woman thinks of doing good offices and the man of respecting other people's rights, each sex, without any obvious unreason, can and does regard the other as radically selfish.
- C.S. Lewis
If we have God in all things while they are ours, we shall have all things in God when they are taken away.
- Anonymous
If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.
- Frank A. Clark
We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every joy that comes our way.
- Philip S. Bernstein
Too often we seek justice for just us.
- James Thom
Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.
- James Baldwin
If it's painful for you to criticize your friends, you're safe in doing it; if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue.
- Alice Duer Miller
Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.
- Robert Frost
The most prominent place in hell is reserved for those who are neutral on the great issues of life.
- Billy Graham
Nothing ever built arose to touch the skies unless some man dreamed that it should, some man believed that it could, and some man willed that it must.
- Charles F. Kettering
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
- Henri Bergson
Worriers spend a lot of time shoveling smoke.
- Claude McDonald
The most important things in life aren't things.
- Illinois First Christian Church
Kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve.
- Joseph Joubert
I was at this time living, like so many Atheists or Antitheists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world.
- C.S. Lewis
God is great, and therefore He will be sought; God is good, and therefore He will be found.
- Anonymous
A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.
- Francis Bacon
Be bold in what you stand for and careful what you fall for.
- Ruth Boorstin
A mountain shames a molehill until they are both humbled by the stars.
- Anonymous
We are tomorrow's past.
- Mary Webb
One of the most lasting pleasures you can experience is the feeling that comes over you when you genuinely forgive an enemy
- whether he knows it or not.
- O.A. Battista
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Courage is like love--it must have hope to nourish it.
- Napoleon Bonaparte
There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.
- John C. Collins
You're never a loser until you quit trying.
- Mike Ditka
It is the laden bough that hangs low, and the most fruitful Christian who is the most humble.
- Anonymous
Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile.
- Sir Wilfred Grenfell
Love and hatred are natural exaggerators.
- Hebrew Proverb
Divine love is a sacred flower, which in its early bud is happiness, and in its full bloom is heaven.
- Eleanor Louisa Hervey
The problem with trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.
- C.S. Lewis
It is impossible to govern the world without God. He must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligation.
- George Washington
Trying to build the brotherhood of man without the fatherhood of God is like trying to make a wheel without a hub.
- Irene Dunne
What I kept, I lost; What I spent, I had; What I gave, I have.
- Persian Proverb
To most of us it would be very convenient if God were a rascal.
- Anonymous
If we seek God for our own good and profit, we are not seeking God.
- Johannes Eckhart
A perfect man would never act from sense of duty... Duty is only a substitute for love, like a crutch which is a substitute for a leg. Most of us need the crutch at times; but of course it is idiotic to use the crutch when our own legs can do the journey on their own.
- C.S. Lewis
Those who love to be feared, fear to be loved; they themselves are of all people the most abject; some fear them, but they fear everyone.
- St. Francis de Sales
Since fear is unreasonable, never try to reason with it. So-called "positive thinking" is no weapon against fear. Only positive faith can rout the black menace of fear and give life radiance.
- Marion Hilliard
Faith is the sister of justice.
- Latin Proverb
Epochs of faith are epochs of fruitfulness; but epochs of unbelief, however glittering, are barren of all permanent good.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I leave eternity to Thee; for what is man that he should live out the lifetime of his God?
- Herman Melville
Even in evil, we discern rays of light and hope, and gradually come to see, in suffering and temptation, proofs and instruments of the sublimest purposes of wisdom and love.
- William Ellery Channing
If Socrates died like a philosopher, Jesus Christ died like a God.
- Jean Jacques Rousseau
The devil may also make use of morality.
- Karl Barth
Contentment is a pearl of great price, and whoever procures it at the expense of ten thousand desires makes a wise and happy choice.
- John Balguy
It is right to be content with what we have, but never with what we are.
- Sir James Makintosh
If Jesus Christ were to come today people would not even crucify him. The would ask him to dinner, hear what he has to say, and make fun of it.
- Thomas Carlyle
I have read Plato and Cicero sayings that are very wise and beautiful; but I never read in either of them: "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give thee rest."
- St. Augustine
Who can believe what varies every day; Nor ever was, nor will be at a stay?
- John Dryden
Belief consists of accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
He that believes all misseth; he that believes nothing, hits not.
- George Herbert
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a Heaven for?
- Robert Browning
An atheist is a man who looks through a telescope and tries to explain what he can't see.
- O.A. Battista
If there is no wind, row.
- Latin Proverb.
That's the whole problem with science. You've got a bunch of empiricists trying to describe things of unimaginable wonder.
- Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes
Little drops of water, little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land. So the little minutes, humble though they be, Make the mighty ages of eternity.
- Julia A. Fletcher
Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.
- Alexis de Tocquevillehe figure, uprightness;and for the heart, love.
- Jerry Fleishman
Dwell not on the past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind... From this moment onward you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed.
- Eileen Caddy
We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements in life, when all we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
- Charles Kingsley
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.
- William James
We are no more responsible for the evil thoughts that pass through our minds than a scarecrow for the birds which fly over the seedplot he has to guard. The sole responsibility in each case is to prevent them from settling.
- John Churtom Collins
Faith makes all evil good to us, and all good better; unbelief makes all good evil, and all evil worse. Faith laughs at the shaking of the spear; unbelief trembles at the shaking of a leaf.
- Robert Cecil
The only thing worse than an alarm going off is one that doesn't.
- Unknown
One of the things that distinguishes man from the other animals is that he wants to know things, wants to find out what reality is like, simply for the sake of knowing. When that desire is completely quenched in anyone, I think he has become less than human.
- C.S. Lewis
Your friend is that man who knows all about you, and still likes you.
- Elbert Hubbard
Friends, though absent, are still present.
- Cicero
Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave.
- Lord Brougham
A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but, after a while, knows something.
- Wilson Mizner
All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions.
- James Freeman Clarke
It's when you run away that you're most liable to stumble.
- Casey Robinson
I endeavor to be wise when I cannot be merry, easy when I cannot be glad, content with what cannot be mended and patient when there be no redress.-
Elizabeth Montagu

