I’m so sick of February. It’s the shortest month but it sure doesn’t feel that way. (Toby Flenderson, TV fictional character) For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, winter months can seem to drag on forever, especially in the so-called snow belt. Frigid...
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the commonplace simple, awesomely simple, that is creativity. (Charles Mingus, 20th century musician) Have you ever read an article or book and wondered why the author chose to use arcane words (like that one) when...
Silver linings come at the cost of some very dark clouds. (Mary Carver, late TV actress) “Every cloud has a silver lining,” they say, hoping to encourage the person who’s going through a difficult time and doesn’t see any hope. But Eugene Bengtson suggests, “If the...
Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. (Native American proverb) More and more is being said today about orality, the increased value of learning by hearing the spoken word,...
Cultivate your own capabilities. . . . Enjoy being you! (Charles Swindoll, author) Swindoll illustrates his point: “Rabbits don’t fly. Eagles don’t swim. Ducks look funny trying to climb. Squirrels don’t have feathers. . . . Stop comparing. There’s plenty of room in...
Your career is what you’re paid for; your purpose is what you’re made for. (Zig Ziglar) Do you know people who are successful but unhappy in their job? They’re working this job only for the paycheck. Going to the office, school, or factory is a dreaded chore, and they...
Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation. (George Washington) Though we celebrated President’s Day a few days ago, today is the actual anniversary of Washington’s natal day....
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it. (Elbert Hubbard, 19th-20th century author, publisher) It is difficult to keep up with new technology appearing almost daily. No sooner do we get...
Position may give you power to control, but trust will give you permission to lead. (Dave Adamson, author) In today’s society we have seen what people with too much control have done to destroy confidence in their leadership. As Lord Acton famously said, “Power tends...
It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn’t. (Martin Van Buren, 8th U.S. President) Have you ever tried to shortcut a task or simply didn’t do it because it was too difficult? Did you then find yourself in the very worrisome place of having to...
True discernment means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. (Sinclair Ferguson, author and preacher) Many people today would not remember Sears and Roebuck catalogs. Most products were...
If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. (Fred DeVito, physical trainer) DeVito was probably thinking of people who want to get into better physical condition through exercise and training. But the principle can be applied to many other areas of life. Take...