Even on the road to hell, flowers can make you smile.
- Deng Ming-Dao
Little girls and butterflies need no excuse.
- Robert A. Heinlein
Moral collapse follows upon spiritual collapse.
- C.S. Lewis
All that you are is the result of what you have thought.
- Unknown
The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps--we must step up the stairs.
- Vance Havner
The bridges you cross before you come to them are over rivers that aren't there.
- Gene Brown
Facts are stubborn things.
- Alain Rene Lesage
Although it be with truth thou speakest evil, this also is a crime.
- St. John Chrysostom
There is only misfortune in not being loved; there is misery in not loving.
- Albert Camus
To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have.
- Ken S. Keyes
Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.
- Francis Bacon
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
- Anonymous
People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.
- Abigail Van Buren
A lie has speed, but truth has endurance.
- Edgar J. Mohn
True love is when your heart and your mind are saying the same thing.
- Leanna L. Bartram
A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with the wind.
- John Neal
Before you let yourself go, be sure you can get yourself back.
- Roger Allen
The woman who thinks no man is good enough for her may be right
- but she is more often left.
- Baltimore Sun
If all but myself were blind, I should want neither a fine house nor fine furniture.
- Benjamin Franklin
Sometimes the best way to convince someone he is wrong is to let him have his way.
- Nashville Banner
You are not a fool just because you have done something foolish--only if the folly of it escapes you.
- Jim Fiebig
Few wishes come true by themselves.
- June Smith
Know what is evil, no matter how worshipped it may be. Let the man of sense not mistake it, even when clothed in brocade, or at times crowned in gold, because it cannot thereby hide its hypocrisy, for slavery does not lose its infamy, however noble the master.
- Baltasar Gracian y Morales
Not the fastest horse can catch a word spoken in anger.
- Chinese Proverb
You can't run a society or cope with its problems if people are not held accountable for what they do.
- John Leo
All mankind is divided into three classes: those who are immovable, those who are movable; and those who move.
- Benjamin Franklin
I could well believe that it is God's intention, since we have refused milder remedies, to compel [Christians] into unity, by persecution even. Satan is without doubt nothing else than a hammer in the hand of a benevolent and severe God.
- C.S. Lewis
When you close your eyes to the devil, make sure that it is not a wink.
- John C. Kulp
There never was found in any age of the world, either philosopher or sect, or law or discipline which did so highly exalt the public good as the Christian faith.
- Sir Francis Bacon
To believe only possibilities is not faith, but mere philosophy.
- Sir Thomas Browne
The world we inhabit must have had an origin; that origin must have consisted in a cause; that cause must have been intelligent; that intelligence must have been supreme; and that supreme, which always was and is supreme, we know by the name of God.
- Anonymous
An old mystic says somewhere, "God is an unutterable sigh in the innermost depths of the soul." With still greater justice, we may reverse the proposition, and say the soul is a never ending sigh after God.
- Theodor Christlieb
God is a scientist, not a magician.
- Albert Einstein
As the sensation of hunger presupposes food to satisfy it, so the sense of dependence on God presupposes His existence and character.
- Octavius Brookes Frothingham
Neither fear, nor wish for, your last day.
- Martial
They who forgive most, shall be most forgiven.
- Josiah W. Bailey
It is never worth while to make rents in a garment for the sake of mending them? Nor to create doubts in order to show how cleverly we can quiet them.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Eternity is not something that begins after you are dead. It is going on all the time. We are in it now.
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"Who gathered this flower?" The gardener answered, "The Master." And his fellow-servant held his peace.
- Epitaph
When death comes to me it will find me busy, unless I am asleep. If I thought I was going to die tomorrow, I should nevertheless plant a tree today.
- Stephen Girard
Oh, write of me not "Died in bitter pains," but Emigrated to another star!" Helen Hunt Jackson
In order to see Christianity, one must forget all the Christians.
- Henri Frederic Amiel
The flame of Christian ethics is still our highest guide.
- Sir Winston Churchill
Keep clear of psychiatrists unless you know that they are also Christians. Otherwise they start with the assumption that your religion is an illusion and try to 'cure' it: and this assumption they make not as professional psychologists but as amateur philosophers.
- C.S. Lewis
We should give God the same place in our hearts that He holds in the universe.
- Anonymous
It is not reason makes faith hard, but life.
- Jean Ingelow
A simple, childlike faith in a Divine Friend solves all the problems that come to us by land or sea.
- Helen Keller
Truth is too simple for us; we do not like those who unmask our illusions.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
If the truth hurts most of us so badly that we don't want it told, it hurts even more grievously those who dare tell it. It is a two-edged sword, often dangerous to the user.
- Judge Ben Lindsey
Those who imagine that the world is against them have generally conspired to make it true.
- Sydney J. Harris
I called the devil and he came, And with wonder his form did I closely scan; He is not ugly and is not lame, But really a handsome and charming man... A diplomatist too, well skilled in debate, He talks quite glibly of church and state.
- Heinrich Heine
If I should go out of church whenever I hear a false sentiment I could never stay there five minutes. But why come out? The street is as false as the church.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Child of mortality, whence comest thou? Why is thy countenance sad, and why are thine eyes red with weeping?
- Lady Barbauld
To those who know thee not, no words can paint! And those who know thee, know all words are faint!
- Hannah More
Computers are unreliable, but humans are even more unreliable. - Gilb
Once you are given the knowingness, you can never fall back into ignorance. Thy destiny must be manifest.
- Unknown
It is the province of knowledge to speak, and its a privilege of wisdom to listen.
- Oliver Wendell Homes
The fool, with all his other faults, has this also: he is always getting ready to live.
- Epicurus
All men are idolators, some of fame, others of self-interest, most of pleasure.
- Baltasor Gracian y Morales
'Tis mad idolatry to make the service greater than the god.
- William Shakespeare
Who will reach heaven? I do not know, but I am certain that no one will be there who does not feel at home.
- Mark Hopkins
I have been suspected of being what is called a Fundamentalist. That is because I never regard any narrative as unhistorical simply on the ground that it includes the miraculous.
- C.S. Lewis
[The Devil's] laws are easy, and his gentle sway, Makes it exceeding pleasant to obey .
- Daniel Defoe
When Christ ascended; Triumphantly, from star to star, He left the gates of heaven ajar.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within speaking distance of those who belong there.
- Dwight L. Moody
God Himself is the best Poet, And the Real is His song.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If ever I reach heaven, I expect to find three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there.
- John Newton
What can be hoped for which is not believed?
- St. Augustine
It is a great mistake to suppose that God is only, or even chiefly, concerned with religion.
- William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury
There is one evident, indubitable manifestation of the Divinity, and that is the laws of right which are made known to the world through revelation.
- Leo Tolstoy
Reason refuseth its homage to a God who can be fully understood.
- Martin Farquhar Tupper
God has made thee to love Him, and not to understand Him.
- Voltaire
Suspicion often creates what it suspects.
- C.S. Lewis
If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?
- Sydney J. Harris
Whatever your lot in life, build something on it.
- Unknown
Of what I call God, and fools call Nature.
- Robert Browning
Oh, Lord, help me to understand that You ain't gwine to let nuthin come my way that You and me can't handle together.
- Overheard from an elderly slave in the pre-civil war South
What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.
- Thomas Carlyle
Little vicious minds abound with anger and revenge and are incapable of feeling the pleasure of forgiving their enemies.
- Philip Dormer Stanhope, Lord Chesterfield
Forgiveness is better than revenge; for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle nature, but revenge the sign of a savage nature.
- Epicetus
The noblest revenge is to forgive.
- Thomas Fuller
Faith is an act of rational choice which determines us to act as if certain things were true and in the confident expectation that they will prove to be true.
- William R. Inge
All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Some people talk about finding God, as if He could get lost.
- Anonymous
Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil. I am content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end.
- John Newton
What is evil? Whatever springs from weakness.
- Frederich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.
- Pablo Picasso
People who invite trouble always complain when it accepts.
- Lane Olinghouse
The happiest couples are those who spell "us" with a capital "you."
- Klare Provine
An aim in life is the only fortune worth finding.
- Robert Louis Stevenson
In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.
- Samuel Johnson
It's not a question of who's going to throw the first stone; it's a question of who's going to start building with it.
- Sloan Wilson
I always prefer to believe the best of everybody--it saves so much trouble.
- Rudyard Kipling
Never close your lips to those to whom you have opened your heart.
- Charles Dickens
To have more, desire less.
- Table Talk
If you realize that you aren't as wise today as you thought you were yesterday, you're wiser today.
- Michigan Presbyterian Church
The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes
Have you noticed that even the busiest people are never too busy to take time to tell you how busy they are?
- Bob Talbert
There is nobody so irritating as somebody with less intelligence and more sense than we have.
- Unknown
The most valuable talent is that of never using two words when one will do.
- Thomas Jefferson
They say TV really is still in its infancy, which helps to explain why you have to get up so often to change it.
- Linda Erdman
There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.
- Elie Wiesel
Some people always sigh in thanking God.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end.
- Albert Schweitzer
Reflect upon your present blessings--of which every man has many--not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
- Charles Dickens
Optimists are nostalgic about the future.
- Chicago Tribune
A man who enjoys responsibility usually gets it. A man who merely likes exercising authority usually loses it.
- Unknown
A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.
- Reader's Digest
A stumble may prevent a fall.
- English Proverb
Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.
- G.K. Chesterton
Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
- Jonathan Swift
What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how valuable we are.
- Edgar Z. Friedenberg
The truth will ouch.
- Arnold H. Glasow
Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have.
- Unknown
To believe with certainty, we must begin with doubting.
- Stanislaus I
If I have seen farther than other men, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants.
- Isaac Newton
We all have enough strength to bear other people's woes.
- La Rochefoucald
It is necessary for us to learn from others' mistakes. You will not live long enough to make them all yourself.
- Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
- Albert Einstein
1094. The society that scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.
- John Gardner
Happiness is not a reward-- it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment-- it is a result.
- Robert Green Ingersoll
Let those that love us, love us. And those that don't, may God turn their hearts. And, if He cannot turn their hearts, May He turn their ankles so we may know them by their limping!
- Irish blessing
If you have been tempted into evil, fly from it. It is not falling into the water, but lying in it, that drowns
- Unknown
Society is composed of two great classes-- those who have more dinners than appetite, and those who have more appetite than dinners.
- Sebastien Chamfort
A liar needs a good memory. There's nothing so pathetic as a forgetful liar.
- Unknown
Death is a punishment to some, to some a gift, and to many a favor.
- Seneca
Since trifles make the sum of human things, And half our misery from our foibles springs.
- Hannah More
I want to look at life in the available light.
- Unknown
Far from mortal cares retreating, Sordid hopes and vain desires; Here, our willing footsteps meeting, Every heart to heaven aspires.
- Jane Taylor
God answers sharp and sudden on some prayers, And thrusts the thing we have prayed for in our face, A gauntlet with a gift in 't.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
- Mahatma Ghandi
Be wary of technology; it is often merely an improved means to an unimproved end.
- Henry David Thoreau
Everything that used to be a sin is now a disease.
- Bill Maher
Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.
- Norman Vincent Peale
The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of the wise
man is in his heart.
- Benjamin Franklin
Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
- Chinese Proverb
Only in atheism does the spring rise higher than the source, the effect exist without the cause, life come from a stone, a silk purse from a sow's ear, and a Bach Fugue from a kitten walking across the keys.
- James M. Gillis
The real heretic is not the atheist or agnostic (who are often decent people) but those who murmur "it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as it makes you feel good." This turns religion into a subjective matter, like taste in furnishings, and robs theology of its claim to ultimate truth.
- Sydney J. Harris
The devil divides the world between atheism and superstition.
- George Herbert
Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.
- Sir Francis Bacon
Blessed is the man who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.
- Anonymous
Never undertake anything for which you would not have the courage to ask the blessing of Heaven.
- Georg Christoph Lichtenberg
Don't wait for your ship to come in... swim out to it.
- Unknown
Churches will take longer to achieve integration because they are undertaking a much greater accomplishment. Worshiping together is a more personal thing than riding trains or attending movies together. Tolerance is not enough; it must be real brotherhood or nothing.
- Frank T. Wilson
By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.
- Desiderius Erasmus
Thou hast conquered, Galilean.
- Julian the Apostate
Cowardice asks, Is it safe? Expediency asks, Is it politic? Vanity asks, Is it popular? But conscience asks, Is it right?
- William Morley Punshon
Abundance consists not so much in material possessions, but in an uncovetous spirit.
- John Seldon
Go put your creed into your deed, Nor speak with double tongue.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
What is fanaticism today is fashionable creed tomorrow, and trite as the multiplication table tomorrow.
- Wendell Phillips
We bring the atoms of sin to the cross where they are smashed.
- Anonymous
Man may doubt here and there, but mankind does not doubt.
- Hugh Reginald Haweis
Knowledge of divine things is lost to us by incredulity.
- Heraclitus
Your doubts are private detectives employed by your dislike to make a case against change or choice.
- William Robert Rogers
And better had they ne'er been born, Who read to doubt and read to scorn.
- Sir Walter Scott
Faith in order, which is the basis of science, cannot reasonably be separated from faith in an ordainer.
- Asa Gray
Faith is not a stained-glass word reserved only for religious use, though it is essential to life. It is not something we can see on every streetcorner, but we dare not cross the street without it.
- V. Carney Hargroves
Be on the level and you won't go downhill.
- Unknown
Faith is an act of self-consecration, in which the will, the intellect, and the affections all have their place.
- William R. Inge
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free practice thereof.
- First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States
The only freedom I care about is the freedom to do right; the freedom to do wrong I am ready to part with.
- Thomas Henry Huxley
The final contribution of religious faith to freedom is the freedom to confess our sins; the freedom to admit that we sit under the ultimate judgement of God.
- Ursula W. Niebuhr
How blind are men to Heaven's gifts!
- Lucan
Do good with what thou hast; or it will do thee no good.
- William Penn
Some people treat God like they do a lawyer; they go to Him only when they are in trouble.
- Anonymous
With God, over the sea; without Him, not over the threshold.
- Russian Proverb
I fear God, and next to God I chiefly fear him who fears Him not.
- Saadi
We often praise the evening clouds, And tints so gay and bold; But seldom think upon our God, Who tinged those clouds with gold.
- Sir Walter Scott
I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside.
- C.S. Lewis
There is no man so good who, were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the law, would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.
- Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
No amount of good deeds can make us good persons. We must be good before we can do good.
- Chester A. Pennington
A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle.
- Unknown
I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.
- Napoleon Bonaparte
Say you are well, or all is well with you, And God shall hear your words and make them true.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Culture of intellect, without religion in the heart, is only civilized barbarism and disguised animalism.
- Christian Karl von Bunsen
Two men please God: who serves Him with all his heart because he knows Him; who seeks Him with all his heart because he knows Him not.
- Nikita Ivanovich Panin
Heaven is a cheap purchase, whatever it cost.
- Thomas Fuller
If God were not willing to forgive sin, heaven would be empty.
- German Proverb
And a mouse is miracle enough to stagger sextillions of infidels.
- Walt Whitman
Desire joy and thank God for it. Renounce it, if need be, for other's sake. That's joy beyond joy.
- Robert Browning
All human joys are swift of wing, For heaven doth so allot it; That when you get an easy thing, You find you haven't got it.
- Eugene Field
It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment.
- Bernard of Clairvaux
The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is.
- Phillips Brooks
Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach as humility.
- Jonathan Edwards
Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.
- Unknown
Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.
- Erica Jong
To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.
- George MacDonald
Sentimentality is no indication of a warm heart. Nothing weeps more copiously than a chunk of ice.
- Life Today
Only in growth, reform, and change, paradoxically enough, is true security to be found.
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no bird sang there except those that sang best.
- Henry Van Dyke
Half the failures in life arise from pulling in one's horse as he is leaping.
- Julius & Augustus Hare
The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth and have it found out by accident.
- Charles Lamb
The more a man knows, the more he forgives.
- Catherine the Great
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
- Will Rogers
Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.
- Josh Billings
Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.
- Hermann Hesse
The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.
- Dean Acheson
Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.
- Ben Hecht
You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper.
- Dagobert D. Runes
Patience often gets the credit that belongs to fatigue.
- Franklin P. Jones
To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.
- Eva Young
Love is what you've been through with somebody.
- James Thurber
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
- Bob Cooke
I saw a star, I reached for it, I missed. So I accepted the sky.
- Scott Fortini
When you are in deep water, it's a good idea to keep your mouth shut.
- St. Louis Tribune
Knowledge is gained by learning; trust by doubt; skill by practice; and love by love.
- Thomas Szasz
Youth is when you blame all your troubles on your parents; maturity is when you learn that everything is the fault of the younger generation.
- Harold Coffin
The truest test of independent judgment is being able to dislike someone who admires us, and to admire someone who dislikes us.
- Sydney J. Harris
People in distress will sometimes prefer a problem that is familiar to a solution that is not.
- Neil Postman
A friend is someone who can see through you and still enjoys the show.
- Farmer's Almanac
For happiness one needs security, but joy can spring like a flower even from the cliffs of despair.
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh
A ship in harbor is safe--but that is not what ships are for.
- John A. Shedd
If you would be pungent, be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.
- Robert Southey
Add one small bit to the truth and you inevitably subtract from it.
- Dell Crossword Puzzles
A pedestal is as much a prison as any small space.
- Gloria Steinem
Efficiency is intelligent laziness.
- Arnold H. Glasow
Dig the well before you are thirsty.
- Chinese Proverb
Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and the wrong. Sometime in your life you will have been all of these.
- Bob Goddard
Character is a strange blending of flinty strength and pliable warmth.
- Robert Shaffer
A new broom sweeps clean, but the old brush knows the corners.
- Irish Proverb
I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.
- Bleiberg and Leubling
We do not remember days; we remember moments.
- Cesare Pavese
If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
- Mother Teresa
I sometimes give myself admirable advice, but I am incapable of taking it.
- Mary Wortley Montagu
To err is human; to admit it, superhuman.
- Doug Larson
I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it.
- Edith Sitwell
The hardest thing in the world to open is a closed mind.
- Modern Maturity
Happiness is a way station between too much and too little.
- Channing Pollock
To the victor belong the responsibilities.
- Al Bernstein
The trick is to hold opinions without letting opinions hold you.
- Unknown
If Darwin's theory of evolution was correct, cats would be able to operate a can opener by now.
- Larry Wright
No matter how many levels of consciousness one reaches, the problem always goes deeper.
- Shulamith Firestone
Laziness is nothing more than resting before you get tired.
- Jules Renard
You can build a throne with bayonets, but you can't sit on it for long.
- Boris Yeltsin
The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.
- Samuel Johnson
There are lots of people who mistake their imagination for their memory.
- Josh Billings
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
- Don Wilder
Looks are so deceptive that people should be done up like food packages with the ingredients clearly labeled.
- Helen Hudson
In the end it will not matter to us whether we fought with flails or reeds. It will matter to us greatly on what side we fought.
- G.K. Chesterton
There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.
- Louis L'Amour
You don't just luck into things as much as you'd like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities.
- Barbara Bush
Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.
- Felix Frankfurter
Language forces us to perceive the world as men present it to us.
- Julia Penelope
The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.
- Admiral Hyman Rickover
Each 24 hours, the world turns over on someone who was sitting on top of it.
- Hugh Allen
Success has a simple formula: do your best, and people may like it.
- Sam Ewing
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
- Annie Dillard
No truly great man ever thought himself so.
- William Hazlitt
It is no use saying, "We are doing our best." You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.
- Sir Winston Churchill
Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.
- Mark Twain
Lawyers on opposite sides of a case are like the two parts of shears; they cut what comes between them, but not each other.
- Daniel Webster
The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depends on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life
- Albert Einstein
Many great ideas have been lost because the people who had them could not stand being laughed at.
- Unknown
The best kept secret in America today is that people would rather work hard for something they believe in than live a life of aimless diversion.
- John Gardner
I'm against a homogenized society because I want the cream to rise.
- Robert Frost
I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should seem a fool, but be wise.
- Baron de Montesquieu
Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
- Mark Twain
Power doesn't corrupt people. People corrupt power.
- Unknown
The man with a toothache thinks everyone happy whose teeth are sound. The poverty-stricken man makes the same mistake about the rich man.
- George Bernard Shaw
Whatever does not destroy me makes me stronger.
- Nietzsche
The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.
- Eden Phillpotts
And I smiled to think God's greatness flowed around our incompleteness, Round our restlessness His rest.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
You can not discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.
- Unknown
The unexamined life is not worth living.
- Socrates
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
- Albert Einstein
The more a thing is perfect, the more it feels pleasure and likewise pain.
- Dante
Fate leads the willing, and drags along those who hang back.
- Seneca
For though we sleep or wake, or roam, or ride, Aye fleets the time, it will no man abide.
- Geoffrey Chaucer
Pleasure must succeed to pleasure, else past pleasure turns to pain.
- Robert Browning
Better by far you should forget and smile, Than that you should remember and be sad.
- Christina Rossetti
Respect is what we owe; love, what we give.
- Philip James Bailey
Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions .But no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.
- Bernard Baruch
We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow; Our wiser sons, no doubt, will think us so.
- Alexander Pope
I don't know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.
- Abraham Lincoln
Courage consists in equality to the problem before us.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
But the fruit that can fall without shaking, Indeed is too mellow for me.
- Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
What sought they thus afar? Bright jewels of the mine, The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? They sought a faith's pure shrine.
- Felicia D. Hemas, Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers
Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod: They have left unstained what there they found,--Freedom to worship God.
- Felicia D. Hemas, Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers
Knowledge by suffering entereth, And life is perfected by death.
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning
It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbor.
- Eric Hoffer
That is not dead which can eternal lie; And with strange eons, even death may die.
- H.P. Lovecraft
Science is built up of facts, as a house is with stone, but a collection of facts is no more of a science than a heap of stones is a house.
- Jules Henri Poincare
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.
- Ambrose Redmoon
Nothing comes from nothing.
- Shakespeare
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to
be a butterfly.
- Buckminster Fuller
We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
- Anais Nin
Don't think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm.
- Malaysian Proverb
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
- Japanese Proverb
He only is a true atheist to whom the predicates of the Divine Being--for example, love, wisdom and justice--are nothing.
- Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach
He that will believe only what he can fully comprehend must have a very long head or a very short creed.
- Charles Caleb Colton
One person with a belief is equal to ninety-nine who have only interests.
- John Stuart Mill
Where belief is painful, we are slow to believe.
- Ovid
The reason people are down on the Bible is that they are not up on the Bible.
- William Ward Ayer
Our doctrine of equality and liberty and humanity comes from our belief in the brotherhood of man, through the fatherhood of God.
- Calvin Coolidge
The world is now too dangerous for anything but the truth, too small for anything but brotherhood.
- Adlai Stevenson
You can't hold a man down without staying down with him.
- Booker T. Washington
Only a Christ could have conceived a Christ.
- Joseph Parker
He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world.
- Benjamin Franklin
No Christian can be a pessimist, for Christianity is a system of radical optimism.
- William R. Inge
Of all the systems of morality that have come under my observation, none appear so pure to me as that of Jesus.
- Thomas Jefferson
The multitude of false churches accredits the true religion.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
A bad conscience embitters the sweetest comforts; a good one sweetens the bitterest crosses.
- Anonymous
Death comes not to the living soul, nor age to the living heart.
- Phoebe Cary
I depart from life as from an inn, and not as from my home.
- Cicero
We are but tenants and.. Shortly the great Landlord will give us notice that our lease has expired.
- Joseph Jefferson
To neglect, at any time, preparation for death, is to sleep on our post at siege; to omit it in old age is to sleep at an attack.
- Samuel Johnson
The Devil is kind to his own.
- John Day
What a silly fellow must he be who would do the devil's work for free.
- Henry Fielding
The man who speaks positive convictions is worth a regiment of men who are always proclaiming their doubts and suspicions.
- Anonymous
In the presence of eternity, the mountains are as transient as the clouds.
- Robert Green Ingersoll
We believe no evil till the evil's done.
- Jean de La Fontaine
The great believers have been the unwearied waiters.
- Anonymous
Faith is kept alive in us, and gathers strength, more from practice than from speculations.
- Joseph Addison
Skepticism has not founded empires, established principles, or changed the world's heart. The great doers of history have always been men of faith.
- Edwin Hubbel Chapin
Never did there exist a full faith in the divine word which did not expand the intellect while it purified the heart; which did not multiply the aims and objects of the understanding, while it fixed and simplified those of the desires and passions.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us.
- Peter Taylor Forsyth
Those who preached faith, or in other words a pure mind, have always produced more popular virtue than those who preached good acts, or the mere regulation of outward works.
- Sir James Makintosh
The truly religious man does everything as if everything depends on himself, and then leaves everything as if everything depended on God.
- Joseph Parker
The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief.
- Thomas Russell
What can be more foolish than to think that all this rare fabric of heaven and earth could come by chance, when all the skill of science is not able to make an oyster?
- Jeremy Taylor
Despotism may govern without faith, but Liberty cannot.
- Alexis de Tocqueville
As the flower is before the fruit, so is faith before good works.
- Richard Whatley
What governs men is the fear of truth.
- Henri Frederic Amiel
Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.
- Aristotle
The fear of God kills all other fears.
- Hugh Black
There's none but fears a future state; and when the most obdurate swear they do not, their trembling hearts belie their boasting tongues.
- John Dryden
One of the strange phenomena of the last century is the spectacle of religion dropping the appeal of fear while other human interests have picked it up.
- Harry Emerson Fosdick
Shame arises from fear of men, conscience from the fear of God.
- Samuel Johnson
Life has taught me to forgive much, but to seek forgiveness still more.
- Otto von Bismarck
Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive an injury.
- Edwin Hubbell Chapin
A heathen philosopher once asked a Christian, "Where is God?" The Christian answered, "Where is He not?"
- Aaron Arrowsmith
We are all dangerous folk without God's controlling hand.
- William Ward Ayer

It's terrible to realize you don't learn how to live until you're
ready to die and, then it's too late. ~ Edna Ferber ~ (1887-1968, American Author)

Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all. ~ Henry David Thoreau

Never, if possible, lie down at night without being able to say:
I have made one human being, at least, a little wiser, a little happier,
or a little better this day. ~ Charles Kingsley ~ (1819-1875, British Author, Clergyman)

None of us has gotten where we are solely by pulling ourselves up from our own bootstraps. We got here because somebody… bent down and helped us. ~ Thurgood Marshall ~ (1908-1993, American Judge)

Winning is not everything - but making the effort to win is.
Vince Lombardi

Only one person in a thousand knows the trick of really living in the present. Most of us spend fifty-nine minutes an hour living in the past, with regret for lost joys or shame for things badly done (both utterly useless and weakening) or in a future which we either long for or dread. There is only one minute in which you are alive, this minute, here and now. The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable minute, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable. ~ Storm Jameson ~ (1891-1986, British Writer)


Playing it safe is the riskiest choice we can ever make. ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach ~ (American Author)

I AM BLESSED INDEED!

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely girl, I envied her:
She seemed so happy. And I wish I were as fair.
And then, suddenly,she rose to leave, and I saw her hobble down the aisle,
She had one leg and wore a crutch,
But as she passed, a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two legs,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

Later, walking down the street,
I saw a boy with eyes of blue.
But he just stood and watched the others play.
So, I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
But he looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew he could not hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

And later, I stopped to buy some sweets,
The lad who sold them had such charm,
I talked with him. If I were late, it would do no harm.
But as I turned to go, he said to me,
"I thank you sir. You've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you."
"You see," he said, "I am blind."

Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes,
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine!

With legs to take me where I want to go,
With ears to hear the things I need to know,
With eyes to watch that radiant sunset glow.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,

I AM BLESSED INDEED! THE WORLD IS MINE!

~ Author Unknown ~

Pain is a part of being alive, and we need to learn that. Pain does not last forever, nor is it necessarily unbeatable, and we need to be taught that. ~ Rabbi Harold Kushner ~

The only truly happy people are those who have found someone or some cause to love and belong to. ~ John Powell ~

People who reach their potential spend more time asking, "What am I doing well?" rather than, "What am I doing wrong?"
John Maxwell

Your attitude is either your best friend or your worst enemy, your greatest asset or your greatest liability.
John Maxwell

There is only one of you in the world, just one. And if that is
not fulfilled, then something has been lost. ~ Martha Graham ~ (1894-1991, American Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer)

It is only after living a fair portion of one's life that one really knows what are the things that matter, the things that will remain unto the end. ~ Esther Meynell ~

Complacency is the last hurdle any winner, any team, must overcome before attaining potential greatness.
Pat Riley

One never hugs one's good luck so affectionately as when listening to the relation of some horrible misfortunes which has overtaken others. ~ Alexander Smith ~ (1830-1867, Scottish Poet, Author)

When opportunity knocks, a grumbler complains about the noise.
Anonymous

Our worth is determined by the good deeds we do, rather than by the fine emotions we feel. ~ Elias L. Magoon ~

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
Alexander Graham Bell

"Winning is easy... All you have to do is give it all you have"

The change of life is the time when you meet yourself at a crossroads and you decide whether to be honest or not before you die. ~ Katharine Butler Hathaway ~

You don't get to choose how you're doing to die, or when. You can
only decide how you're going to live. Now. ~ Joan Baez ~ (1941-, American Singer, Songwriter)

Instructions For Life From A Nepalese Good Luck Tantra Totem...

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Memorize your favorite poem.
3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or loaf
all you want.
4. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
5. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have
dreams don't have much.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You may get hurt, but
it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don't judge people by their relatives, or by the life
they were born into.
12. Teach yourself to speak slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to
answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
14. Take into account that great love and great
achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mother.
16. Say, "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
18. Follow the three R's: Respect for self, Respect for
others, Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate
steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear
it in your voice.
22. Marry a person you love to talk to. As you get older,
his or her conversational skills will be even more
important.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your
values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books. Television is no substitute.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older
and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second
time.
28. Trust in God, but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for
your life. Do all you can to create a tranquil,
harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the
current situation. Don't bring up the past.
31. Don't just listen to what someone is saying. Listen to
why they are saying it.
32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray or meditate. There's immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don't trust anyone who doesn't close his or her eyes
when you kiss.
38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping
others while you are living. It is wealth's greatest
satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a
wonderful stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one in which
your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Live with the knowledge that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.


A negative attitude toward criticism can be more destructive than the criticism itself. A chip on the shoulder indicates wood higher up.
John Maxwell

How a man plays the game shows something of his character, how he loses shows all of it. ~ Author Unknown ~

Ideas won't keep: something must be done about them.
Alfred North Whitehead

"The only disability in life is a bad attitude." - Scott Hamilton

"The Past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift... that's why it's called the present so cherish every minute of it." - Elvis Stojko

"I always push forward. It doesn't mean that I'll be perfect. I make mistakes -- but I learn from my mistakes, and move on." - Elvis Stojko

"To be the world's best, you have to beat the world's best." - Dorothy Hamill

"The difference between being a winner and being a loser is how you pick yourself up again, especially when you're down for the third or fourth or twentieth time!" - Susan Humphreys

"I didn't lose the gold, I won the silver." - Michelle Kwan after the Olympics

We motivate best from the other person’s perspective.
John Maxwell

Successful people start out in life with the same disadvantages as the rest of us. They just find ways to turn their disadvantages into assets. ~ Sidney A. Friedman ~ (1935-, American Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Author)

I hate quotations.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote. In fact, it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent.
R. Emerson

Good and evil are meaningless to things that have no souls.
Plato

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt

I have discovered the heart of bushido: to die!
Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Hell is other people
Sartre, "No Exit"

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietsche

Do you believe then that the sciences would ever have arisen and become great if there had not beforehand been magicians, alchemists, astrologers, and wizards who thirsted and hungered after abscondite and forbidden powers?
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietsche

The world is no nursery.
Sigmund Freud

Everything to excess. Moderation is for monks.
Lazarus Long

Rage, rage, against the dying of the light!
Dylan Thomas

Only a mediocre man is always at his best.
W. Somerset Maugham

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke

Politicians should read science fiction, not westerns and detective stories.
Arthur C. Clarke

I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.
Winston Churchill

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
Thomas Edison

If the human mind were simple enough to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it.
Pat Bahn

In truth, there never was any remarkable lawgiver amongst any people who did not resort to divine authority, as otherwise his laws would not have been accepted by the people; for there are many good laws, the importance of which is known to be the sagacious lawgiver, but the reasons for which are not sufficiently evident to enable him to persuade others to submit to them; and therefore do wise men, for the purpose of removing this difficulty, resort to divine authority.
Machiavelli

Families, when a child is born
Want it to be intelligent.
I, through intelligence,
Having wrecked my whole life,
Only hope the baby will prove
Ignorant and stupid.
Then he will crown a tranquil life
By becoming a Cabinet Minister
Su Tung-p'o

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
J. S. Bach

It is difficult to produce a television documentary that is both incisive and probing when every twelve minutes one is interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits singing about toilet paper.
R. Serling

So far as I can remember, there is not one word in the Gospels in praise of intelligence.
Bertrand Russell

The only possible interpretation of any research whatever in the `social sciences' is: some do, some don't.
Ernest Rutherford

If you cannot convince them, confuse them.
Harry S Truman

The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of ap rofound truth may well be another profound truth.
Niels Bohr

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
Confucius

An intellectual is someone whose mind watches itself.
Albert Camus

I either want less corruption, or more chance to participate in it.
Ashleigh Brilliant

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny ..."
Isaac Asimov

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
Elbert Hubbard

Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funeral.
Kehlog Albran, "The Profit"

A witty saying proves nothing.
Voltaire

It is one of the superstitions of the human mind to have imagined that virginity could be a virtue.
Voltaire

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.
Wernher von Braun

Some people are born mediocre, some people achieve mediocrity, and some people have mediocrity thrust upon them.
Joseph Heller, "Catch-22"

The Lord gave us farmers two strong hands so we could grab as much as we could with both of them.
Joseph Heller, "Catch-22"

A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
G. B. Shaw

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
John Kenneth Galbraith

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
Albert Einstein

As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.
Albert Einstein

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
Albert Einstein

If A equals success, then the formula is: A= X + Y + Z X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut.
Albert Einstein

The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.
Albert Einstein

A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody wants to read.
Mark Twain

Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? It is because we are not the person involved
Mark Twain

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.
Mark Twain

Why do men go to war? Because women are watching.
T. S. Eliot

As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular.
Oscar Wilde

"I haven't even failed once; 9,000 times I've learned what doesn't work."
- Thomas Edison

You have to count on living every single day in a way you believe will make you feel good about your life - so that if it were over tomorrow, you'd be content with yourself. ~ Jane Seymour ~ (American Actress)

You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however.
Richard Bach

Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to error that counts. ~ Nikki Giovanni ~ (1943-, American Poet)

THE MILE

People come into our lives
and walk with us a mile,
And then because of circumstance
they only stay awhile.
They serve a need within the days
that move so quickly by,
And then are gone beyond our reach,
We often wonder why.
God only knows the reason that
we meet and share a smile,
Why people come into our lives
and walk with us a mile.

~ Author Unknown ~

If you want to know the value of an individual, ask not for the
sum of all that he owns, but look instead to the total of all that he
has given. ~ Douglas K. Freeman ~

Time is not measured by the years we live, but by the deeds we do
and the joys we give. ~ Helen Steiner Rice ~ (1900-1981)

People who receive a high level of trust have developed their character and have earned the right to be trusted. When this important foundation exists, strong, positive relationships are built and are fed by encouragement and consistency.
John Maxwell

There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist.
Mark Twain

The monument of a great man is not of granite or marble or bronze. It consists of his goodness, his deeds, his love and his compassion. ~ Alfred A. Montapert ~ (American Author)

A difficult crisis can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose - a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve.
John Maxwell

Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. ~ Satchel Paige ~ (1906?-1982, American Baseball Player)

Not being beautiful was the true blessing… Not being beautiful forced me to develop my inner resources. The pretty girl has a handicap to overcome. ~ Golda Meir ~ (1898-1978, Prime Minister of Israel, 1969-74)

Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps a-ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still.
Lou Erickson

One act of beneficence, one act of real usefulness, is worth all the abstract sentiment in the world. ~ Ann Radgliffe ~

Okay, I know I can do it. See you back here in four and a half minutes!
-Elvis Stojko
It's always to go, go, go, and fight,fight,fight,and never give up.
-Elvis Stojko
Why hold back? Why play it safe?
-Elvis Stojko
I don't know about quad-quad, you'd have to be awfully damn perfect.
-Elvis Stojko
I guess this is my opportunity to speak a little bit. I'm sorry I'm unable to skate in the exhibition today due to my injury. I'm still in a lot of pain and I need a couple of weeks off to recover and get ready for the world championships. I just wanted to say that I've enjoyed every minute here at the Olympic Games. It's a tough position to be in, but I just want to thank averybody for the support. The Japanese fans, the Canadian fans, the American fans, everybody that's here has been unbelievable and it's been an awesome time. Sometimes it's tough to get across what you want when you're skating, and this is a great opportunity for me to speak and I thank you very much. Take care and enjoy the rest of the Olympics. Arigatou.
-Elvis Stojko
Sometimes in life you don't get what you want. You get what you need.
-Elvis Stojko
That's what makes champions. When you take those chances, sometimes it pays off.
-Kurt Browning
If we didn't have Toller Cranston, what would we have to talk about?
-Kurt Browning
It was his(Kurt Browning) footwork, down the sidewalk. Anybody else would be on their butt, and he did it over and over again.
-Sandra Bezic
Donald Jackson was the greatest jumper on earth. He could jump up and just hover in the air and then start to rotate.
-Ellen Burka
If Bourne and Kraatz have a handicap it is that they look so light and thay do everything so easily you never think how difficult are the steps they do.
-Natalia Dubova
We talked to each other all the way through it. It was a blast.
-Shae-Lynn Bourne
It means a lot to have marks like this in Canada. The judges here don't get involved in that political game you get involved in at internationals. To get these marks from these judges means a lot.
-Victor Kraatz
All I can say is, the strongest skater mentally must be a dancer.
-Michel Brunet
I just listened to the crowd and listened to the music and I thought of angels and clouds.
-Michelle Kwan
Who can tell you how far you will go in skating?
-Liliane Dichesnay
She's (Shae-Lynn Bourne) come a long way, she is really looking beautiful."
-Bradley
In ice dancing, they want women who are six feet tall and only one hundred pounds. Were those people come from, I'm not really sure.
-Lloyd Eisler
If I ever get a letter of suspension, I will take all my rulebooks, make a nice fire, warm up my hands, and go as a tourist."
-Elfriede Beyer (Judge)
All skaters on the national team are very fit, even ice dancers Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz. People have a misconception that dancers are not fit.
-Dr. Norman gledhill
There are tons of other skaters behind us, and the same thing is happening to them, but they're just not saying anything about it. They're further down the ladder, but if they'd speak up, then there would be a community of people talking about what is going on. right now, we're putting everything on the line ourselves and they're just sort of in the corner waiting.
-Victor Kraaz on feeling alone in the block judging issue.
First he had a injury, groin injury, then he had the flu so the both together it was just unbelievable. I just can't describe it, this kid is just, I can't even find a word to describe him, he's amazing, unbelievable. We are so proud of him. I don't think anybody in this whole wide world would be able to skate with the injury he had.
-Irene Stojko on Elvis, at the Olympics

People think if they were rich they would contribute to charities. My experience has been if you don't start giving away your money when you have very little, you won't do it when you get a lot. ~ Robert Bainum ~

See people as assets, not adversaries.
John Maxwell

One of the finest virtues is generosity - a quality characteristic of the person who thinks more highly of others than he does of himself. ~ D. Malcolm Maxwell ~

Image is what people think we are.
Integrity is what we really are.
John Maxwell

The personal defeat by human beings is constituted by the difference between what one was capable of becoming and what one has in fact become. ~ Ashley Montagu ~ (1905-, British Anthropologist)



I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
"Oh, excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't even watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
She walked away, her little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in her eyes."

By this time, I felt very small
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."
I said, "Daughter, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

Are you aware that: If we die tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us
in a matter of days. But the family we left behind
will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And
come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work
than to our family - an unwise investment indeed.

So what is behind the story?

You know what is the full word of family?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU ?

~ Linda Castaldo ~

Today I know that I cannot control the ocean tides. I can only go with the flow. When I struggle and try to organize the Atlantic to my specifications, I sink. If I fail and thrash and growl and grumble, I go under. But if I let go and float, I am borne aloft. ~ Marie Stilkind ~

Leadership functions on the basis of trust. When trust is gone, the leader soon will be.
John Maxwell

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~ Ursula K. Le Guin ~ (1929-, American Author)

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even profit by it, but to cause it.
Harry Emerson Fosdick

To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness. ~ Robert Muller ~

Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity. ~ Apocrypha ~

The reason we aren't living our dreams is inside ourselves. We only pretend it's people, things, and situations outside ourselves that are to blame.
Anonymous

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you do well, and doing well whatever you do, without a thought of fame. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~ (1819-1892, American Poet)

The thing that destroys a person is not the knowing, but the knowing and not doing. ~ Carolyn M. Rodgers ~

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.
Anonymous

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity. ~ Henry Van Dyke ~ (1852--1933, American Protestant Clergyman and Writer)

HOW DO YOU LIVE YOUR DASH?

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a
friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from
the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke
the following date with tears, but he said what
mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
(1934-1998)

For that dash represents all the time that she spent
alive on earth... and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the
house...the cash, what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard... are there things
you'd like to change? For you never know how much time
is left, that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what's
true and real, and always try to understand the way
other people feel.

And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives like we've never
loved before.

If we treat each other with respect, and more often
wear a smile. Remembering that this special dash might
only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's
actions to rehash... would you be proud of the things
they said about how you spent your dash?

~ Linda Ellis ~

People who live for themselves are in a mighty small business.
Anonymous

When God measures man, he puts the tape around his heart, not his head.
Anonymous

The will to conquer is the first condition of victory. ~ Ferdinand Foch ~ (1851-1929, French Field Marshal)


Today is the day in which to express your noblest qualities of mind and heart, to do at least one worthy thing which you have long postponed. ~ Grenville Kleiser ~ (1868-1953, American Author)

When we design our lives after the Lone Ranger ideal, we are sure to suffer some unfavorable consequences.
John Maxwell

Essentially there are two actions in life. Performance and excuses. Make a decision as to which you will accept for yourself.
Stephen Brown

There is certainly no greater happiness than to be able to look back on a life usefully and virtuously employed, to trace our own progress in existence by such tokens as existence neither shame nor sorrow. ~ Samuel Johnson ~ (1709-1784, British Author)

I got a simple rule about everybody. If you don't treat me right - shame on you!
Louis Armstrong

The trouble with many of us is that we just slide along in life. If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two-week vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days. ~ Dorothy Canfield Fisher ~ (1879-1958, American Writer)

We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing; others judge us by what we have done.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you. ~ Carl Sandburg ~ (1878-1967, American Poet)

Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.
Winston Churchill

Health is a great treasure. It is the richest possession mortals can have. Wealth, honor, or learning is dearly purchased, if it be at the loss of the vigor of health. None of these attainments can secure happiness, if health is wanting. ~ Ellen G. White ~ (1827-1915)

Precious Time

If you want to know what one year means, ask a student who failed his final exam.

If you want to know what one month means, ask a mother who delivered her baby one month in advance.

If you want to know what one week means, ask an editor of a weekly issue.

If you want to know what one hour means, ask lovers who are waiting for each other.

If you want to know what one minute means, ask somebody who missed his train, bus or plane.

If you want to know what one second means, ask somebody who had a car accident.

If you want to know what one millisecond means, ask the winner of the Olympic games.

Time is not waiting for you.

Enjoy every moment of your life.

~ Author Unknown ~

The ultimate lesson all of us have is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ~ (1926-, Swiss-born American Psychiatrist)

It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. ~ Albert Einstein ~ (1879-1955, German-born American Physicist)

Those who are powerful in leadership understand that one of the key tasks of management is to find ways to grow people.
John Maxwell

Big thinking precedes great achievement.
Wilferd A. Peterson

The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard. ~ Gaylord Nelson ~

There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them. ~ Phyllis Bottome ~ (1884-1963, American Writer)

The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.
Anonymous

Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds.
Norman Vincent Peale

The deep rewards of giving go to those who give out of a concern for others, and take pains to see that their giving is wisely done, to meet real needs and seize promising opportunities. ~ F. Emerson Andrews ~ (1902-1978)

Any time the going seems easier, better check and see if you're not going downhill.
Anonymous

The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous. ~ Margaret Fontey ~

We cannot direct the wind…but we can adjust the sails.
Anonymous

The love of mother and child is beautiful; but there is a higher law than that - the love of one another. ~ Charlotte Perkins Gilman ~ (1860 - 1935, American Writer, Social reformer)

What! No star, and you are going out to sea? Marching, and you have no music? Traveling, and you have no book? What! No love, and you are going out to live? ~ French Proverb ~


My Heart Will Carry You.

As I sit and stare out at the stars, it occurs
to me how far apart we are.

We gave our hearts, one to another.
But soon our love made us feel we would smother.

Where was it that we lost you and I?
More is the question... Why?

Such a strong and passionate love we once had.
When was it, why didn't we notice, that it had gone bad.

I still care greatly for you.
I hope as much, for me, you do.

Saying good-bye is hard for me.
I love you still, you see.

Shed tears? Let us not do.
For my dear, My Heart Shall Always Carry You

~ Author Unknown ~

Every single soldier must know, before he goes into battle, how the little battle he is to fight fits into the larger picture, and how the success of his fighting will influence the battle as a whole."
Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery

The purpose of our lives is to give birth to the best which is within us. ~ Marianne Williamson ~ (1952-, American Author, Lecturer on Spirituality)

The secret of success is to be in harmony with existence, to be always calm… to let each wave of life wash us a little farther up the shore. ~ Cyril Connolly ~ (1903-1974, British Critic)

You can do anything in this world you want to do if you want to do it badly enough - and you are willing to pay the price! ~ May Kay Ash ~ (American Businesswoman, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics)

Do not follow where the path may lead. Follow God, instead, to where there is no path and leave a trail.
Anonymous

The richest soil, uncultivated, produces the rankest weeds.
Plutarch

We should so live and labor in our times that what came to us as seed may go to the next generation as blossom, and what came to us as blossom may go to them as fruit. This expresses the true spirit in the love of mankind. ~ Henry Ward Beecher ~ (1813-1887, American Preacher, Orator, Writer)

To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and shrinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can. ~ Sydney Smith ~ (1771-1845)

You will find, as you look back upon your life, the moments that stand out, the moments when you have really lived, are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love. ~ Henry Drummond ~ (1786-1860, British Banker, Politician, Religious Leader)


The Heart of A Friend

Oh, the heart of a friend
Is a marvelous place
Where one finds contentment and peace,
Where the grasp of the hand
Shows that you understand
As the blessings of friendship increase.

For the heart of a friend
Never wonders nor doubts,
No matter if years intervene.
The old faith is there,
And none can compare
With the comfort it gives the unseen.

Oh, the heart of a friend
Is a place sweet and rare
To love, to enrich, to enjoy.
Respond, if you will, to its charm
And its thrill, while forgetting
The cares that annoy.

Yes, the heart of a friend
Is the one thing I prize,
As life lengthens and twilight descends.
The last thing I ask,
As I finish my task,
Is to live in the heart of my friend.

~ Author Unknown ~

We do what we can. The results are none of our business. ~ Jennifer Stone ~

The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. ~ Epictetus ~ (50-120, Stoic Philosopher)

All life is the management of risk, not its elimination.
Walter Wriston

The future must be seen in terms of what a person can do to contribute something, to make something better, to make it go where he believes with all his being it ought to go. ~ Frederick R. Kappel ~


We are living in days of change. My grandfather had a farm. My father had a garden. But I've got a can opener.
Anonymous

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity"
---Albert Einstein

He who is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
Benjamin Franklin

You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world. ~ Sheilah Graham ~

We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them. ~ William Arthur Ward ~

Leadership determines the direction of the company. Organization determines the potential of the company. Personnel determine the success of the company.
John Maxwell

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. ~ Margaret Thatcher ~ (1925-, British Prime Minister, 1979-90)

Smile

What is this thing you cause, this crazy bliss?
To see a smile dance upon your face,
And to compare it to the sunrise art,
Rays red and gold that frolic o'er the waves,
Would fail to well describe the beauty there.


For though your smile is more beautiful,
And brighter than a star-strewn country sky,
It is a pale reflection of Yourself,
An outward sign of your kind noble heart,
For true beauty is that which lies within.

~ Josh Harrington ~

The world never puts a price on you higher than the one you put on yourself. ~ Sonja Henie ~

The richest man in the world is not the one who still has the first dollar he has ever earned. It's the man who still has his best friend. ~ Martha Mason ~

Only when the money we earn is put to work for the benefit of others does it provide true satisfaction. ~ D. Malcolm Maxwell ~

My mother always used to tell me,
“The early bird gets the worm.”
The message seemed pretty clear to me:
If you sleep late, you're a lot
less likely to be killed by a bird.
(Elliott Downing)

The winner's edge is not in a gifted birth, a high IQ, or in talent.. The winner's edge is all in the attitude, not aptitude. Attitude is the criterion for success. But you can't buy an attitude for a million dollars. Attitudes are not for sale.
Denis Waitley

If you don't make a total commitment to whatever you're doing, then you start looking to bail out the first time the boat starts leaking. It's tough enough getting that boat to shore with everybody rowing, let alone when a guy stands up and starts putting his life jacket on. ~ Lou Holtz ~ (1937-, American Football Coach)

Do not follow where the path may lead. Follow God, instead, to where there is no path and leave a trail.
Anonymous

One's lifework... grows with the working and the living. Do it as if your life depended on it, and first thing you know, you'll have made a life out of it. A good life, too. ~ Theresa Helburn ~

At times failure is very necessary for the artist. It reminds him that failure is not the ultimate disaster. And this reminder liberates him from the mean fussing of perfectionism. ~ John Berger ~ (1926-, British Actor)

The leader's growth determines the people's growth.
John Maxwell

When we come into this life, we don't really own anything. And we own nothing when we leave. It is only a lease we have during our lifetime - and it is up to us to make the most of it. ~ Jerold Panas ~

" IF "

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
but make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't dive way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same,
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
twisted by knaves to make a trap for fool,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools,

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss,
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after the are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son !

~ Rudyard Kipling ~

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
Napolean Hill

The smallest effort is not lost. Each wavelet on the ocean tost aids the ebb-tide or the flow; Each rain-drop makes some floweret blow; Each struggle lessens human woe. ~ Charles Mackay ~ (1814-1889, Scottish Poet, Song Writer)

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. ~ Edward Everett Hale ~ (1822-1909, American Unitarian Clergyman, Writer)

Acting
My dear boy, forget about the motivation. Just say the lines and don't trip over the furniture.
~ Noel Coward ~
Adversity
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
Advice
Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.
~ Paul Dickson ~
One of the most important things to remember about infant care is never change diapers in midstream.
~ Don Marquis ~
Always do right! This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
~ Mark Twain ~
Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket.
~ Mark Twain ~
Age
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.
Odd things animals. All dogs look up to you. All cats look down to you. Only a pig looks at you as an equal.
~ Alben W. Barkley (U.S. Vice President) ~
America
America was discovered by Amerigo Vespucci and was named after him, until people got tired of living in a place called "Vespuccia" and changed its name to "America".
~ Mike Harding ~
Answer
I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know.
~ Mark Twain ~
Attitude
A narrow mind and a fat head invariably come on the same person.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
Audience
The best audience is intelligent, well-educated and a little drunk.
~ Alben W. Barkley (U.S. Vice President) ~
Banks
A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain.
~ Robert Frost ~
Birth
Having a baby is like taking your lower lips and forcing it over your head.
~ Carol Burnett ~
Choice
I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
~ Charles Schultz ~
Claims
He reminds me of the man who murdered both his parents, and then, when sentence was about to be pronounced pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
Conscience
Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody may be looking.
~ H. L. Mencken ~
Crisis
There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.
~ Henry Kissinger ~
Death
It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.
~ Woody Allen ~
Doubt
When in doubt, tell the truth.
~ Mark Twain ~
Experience
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.
~ Vernon Law ~
God
As the poet said, "Only God can make a tree" -- probably because it's so hard to figure out how to get the bark on.
~ Woody Allen ~
Why is it when we talk to God, we're said to be praying, but when God talks to us, we're schizophrenic.
~ Lily Tomlin ~
Government
The government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top.
~ James Reston ~
Greeting
It is generally agreed that "Hello" is an appropriate greeting because if you entered a room and said "Goodbye," it could confuse a lot of people.
~ Dolph Sharp ~
Inheritance
Receiving a million dollars tax free will make you feel better than being flat broke and having a stomach ache.
~ Dolph Sharp ~
Job
A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
Laughter
The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
~ Mark Twain ~
Anything aweful makes me laugh. I misbehaved once at a funeral.
~ Charles Lamb ~
She had a penetrating sort of laugh. Rather like a train going into a tunnel.
~ P.G. Wodehouse ~
Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it it is by far
~ Oscar Wilde ~
Life
Life was a funny thing that occurred on the way to the grave.
~ Quentin Crisp ~
Like
For those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they like.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
Memory
When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that never happened. It is sad to go to pieces like this but we all have to do it.
~ Mark Twain ~
Miracle
Everything is miraculous. It is miraculous that one does not melt in ones' bath.
~ Pablo Picasso ~
Possibility
It is impossible to travel faster than light, and certainly not desirable, as one's hat keeps blowing off.
~ Woody Allen ~
Preparedness
There are two things in this life for which we are never fully prepared and that is twins.
~ Josh Billings ~
Promptness
I've been on a calendar, but never on time.
~ Marilyn Monroe ~
Public Speaking
I do not object to people looking at their watches when I am speaking. But I do strongly object when they start shaking them to make sure they are still going.
~ Lord Birkett ~
Question
Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? It is because we are not the person involved.
~ Mark Twain ~
Rat Race
The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you are still a rat.
~ Lily Tomlin ~
Self-Love
There's no one... no one, loves you like yourself.
~ Brendan Behan ~
Sermons
When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
Success
Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
~ Winston Churchill ~
Teaching
Those who can -- do. Those who can't -- teach.
~ H. L. Mencken ~
Telephone
The telephone is a good way to talk to people without having to offer them a drink.
~ Fran Leibowitz ~
University Education
A fool's brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
Vegetable
Cauliflower is nothing but Cabbage with a College Education.
~ Mark Twain ~
Wife
If you treat your wife like a thoroughbred, you'll never end up with a nag.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
Work
I like work: it fascinates me, I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me; the idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart.
~ Jerome K. Jerome ~
World
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
~ Mark Twain ~

To be wealthy, a rich nature is the first requisite and money but the second. To be of a quick and healthy blood, to share in all honorable curiosities, to be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness - these are the gifts of fortune which money cannot buy, and without which money can buy nothing.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~
(1850-1895, Scottish Essayist, Poet, Novelist)

Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have. ~ Doris Mortman ~

Contentment is being confident that you measure up to any test you are facing because Christ has made His strength available to you.
John Maxwell

There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life - happiness, freedom and peace of mind - are always attained by giving them to someone else.
~ Peyton Conway March ~

Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today, because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow.
James A. Michener

If you aren't makng any mistakes, it's a sure sign you're playing it too safe.
John Maxwell

Use what talents you possess. The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang the best.
~ Henry Van Dyke ~
(1852--1933, American Protestant Clergyman and Writer)

Be willing to give up all that you now are to be all that you can become.
Anonymous

My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
~ Clarence Buddinton Kelland ~

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
Alexander Graham Bell

Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.
~ Corrie Ten Boom ~

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
~ Jim Valvano ~
(American College Basketball Coach)

To err is human…but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you're overdoing it.
Jerry Jenkins

There are thousands of reasons why you cannot do what you want to. All you need is one reason why you can.
~ Willis R. Whitney ~

It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
~ W. Somerset Maugham ~
(1874-1965, British Novelist, Playwright)

There is so much in the world for us all if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love it, and the hand to gather it to ourselves … so much everywhere in which to delight, and for which to be thankful.
~ Lucy Maud Montgomery ~
(1874-1942, Canadian Novelist)

Life...

Life can be good,
Life can be bad,
Life is mostly cheerful,
But sometimes sad.

Life can be dreams,
Life can be great thoughts,
Life can be a mean person,
Sitting in court.

Life can be dirty,
Life can even be painful,
But life is what you make it,
So try to make it beautiful.

~ Langston Hughes ~
(1902-1967, American Poet, Essayist, Novelist, Playwright)

Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching.
~ Author Unknown ~

Be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there.
~ Josh Billings ~
(1815-1885, American Humorist, Lecturer)

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!
~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt ~
(1882-1945, Thirty-second President of the USA)

The more you do, the more you are.
~ Angie Papadakis ~

A label is easy to stick on, but difficult to remove.
~ Old Proverb ~

A man can't be always defending the truth; there must be a time to feed on it.
C.S. Lewis

I've dealt with many crises in my life, but few will ever happen.
~ Mark Twain ~
(1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)
- worry, stress

Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.
~ Confucius ~
(BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher)

Friendship...

Friends do things for one another.
They understand. They go a million miles out of their way.
They hold your hand. They bring you smiles, when a smile is
exactly what you needed.
They listen, and they hear what is said in the spaces between
the words.
They care. And they let you know you're in their prayers.

Friends always know the perfect thing to do.
They can make your whole day just by saying something that
no one else could have said.
Sometimes you feel like the two of you share a secret language that
others can't tune in to.

A friend can guide you, inspire you, comfort you, or light up your
life with laughter.
A friend understands you moods and nurtures your needs.
A friend lovingly knows just what you're after.

When your feelings come from deep inside and they need to be spoken
to someone you don't have to hide from, you share them with a friend.
When good news comes, a friend is the first one you turn to.
When feelings overflow and tears need to fall, friends help you
through it all.

Friends bring sunlight into your life.
They warm your life with their presence, whether they are far away or
close by your side.
A friend is a gift that brings happiness, and a treasure that money
can't buy.

~ Collin McCarty ~

Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.
~ Sophocles ~
(BC 495-406, Greek Tragic Poet)

Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.
Anonymous

The key to encouragement is in knowing what gives people courage; what spurs them on to action.
John Maxwell

The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one.
~ Elbert Hubbard ~
(1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

We cannot direct the wind…but we can adjust the sails.
Anonymous

Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late.
~ Robert R. Updegraff ~

If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.
Thomas Edison

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.
~ Frank Lloyd Wright ~
(1869-1959, American Architect)


Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Boats in the harbor are safe, but that is not what they are meant for.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
(1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~
(1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Peace Prize Winner)

Some people see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?"
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
(1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

Before putting off until tomorrow something you can do today, study it closely. Maybe you can postpone it indefinitely.
Anonymous

Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can. All of them make me laugh.
- W.H. Auden

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.
~ Seneca ~
(BC 3-65 AD, Roman Philosopher, Dramatist, Statesman)

The chief way you and I are disloyal to Christ is when we make small what He intended to make large.
Stanley Jones

The man who starts out going nowhere, generally gets there.
Dale Carnegie

Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains victory.
General George S. Patton

The person who is swimming against the stream knows the strength of it.
~ Woodrow T. Wilson ~
(1856-1924, Twenty-eighth President of the USA

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow.
Woodrow Wilson

Truth is tough. It will not break.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

If you don't have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true?
~ Oscar Hammerstein II ~
(1846-1919, German Theatrical Impresario)

Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute.
~ Josh Billings ~
(1815-1885, American Humorist, Lecturer)

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.
Reginald B. Mansell

Remind thyself, in the darkest moments, that every failure is only a step toward success, every detection of what is false directs you toward what is true, every trial exhausts some tempting form of error, and every adversity will only hide, for a time, your path to peace and fulfillment.
~ Og Mandino ~
(1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

Experience is knowing a lot of things you shouldn't do.
William Knudson

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.
By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~
(1850-1895, Scottish Essayist, Poet, Novelist)

The nail that sticks up will be hammered down. - Japanese proverb

When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.
~ John F. Kennedy ~
(1917-1963, Thirty-fifth President of the USA)

When you have knowledge or skill and the momentum that confidence brings, then things begin to happen in your relationships.
John Maxwell

Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.
~ Ann Landers ~
(1918-, American Advice Columnist)

I may not be able to change the world I see around me, but I can change the way I see the world within me.
Anonymous

Your attitude is the outward expression of an inward feeling.
John Maxwell

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
~ Father James Keller ~

Get down on your knees and thank God you're still on your feet.
~ Irish proverb ~

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.
~ Thomas Edison ~
(1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.
- James Bryant Conant

Laughter is inner jogging.
- Norman Cousins

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.
- Helen Keller

"What the mass media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food, forgotten, and replaced by a new dish."
- W.H. Auden

Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.
- Dr. Seuss

Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
-George Carlin

There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.
Beverly Sills

You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.
~ Marie Curie ~
(1867-1934, Polish-born French Physicist)

Conflict plus love equals growth.
Westy Egmont

Learning and teaching are two of the most important functions in life; just as loving and being loved are important.
~ Omer Baybars Tek ~
(Professor Of Business, Turkey)

One must be reasonable in one's demands on life. For myself, all that I ask is: (1) accurate information; (2) coherent knowledge; (3) deep understanding; (4) infinite loving wisdom; (5) no more kidney stones, please.
-Edward Abbey

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
~ T.S. Eliot ~
(1888-1965, American-born British Poet)

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
~ Confucius ~
(BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher)

A person cannot travel within and stand still without.
James Allen

A leader must be consistent in three areas:
• People – This builds security.
• Principles – This provides direction.
• Projects – This builds morale.
John Maxwell

You have to take it as it happens, but you should try to make it happen the way you want to take it.
~ German Proberb ~

Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
(1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.
~ Helen Keller ~
(1880-1968, American Blind/Deaf Author, Lecturer, Amorist)

Problems are not your problems. It's not what happens to you but what happens in you that matters.
John Maxwell

A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than he needs.
-Mark Twain

It's wonderful when the people believe in their leader; it's more wonderful when the leader believes in the people.
John Maxwell

The man who has no imagination has no wings.
-Muhammad Ali

The first duty of love is to listen.
~ Paul Tillich ~
(1886-1965, German Protestant Theologian, Philosopher)

Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
- Alison Boulter

The most popular persons are those who take the world as it is,
who find the least fault.
~ Charles Dudley Warner ~
(1829-1900, American Author)

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall down an open manhole and die.
-Mel Brooks

Somebody ought to tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit every minute of every day. Do it, I say, whatever you want to do, do it now.
~ Michael Landon ~
(1936-1991, American Actor, Director)

Vision is the world's most desperate need. There are no hopeless situations, only people who think hopelessly.
Winifred Newman

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.
~ Pablo Picasso ~
(1881-1973, Spanish Artist)

Black holes are where God divided by zero.
-Steven Wright

My life is my message.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
(1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

If you believe everything you read, better not read.
~ Japanese proverb

We first form habits.
Then habits form us.
John Maxwell

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
~ Derek Bok ~
American Academic

The Difficult is that which can be done immediately; the Impossible that which takes a little longer.
~ George Santayana ~
1863-1952, American Philosopher, Poet

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning.
~ Ivy Baker Priest ~

You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.
Charles F. Kettering

Give me a museum and I'll fill it.
- Pablo Picasso

“Children get their
earliest notions of God from their earliest caregivers. A good
prayer for parents is: ‘Jesus, help me grow right along with this
little one, and help me to see how I have grown.’”
~ Fred Rogers

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing
what. Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who
DO love us.
~ Erma Bombeck ~
(1927-, American Author, Humorist)

- Goals vision commitment
If you aren't going all the way, why go at all?
~ Joe Namath ~
(1943-, American Football Player)

- legacy success accomplishment
Do something worth remembering.
~ Elvis Presley ~
(1935-1977, American Singer, Actor)

- morality
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
~ William Shakespeare ~
1564-1616, British Poet, Playwright, Actor

- bad days turmoil trouble struggle
There can be no rainbow without a storm and a cloud.
~ F.H. Vincent ~

Why Failure Lingers:
"The Zeigarnik Effect"
Failures take on a life of their own because the brain remembers incomplete tasks or failures longer than any success or completed activity. Its technically referred to as the "Zeigarnik effect." When a project or a thought is completed, the brain places it in a special memory. The brain no longer gives the project priority or active working status, and bits and pieces of the achieved situation begin to decay.
But failures have no closure. The brain continues to spin the memory, trying to come up with ways to fix the mess and move it from active to inactive status.
Perry Buffington, licensed psychologist, author, columnist; "Forgive or Forget," Universal Press Syndicate 8/29/99

- opportunity
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
Demosthenes

Entropy isn't what it used to be.

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice.
- Henry Ford Sr.

Every exit is an entry somewhere else.
~ Tom Stoppard ~
(1937-, Czech Playwright)

We exist temporarily through what we take, but we live forever through what we give.
Douglas M. Lawson

When elephants fight it is the grass that suffers.
-African proverb

Waiting until everything is perfect before making a move is like waiting to start a trip until all the traffic lights are green.
~ Karen Ireland ~

If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us.
- Francis Bacon

Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil in America is for good men to do nothing.”

Charles Finney, who helped introduce half a million Americans to faith in Christ, wrote in 1835:
“The time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them… God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the Church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God… God will bless or curse this nation according to the course Christians take in politics.”

“When a citizen gives his vote to a man of known immorality, he abuses his civic responsibility; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor; he betrays the interest of his country.”
—Noah Webster

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.
~ Henry Ford ~
(1863-1947, American Industrialist, Founder of Ford Motor Company)

Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful.
~ Annette Funicello ~
(American Actress)

A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.
~ Jackie Robinson ~
(American Baseball Player)

- Procrastination, Leadership, Decisions
If pleasures are greatest in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of trouble.
- Elbert Hubbard

- Leadership, procrastination
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
~ Will Rogers ~
(1879-1935, American Humorist, Actor)

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.
~ Louis Pasteur ~
(1822-1895, French Scientist Who Developed "Pasteurization")

No matter what a man's past may have been, his future is spotless.
~ John R. Rice ~

You can get everything in life you want if you help enough people get what they want.
John Maxwell

We judge ourselves by our motives and others by their actions.
- Dwight Morrow

The winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.
~ Edward Gibbon ~
(1737-1794, British Historian)

"I'd change the world but God won't give me the source code"
-Anonymous

I loathe people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves. - August Strindberg

Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. -Ben Kenobi, 'The Return of the Jedi'

If you're a cowboy and you're dragging a guy behind your horse, I bet it would really make you mad if you looked back and the guy was reading a magazine. - Jack Handy

Debate politics with a fern. If you lose, refuse to water it.

'Did you sleep well?' 'No, I made a couple of mistakes.' – Steve Wright

May you have the hindsight to know where you have been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far...

A word to the wise is unnecessary. - La Rouchefoucauld

Buy one for the price of two and get another one free!

Where there's smoke there's fire, but where there's a vague fishy odor, it could be any number of things.
(Ruminations - JP Styskal)

If God is your partner, make your plans big.
D.L. Moody

It marks a big step in your development when you realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone.
John Maxwell

Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.
~ John Wayne ~
(American Actor)

Nothing is more depressing than the conviction that one is not a hero.
- George Moore

- luck, success, work
Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.
- R. E. Shay

- risk fear
If you're never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances.
~ Julia Sorel ~

Make sure the thing you're living for is worth dying for.
Charles Mayes

When you have decided what you believe, what you feel must be done,
have the courage to stand alone and be counted.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~
(1884-1962, American First Lady, Columnist, Humanitarian)

A good heart is better than all the heads in the world.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton

I've continued to recognize the power individuals have to change virtually anything and everything in their lives in an instant. I've learned that the resources we need to turn our dreams into reality are within us, merely waiting for the day when we decide to wake up and claim our birthright.
~ Anthony Robbins ~
(1960-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

The injury we do and the one we suffer are not weighted in the same scales.
- Aesop

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.
Mark Twain

Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.
- Benjamin Franklin

The world is a looking glass and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.
~ William Thackeray ~
(1811-1863, Indian-born British Novelist)

- prayer
It is hard to stumble when you're on your knees.

Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There's too much fraternizing with the enemy. - Henry Kissinger

-luck, leadership, success
"There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself." - J. S. Bach

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.
~ Oscar Wilde ~
(1856-1900, British Author, Wit)

Every man has his follies, and often they are the most interesting things he has got.
- Josh Billings

We cannot tell what may happen to us in the strange medley of life. But we can decide what happens in us... how we can take it, what we can do with it... and that is what really counts in the end.
~ Joseph Fort Newton ~

You don't get to choose how you're going to die, or when. You can only decide how you're going to live. Now.
~ Joan Baez ~
(1941-, American Singer, Songwriter)

Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes the furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.
~ Dale Carnegie ~
(1888-1955, American Author, Trainer)

When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear. --MARK TWAIN

Never, Never, Never Quit. --Winston Churchill

Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever. --Samuel Smiles

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.

The only time you can't afford to fail is the last time you try. --Charles Kettering

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. -- Mark Twain

It is in the moment of decisions that your destiny is shaped. --Anthony Robbins

The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests. --Epicurus

Eighty-five percent of life is just showing up. --Woody Allen

Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success is to recognize a problem and turn it into an opportunity.

No man is free who cannot control himself. --Pythagoras

The reward of suffering is experience. --Aeschylus

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. --Vincent Lombardi

It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.
~ Emmet Fox ~
(American Unity Minister, Metaphysician)

You can get everything in life you want if you help enough people get what they want.
John Maxwell

The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.
- Carl Jung

It takes no more time to be courteous than to be rude.
~ Ann Landers ~
(1918-, American Advice Columnist)

Optimism is the cheerful frame of mind that enables a teakettle to sing, though in hot water up to its nose.
Anonymous

If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven played music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~
(1929-1968, American Black Leader, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1964)

The way to succeed is to double your failure rate.
Thomas J. Watson

Any business or industry that pays equal rewards to its goof-offs and its eager-beavers sooner or later will find itself with more goof-offs than eager beavers.
Mike Delaney

If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend 6 sharpening my ax.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
(1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

People show what they are by what they do with what they have.
Anonymous

Don't ever slam the door; you might want to go back.
- Don Herold

Live as if everything you do will eventually be known.
~ Hugh Prather ~

Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
(1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.
~ Washington Irving ~
(1783-1859, American Author)

- perspective
You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
Herb Cohen

- failure
Being defeated is only a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent.
~ Marilyn vos Savant ~

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.
~ Thomas Jefferson ~
(1743-1826, Third President of the USA)

If I cease being better I cease being good.
Motto of Oliver Cromwell

In youth we want to change the world. In old age we want to change youth.
Garth Henrichs

Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It's the only thing.
~ Albert Schweitzer ~
(1875-1965, German Born Medical Missionary, Theologian, Philosopher)

- Personal Growth
There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. True nobility comes from being superior to your previous self.
~ Hindu Proverb ~

What's going on in the inside shows on the outside.
~ Earl Nightingale ~
(1921-1989, American Radio Announcer, Author, Motivator, Speaker)

Anyone who has made a mistake and doesn't correct it, is making another one.
Anonymous

There can be no worse evil for a city than this... Change... is most dangerous for a city."
- Plato

We are all of us a succession of stillness blurring into motion on the wheel of action, and it is in those spaces of black between the pictures that we find the heart of mystery in which we are never allowed to rest.
- Russell Hoban

Don't just learn something from every experience; learn something positive.
Allen H. Newharth

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.
- Arthur Ashe

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not;
nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
~ Calvin Coolidge `
(1872-1933, Thirtieth President of the USA)

You have to accept whatever comes, and the only important thing is that you meet it with the best you have to give.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt ~
(1884-1962, American First Lady, Columnist, Lecturer, Humanitarian)

"The typical church evaluates its ministry, but uses relatively meaningless criteria. The most common evaluation criteria are attendance, membership, revenue, ratio of pastoral staff to congregants and square footage. These measurers are interesting but ultimately insignificant since they do not relate to the church's primary reason for existence - life transformation". The Barna Update 9/25/00.

People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise.
- W. Somerset Maugham

- pessimism outlook attitude positive
There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist.
Mark Twain

"Many times, we sacrifice our most precious beliefs so we will not appear intolerant or judgmental."
~ Bill Bright, Red Sky In The Morning

Politics is more dangerous than war, for in war you are only killed once.
- Winston Churchill

I've always tried to do my best on the ball field. I can't do any more than that. I always try to give one hundred percent; and if my team loses, I come back and give one hundred percent the next day.
~ Jesse Barfield ~
(American Baseball Player)

You can fool too many of the people too much of the time.
- James Thurber

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
(1869-1948, Indian Political, Spiritual Leader)

Hurting people hurt other people. Once you learn this, it's easier to "turn the other cheek."
John Maxwell

Yesterday is ashes; tomorrow is wood. Only today does the fire burn brightly.
~ Old Eskimo saying ~

It is better to wear out than to rust out.
~ Richard Cumberland ~
(1631-1718, British Philosopher, Theologian)

Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
~ Theodore Roosevelt ~
(1858-1919, Twenty-sixth President of the USA)

Every morning you are handed 24 golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure? Remember, you must use it, as it is given only once. Once wasted you cannot get it back.
~ Author Unknown ~

It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has.
~ Henry Ward Beecher ~
(1813-1887, American Preacher, Orator, Writer)

To succeed... you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.
~ Tony Dorsett ~
(1954-, American Football Player)

Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must traverse. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from the mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. There is always a seed of good. Find it and prosper.
~ Og Mandino
(1923-1996, American Motivational Author, Speaker)

Always behave like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath.
~ Jacob Braude ~
American Humor Author

Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can.
~ Willis Whitney ~

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.
~ Charles Dickens ~
(1812-1870, British Novelist)

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.
~ Dale Carnegie ~
(1888-1955, American Author, Trainer)

- success, leadership
The nail that sticks up will be hammered down. - Japanese proverb

- worry, stress
Many seek good nights and lose good days. - Dutch Proverb

- generosity greed giving
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
~ Winston Churchill ~
(1874-1965, British Prime Minister)

- age aging attitude old
Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.
~ Mark Twain ~
(1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)

- thanksgiving, christmas
What would happen if your mother dropped the Thanksgiving dinner platter on the floor?
The downfall of Turkey, the breakup of China, and the overthrow of Greece.

- leadership, responsibility
"No man who ever held the office of president would congratulate a friend on obtaining it."
- John Adams

- joy
Sacred delight is good news coming through the back door of your heart. It's what you'd always dreamed but never expected. It's the too-good-to-be-true coming true. It's having God as your pinch-hitter, your lawyer, your dad, your biggest fan, and your best friend. God on your side, in your heart, out in front, and protecting your back. It's hope where you least expected it: a flower in life's side' walk.
-Max Lucado, "The Applause from Heaven"

- self-control, self control, anger, Proverbs
You will have many opportunities in life to keep your mouth shut:
You should take advantage of every one of them.
~ Thomas Edison ~
(1847-1931, American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Founder of GE)

To try and fail is at least to learn. To fail to try is to suffer the loss of what might have been.
~ Ben Franklin ~
(1706-1790, American Scientist, Publisher, Diplomat)

Defeat does not finish a man, quitting does. A man is not finished when he's defeated. He's finished when he quits.
~ Richard Nixon ~
(1913-1994, Thirty-seventh President of the USA)


Alcohol:

The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober.
--William Butler Yeats

An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his friends.
--Ernest Hemingway

Drunk is feeling sophisticated when you can't say it.
--Anonymous

Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.
--Ambrose Bierce

Reality is an illusion that occurs due to lack of alcohol.
--Anonymous

I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast.
--Anonymous

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
--Oscar Wilde

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy.
--Tom Waits

When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven....
--Brian O'Rourke

He was a wise man who invented beer.
--Plato

If you ever reach total enlightenment while drinking beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.
--Deep Thought, Jack Handy

The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.
--Humphrey Bogart

Why is American beer served cold? So you can tell it from urine.
--David Moulton

Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world.
--Kaiser Wilhelm

I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
--Homer Simpson

I drink to make other people interesting.
--George Jean Nathan


- risk success
"We've spoken to you at previous shareowner meetings about `stretch targets.' What we call `stretch' simply means figuring out performance targets, from profitability to new product introductions, that are doable, reasonable and within our capabilities, and then raising our sights higher--much higher-- toward goals that at the outset seem to require superhuman effort to achieve. We have found that by reaching for what appears to be the impossible, we often actually do the impossible; and even when we don't quite make it, we inevitably wind up doing much better than we would have done. An exciting by-product of stretch behavior is the enormous surge of self- confidence that has grown across our company as people see themselves achieving things they once suspected were beyond them."
John F. Welch, Jr., General Electric Company

You can pretend to be serious; you can't pretend to be witty.
Sacha Guitry

Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
~ Confucius ~
(BC 551-479, Chinese Ethical Teacher, Philosopher)

How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.
~ George Washington Carver ~
(1864-1943, American Scientist)

To his dog, every man is Napoleon. Hence the constant popularity of dogs.
- Aldous Huxley

"Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Few have excellence thrust upon them... they achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by doing what comes naturally and they don't...stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves discipline and...tenacity of purpose."

John Gardner, author, cabinet member, founder of Common Cause

He was a self-made man who owed his lack of success to nobody.
- Joseph Heller, Catch-22

"Above all else, `excellence' requires that we submit ourselves to a high standard of performance and strive to achieve it."
-John Gardner, author, cabinet member, founder of Common Cause

- attitude
Those who wish to sing always find a song.
~ Swedish proverb ~

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.
- Mark Twain

"All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership."
John Kenneth Galbrai

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
~ Lao-Tzu ~
(BC 600-?, Chinese Philosopher, Founder of Taoism, Author of the "Tao Te Ching")

Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow.
- Plato

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.
~ Conrad Hilton ~
(1887-1979, American Businessman, Founder of Hilton Hotels)

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.
~ William James ~
(1842-1910, American Psychologist, Professor, Author)

It is not without cause that the Scriptures insist so much on our correcting our hastiness, when we reflect how difficult it is for us to do God the honor of leaving him to do his own work in his own manner, and not according to our wishes.
-John Calvin, from 'A Calvin Reader'

By loving the unlovable, You made me lovable.
~ Augustine to God

Love is not blind. Love is the only thing that sees.
~ Frank Crane

- Success
You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

- integrity pride morality
"Cowardice asks the question, Is it safe? Expediency asks the question, Is it politic? Vanity asks the question, Is it popular? But conscience asks the question, Is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because his conscience tells him it is right."
--Martin Luther

"Hooters are nice. Nice hooters are nice; people think I have nice hooters. I like that!"
- Actress Cheryl Ladd

To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act.
- Anatole France

Many of us spend our lives searching for success when it is usually so close that we can reach out and touch it.
~ Russell H. Conwell ~
(1843-1925, American Lawyer, Baptist Minister, Lecturer)

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
(1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA)

All human history is, like a woman in labor, concentrating on this single, central event: the coming of the Son of God among us.
-Walter Wangerin Jr., 'Zechariah' from 'Preparing for Jesus'

Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in.
- Katherine Mansfield

"We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
- Robert F. Kennedy

You can be a dreamer and a doer too if you will remove one word from your vocabulary: impossible!
~ Robert H. Schuller ~
(1926-, American Minister, Author, Social Leader)

If we want to present the problem of man within a community, we must position him as a person receiving his happiness from the service that he gives to the community. A person is happiest when he gives to others.
-Cardinal Etchegaray

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.
- Henry Ford, Sr.

- Leadership risk change
"Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption."
--John Stuart Mill

Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable.
-C.S. Lewis

Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
(1883-1970, American Speaker, Author of "Think and Grow Rich")

"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow-men; and along those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back as effects."
--Herman Melville

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life.
- John Homer Miller

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
~ Brian Tracy ~
(American Trainer, Speaker, Author, Businessman)

Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.
~ Wayne Dyer ~
(1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life.
- John Homer Miller

It is a great comfort to know that He to whom all hearts are an open book is the One who accurately tests and understands.
-Elisabeth Elliot, 'The Music of His Promises'

- optimism attitude
Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one the stars.
~ Frederick Langbridge

"The vocation of every man and woman is to serve people."
--Leo Tolstoy

When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big we can never kill him." But David looked at the same giant and thought, "He's so big, I can't miss."
~ Ode to Joy ~
(Society of Paul)

If prayer leads us into a deeper unity with the compassionate Christ, it will always give rise to concrete acts of service. . . . In prayer we meet Christ, and in him all human suffering. In service we meet people, and in them the suffering Christ.
-Henri Nouwen, 'Compassion'

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President. Now I'm beginning to believe it.
- Clarence Darrow

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."
--Anais Nin

"It's no longer a question of staying healthy. It's a question of finding a sickness you like."
- Jackie Mason

Laughter is like changing a baby's diaper. It doesn't permanently
solve any problems, but it makes thing more acceptable for
awhile.

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the
rest. - Mark Twain

I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to
achieve immortality by not dying. - Woody Allen

To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first.
- William Shakespeare

Want to release your potential? Help others release theirs.
~ Pat Lynch ~

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.
- Hector Berlioz

When Mary was visited by Gabriel and told she was to have a baby--and not just a baby but THE baby, the one every Jewish girl hoped she would be privileged to bear--she didn't ask 'why' but rather 'how.'
-Jill Briscoe, 'Heartstrings,' from the book, 'Mary, Did You Know?'

Make people believe what they think and do is important, and then get out of the way while they do it.
~ Jack Welch ~
(American Businessman Executive)

"We begin from the recognition that all beings cherish happiness and do not want suffering. It then becomes both morally wrong and pragmatically unwise to pursue only one's own happiness oblivious to the feelings and aspirations of all others who surround us as members of the same human family. The wiser course is to think of others when pursuing our own happiness."
--The Fourteenth Dalai Lama

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.
- George Bernard Shaw

"If you ask him: 'What is silence?' he will answer, 'It is the Great Mystery! The holy silence is His voice!' If you ask: 'What are the fruits of silence?' he will say: 'They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity, and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character."
--Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman)

All true prayer somehow confesses our absolute dependence on the Lord of life and death.
-Thomas Merton, 'No Man Is An Island'

Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.
~ Zig Ziglar ~
(1933-, American Sales Trainer, Author, Motivational Speaker)

Winners have the ability to step back from the canvas of their lives like an artist gaining perspective. They make their lives a work of art - an individual masterpiece.
~ Denis Waitley ~
(1933-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

Salt, when dissolved in water, may disappear, but it does not cease to exist. We can be sure of its presence by tasting the water. Likewise, the indwelling Christ, though unseen, will be made evident to others from the love that he imparts to us.
-Sadhu Sudhar Singh

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.
~ Douglas Everett ~

Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost.
~ Robert H. Schuller ~
(1926-, American Minister, Author, Social Leader)

"We have come to think of art and work as incompatible, or at least independent categories and have for the first time in history created an industry without art…Work without art is brutality."
--Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

Give Him all your anxieties and fears--and accept His peace in return. Only He can give you the inner calm for which you long. He wants you to have it, if you will only take it. Think of it as a Christmas gift from your heavenly Father.
-Thomas Pless, 'All Is Calm' from 'Let Every Heart'

Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.
- John Dewey

The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
(1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

"Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig."
--Marcus Aurelius

"If loving you makes a slave of me, then I'll spend my whole life in chains." - Sophie B. Hawkins

Men and women are limited not by the place of their birth, not by the color of their skin, but by the size of their hope.
~ John Johnson ~
(American Businessman, Founder of Johnson Publishing)

It's pretty hard to be efficient without being obnoxious.
- Kin Hubbard

A people without history is not redeemed from time.
- T.S. Eliot

Ah, Mary, but your reaction to a promise more impossible than Sarah's was sweet, complete obedience and faith: 'Let it happen to me according to your word.' You, the first of all the disciples of Jesus, said, 'Yes.'"
-Walter Wangerin Jr., ''O Mary: How Blessed Is Your 'Yes!''' from 'Preparing for Jesus'

Many people think that if they were only in some other place, or had some other job, they would be happy. Well, that is doubtful. So get as much happiness out of what you are doing as you can and don't put off being happy until some future date.
~ Dale Carnegie ~
(1888-1955, American Author, Trainer)

He seemed so tiny, wrapped tight in a long linen band and sleeping soundly like any other baby. He slept as though the world had not waited thousands of years for that moment. . . .
-Ruth Bell Graham, 'One Wintry Night,' from the book, 'Mary, Did You Know?'

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
- Napoleon Bonaparte

"When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness."
--Joseph Campbell

"Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few more upon it."
--Albert Schweitzer

God does not hear us because of the length of our prayer, but because of the sincerity of it.
-Charles Spurgeon

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
- Charles Dickens

All successful men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
~ Brian Tracy ~
(American Trainer, Speaker, Author, Businessman)

You are always a valuable, worthwhile human being - not because anybody says so, not because you're successful, not because you make a lot of money - but because you decide to believe it and for no other reason.
~ Wayne Dyer ~
(1940-, American Psychotherapist, Author, Lecturer)

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear."
--Ambrose Redmoon

Nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make work a pleasure. Wealth enough to support your needs. Strength enough to battle with difficulties and overcome them. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished. Charity enough to see some goods in your neighbor.
Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others. Faith
enough to make real the things of God. Hope enough to remove all
anxious fears concerning the future.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

"Faith is the yes of the heart. . . ."
-Martin Luther

Man is fond of counting his troubles but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it.
~ Fyodor Dostoevski ~
(1821-1881, Russian Novelist)

"Your motive in working should be to set others, by your example, on the path of duty."
--Bhagavad-Gita

Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
- H. G. Wells

"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
--Soren Kierkegaard

"Aim at Heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."
-C.S. Lewis

The best things are nearest: breath in our nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things of life.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~
(1850-1895, Scottish Essayist, Poet, Novelist)

More important than the Bible you choose is the one you use."
--Woodrow Kroll

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
~ Napoleon Hill ~
(1883-1970, American Speaker, Author of "Think and Grow Rich")

"Whether we think of, or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him."
-John Wesley

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
- Theodore Roosevelt

You can always tell a real friend; when you've made a fool of yourself he doesn't feel you've done a permanent job.
~ Laurence J. Peter ~

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
- Sir Winston Churchill

"Not I - nor anyone else, can travel that road for you. You must travel it for yourself."
--Walt Whitman

Love cannot be irresponsible. Its beauty is the fruit of responsibility. When love is truly responsible, it is also truly free.
-Pope John Paul II

I was taught that everything is attainable if you’re prepared to give up, to sacrifice, to get it. Whatever you want to do, you can do it, if you want it badly enough…and I do believe that. I believe that if I wanted to run a mile in four minutes I could do it. I would have to give up everything else in life, but I could run a mile in four minutes. I believe that if a man wanted to walk on water and was prepared to give up everything else in life, he could do that.
~ Stirling Moss ~
(1929-, British Motor Racing Driver)

People are either driven to action or complacency, mission or rust. You're either participating in the Game of Life or you're watching it from the grandstands. Herein lies a crucial difference. A champion plays the game: a spectator observes, criticizes and never really gets to live. A champion know what he or she wants and goes after it with carefully calculated goals and no-holds-barred action. A spectator feels that his or her life is not their own. They let others dictate their destiny. They become victims of life instead of masters of it.
~ Bruce Jenner ~
(1949-, American Olympian, Speaker, Sports Commentator)

Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome. Not everyone can be Number 1.
~ Arthur Ashe ~
(American Tennis Player)

"Man is not the creature of circumstances. Circumstances are the creatures of man."
--Benjamin Disraeli

I have come to realize more and more that the greatest disease and the greatest suffering is to be unwanted, unloved, uncared for, to be shunned by everybody, to be just nobody [to no one].
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.
- C. Morley

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

Of course I draw from life -- but I always pulp my acquaintance before serving them up. You would never recognize a pig in a sausage.
- Frances Trollope

We always have enough to be happy if we are enjoying what we do have - and not worrying about what we don't have.
~ Ken Keyes, Jr. ~
(1921-1995, American Author)

The happiest people seem to be those who have no particular cause for being happy except that they are so.
~ William Ralph Inge ~
(1860-1954, Dean of St Paul's, London)

"The concept of an individual with a conscience is one whose highest allegiance is to his fellow man."
--Ralph Nader

"God is known by nature in his works, and by doctrine in his revealed word."
~ Galileo

Part of the happiness of life consists not in fighting battles, but in avoiding them. A masterly retreat is in itself a victory.
~ Norman Vincent Peale ~
(1898-1993, American Christian Reformed Pastor, Speaker, Author)

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
- Martin Luther King

"Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato And Aristotle...[or] Einstein's Theory of Relativity...[or] the Second Theory of Thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace -- a soul generated by love."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

The simple truth is that happy people generally don't get sick.
~ Bernie S. Siegel ~
(American Doctor, Author, Lecturer)

The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Seeing the truth about our worth to God is what gives us the courage to overcome things in our lives that don't express His perfection.
-Author Unknown, from 'What's your net worth?' from the Christian Science Monitor (July 18, 2000)

"Live your life as though every act were to become a universal law."
--Henry David Thoreau

- compromise, adaptability, teachability
An oak and a reed were arguing about their strength. When a strong wind came up, the reed avoided being uprooted by bending and learning with the gusts of wind. But the oak stood firm and was torn up by the roots.
~ Aesop ~
(620-560 BC, Greek Fabulist)

"The greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove one's self a fool; the truest heroism is to resist the doubt; and the profoundest wisdom, to know when it ought to be resisted, and when to be obeyed."
--Nathaniel Hawthorne

The truth is more important than the facts.
- Frank Lloyd Wright

"In the long run, you hit only what you aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high."
--Henry David Thoreau

Forgiveness is the highest and most difficult of all moral lesson.
~ Joseph Jacobs ~

"Men don't care what's on TV. They care about what else is on TV."
- Jerry Seinfeld

- ambition, procrastination, bad days, success
"The early worm, on the other hand... gets eaten."
- Anonymous

The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.
- Tom Clancy

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.
-Saint Francis of Assisi

We have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than to consume wealth without producing it.
~ George Bernard Shaw ~
(1856-1950, Irish-born British Dramatist)

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.
- Oscar Wilde

The Bible is not God's declaration to us. It is God's conversation with us.
-Ann Monroe, 'The Word: Imagining the Gospel in Modern America'

"Be discoverers.
Be ready helpers.
Be friend makers."
--Girl Scouts

I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do for any fellow being, let me do it now… as I shall not pass this way again.
~ William Penn ~
(1644-1718, British Religious Leader, Founder of Pennsylvania)

"Knowing your own strength is a fine thing. Recognizing your own weakness is even better. What is really bad, what hurts and finally defeats us, is mistaking a weakness for a strength."
- Sydney J. Harris
"Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course I am."
- Howard Cosell
"I have more trouble with D.L. Moody than with any other man I know."
- D.L. Moody
"How you handle adversity in the workplace tends to have much more impact on your career than how you handle the good stuff. The people who know how to overcome adversity are the ones who rise to the top of the organization."
- Martin Seligman, President, American Psychological Association
"He who loses money loses much. He who loses a friend loses more. He who loses faith loses all."
- Billy Graham
"What makes a good manager?" someone once asked Yogi Berra. "A good ball club," Yogi replied.

I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you're a musician, a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you'll win - if you don't, you won't.
~ Bruce Jenner
(1949-, American Olympian, Actor, Speaker, Sports Commentator)

Addresses are given to us to conceal our whereabouts.
- Saki

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
(1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist)

If we follow Christ, then we live as foreigners in a strange land.
-Thomas Pless, 'For His Bed a Cattle Stall' from 'Let Every Heart'

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful after all."
--Michelangelo

If you know the point of balance, You can settle the details. If you can settle the details, You can stop running around. Your mind will become calm. If your mind becomes calm, You can think in front of a tiger. If you can think in front of a tiger, You will surely succeed.
~ Mencius (Mengzi Meng-Tse) ~
(c.370-300 BC, Chinese Philosopher)

Praying successfully is praying for a better - a more spiritual - outlook. This kind of prayer is attuned to God's gracious will. It shows the way to a deeper consecration to the service of others. And a more godly life brings to light whatever specific provisions are needed.
-Author Unknown, from "When what you want is what you get," The Christian Science Monitor (December 11, 2000)

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
- Thomas Alva Edison

"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be."
--Patanji

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.
~ Denis Waitley ~
(1933-, American Author, Speaker, Peak Performance Expert)

Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own.
- Nelson Algren

Let us know that we are counted just before God, not because he sees no iniquities in us, but because he freely forgives them.
-John Calvin, from 'A Calvin Reader'

Whatever you dream you can do, or believe you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe ~
(1749-1832, German Poet, Dramatist, Novelist)

When there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present.
John Maxwell

"Do what you can with what you have, where you are."
--Theodore Roosevelt

A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.
- Franz Kafka

Billions and billions of stars are out there, and behind them all is God.
-Billy Graham

People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and they pass themselves by without wondering.
~ St. Augustine ~
(354-430, Numidian-born Bishop of Hippo, Theologian)

Chastity is the most unpopular of Christian virtues.
-C.S. Lewis, 'Mere Christianity

'"If you only care enough for a result, you will almost certainly attain it."
--William James

If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all.
~ Michelangelo ~
(1474-1564, Italian Renaissance Painter, Sculptor)

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.
~ Thomas J. Watson ~
(18?-1956, American Businessman, Founder of IBM)

"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind."
--Seneca

If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.
~ Zimbabwean Proverb ~

Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you reach your destiny.
~ Carl Schurz ~
(1829-1906, German-born American Senator)

"He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much; he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly."
--James Allen

While not exactly disgruntled, he was far from feeling gruntled.
- P. G. Wodehouse

Have you ever wondered why God gives so much? We could exist on far less. He could have left the world flat and gray; we wouldn't have known the difference.
-Max Lucado, 'He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart'

"Treat people as though they were what they ought to be and you will help them become what they are capable of being."
- Goethe

"The most useful person in the world today is the man or woman who knows how to get along with other people. Human relations is the most important science in living."
- Stanley C. Allyn

"Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people -- your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way."
- Barbara Bush

"One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team."
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Love is choosing to do right no matter how you feel.
Heldur Nork

"Do not waste your time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less."
~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Love is choosing to do right no matter how you feel.
Heldur Nork

Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.
Thomas Aquinas.

What is the highest, most exalted act of intelligent life? It is to love. Love seeks no cause, no end, no reward beyond itself. "I love because I love; I love that I may love."
St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Yes, if there was a hell in creation, a political campaign was its most tangible form.
- Tom Clancy

[I]f we are to evaluate Christianity wisely, we must not just analyze its teachings and moral code, but go to the heart of Christianity, Jesus Himself, and make a humble and prayerful effort to understand Him as a Person, because He is our religion, and understand how He thinks because that is our theology, and how He lived because that is our morality as Christians.
-Joseph F. Girzone, 'A Portrait of Jesus'

"Do not turn back when you are just at the goal."
--Syrus

Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
~ Basil King ~

I considered atheism but there weren't enough holidays.

There is nothing wrong with people possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess people.

"My life has a superb cast but I can't figure out the plot." -
Ashleigh Brilliant

If you treat every situation like a life or death matter, be prepared to die a lot of times.

The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.
- Japanese proverb

"There's no substitute for hard work."
--Thomas Edison

Gentle Reader, The Word will leap on you with leopard man iron claws, it will cut off fingers and toes like an opportunist land crab, it will coil round your thighs like a bushmaster and inject a shot glass of rancid ectoplasm.
- William S. Burroughs

Every great oak tree was once a nut that stood its ground.
~ Author Unknown

Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.
- Warren Buffet

"Life always get harder toward the summit - the cold increases, the responsibility increases."
--Friedrich Nietzsche

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be the blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
~ J.R.R. Tolkien ~
(Author of Lord of the Rings)

Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in circumstances confronting him.
-Thomas Aquinas

As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.
- Abraham Lincoln

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."
--Shakespeare

Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
~ Maurice Setter ~

"To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail, our pride supports us; when we succeed, it betrays us."
- Charles Caleb Colton

"One reason God created time was so there would be a place to bury the failures of the past."
- James Long

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up that counts."
- Vince Lombardi

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind."
- William James

"Some people look at things as they are and say, 'Why?'. I look at things as they can be and say, 'Why not?'."
- Robert Kennedy

"Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends upon what you are made of."
- John C. Maxwell

The best preparation for good work tomorrow is good work today.
~ Elbert Hubbard ~
(1859-1915, American Author, Publisher)

Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a person who knows the secret of making his dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C's. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage and Constancy, and the greatest of these is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way.
~ Walt Disney ~
(1901-1966, American Artist, Film Producer, Businessman)

Don't come the deconstructionist with me, you ponce.
- Russell Hoban

"There are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long range risks and costs of comfortable inaction."
--John F. Kennedy

We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind with a tender heart.
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Mountain! Get out of my way!
~ Montel Williams ~
(American TV Personality, Author)

"Is the system going to flatten you out and deny you your humanity, or are you going to be able to make use of the system to the attainment of human purposes?"
--Joseph Campbell

People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.
- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard

A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love.
-Mother Teresa, 'My Life for the Poor'

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude... a quiet joy.
~ Ralph H. Blum ~
(American Author)

"Once the game is over, the king and pawn go back into the same box."
--Italian Proverb

"Gloria Steinem's marriage is proof positive of the emotional desperation of aging feminists who for over 30 years worshiped the steely career woman and callously trashed stay-at-home moms."
- Cultural analyst Camille Paglia, on how Steinem got married at the age of 66

That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
- Trevor Goodchild, 'Aeon Flux'

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude
is generous and noble, to live gratitude is to touch heaven.
~ Joahannes A. Gaertner ~

I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
- Ian Fleming

Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
~ Mark Twain ~
(1835-1910, American Humorist, Writer)

Before having kids, I had compartmentalized God, sticking Him into time slots labeled 'Bible Study,' 'Quiet Time,' and 'Church.' Now the compartment walls had fallen down. God had spilled over into every moment of my life. . . .It took not having an hour with God to realize I had the whole day with Him!
-Lorraine Pintus, 'Diapers, Pacifiers, and Other Holy Things'

"...When your thinking rises above concern for your own welfare, wisdom which is independent of thought appears."
--Ha Gakure (Hidden Leaves)

The secret of success is constancy of purpose.
~ Benjamin Disraeli ~
(1804-1881, British Statesman, Prime Minister)

You can say any foolish things to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says: 'My God, you're right! -- I never would've thought of that!
- Sean Connery

"You see things and say, 'why?' but I dream things that never were and say, 'why not?'"
--George Bernard Shaw