Another Beatitude
by Elizabeth Clark
Blessed are they who understand
my faltering step and shaking hand.
Blessed, who know my ears today
must strain to catch the things they say.
Blessed are they who seem to know
my eyes are dim and my mind is slow.
Blessed are they who looked away;
I spilled my tea on the cloth that day!
Blessed are they who, with cheery smile,
stopped to chat for a little while.
Blessed are they who know the way
to bring back memories of yesterday.
Blessed are they who never say,
"You told that story twice today!"
Blessed are they who make it known
that I am loved, respected and not alone.
And blessed are they who will ease the days
of my journey home, in loving ways.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Science Quotes From Kids
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions.
~ Rainbows
Rainbows are just to look at, not to really understand.
~ Sun Clocks
Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun. But I have never been able to make out the numbers.
~ The Sun
Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the daytime.
The tides are a fight between the Earth and Moon. All water tends towards the moon, because there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
While the earth seems to be knowingly keeping its distance from the sun, it is really only centrificating.
~ Thunder and Lightning
You can listen to thunder after lightning and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don't hear it you got hit, so never mind.
~ Water
In looking at a drop of water under a microscope, we find there are twice as many H's as O's.
Water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. There are 180 degrees between freezing and boiling because there are 180 degrees between north and south.
Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water.
H20 is hot water, and CO2 is cold water.
~ Clouds and Rain
I am not sure how clouds get formed. But the clouds know how to do it, and that is the important thing.
Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.
Humidity is the experience of looking for air and finding water. We keep track of the humidity in the air so we won't drown when we breathe.
Rain is saved up in cloud banks.
Rain is often known as soft water, oppositely known as hail.
~ Weather
Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound.
South America has cold summers and hot winters, but somehow they still manage.
A monsoon is a French gentleman.
The four seasons are salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
~ Living Things
When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire.
The body consists of three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abominable cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o and u.
Artificial insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull.
Blood flows down one leg and up the other.
Liter: A nest of young puppies.
Before giving a blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or negative.
There are 26 vitamins in all, but some of the letters are yet to be discovered. Finding them all means living forever.
The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top and you sit on the bottom.
In spring, the salmon swim upstream to spoon.
The inhabitants of Moscow are called Mosquitoes.
A census taker is man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
We do not raise silk worms in the United States, because we get our silk from rayon. He is a larger worm and gives more silk.
One by-product of raising cattle is calves.
~ Plants
Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire.
Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.
Germinate: To become a naturalized German.
The pistol of a flower is its only protections against insects.
~ Physics
Vacuum: A large, empty space where the pope lives.
One horsepower is the amount of energy it takes to drag a horse 500 feet in one second.
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions.
Someday we may discover how to make magnets that can point in any direction.
The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down
~ Astronomy
When people run around and around in circles, we say they are crazy. When planets do it, we say they are orbiting.
The moon is a planet, just like the earth, only it is even deader.
Planet: A body of Earth surrounded by sky.
~ Fossils and Dinosaurs
Many dead animals of the past changed to fossils, others preferred to become oil.
In some rocks you can find the fossil footprints of fishes.
The Big Four:
Weight Length Height
Blue Whale 120 tons 25 m (80 ft) 5 m (17 ft)
Brachiosaurus 80 tons 23 m (77 ft) 12 m (40 ft)
Mammoth 9 tons 7 m (23 ft) 4.5 m (15 ft)
African Elephant 6 tons 6 m (20 ft) 3 m (10 feet)
~ Dogs
Cyanide is so poisonous that one drop of it on a dog's tongue will kill the strongest man.
For dog bite put the dog away for several days. If he has not recovered, then kill it.
~ Genetics
Genetics explains why you look like your father and if you don't why you should.
~ Rainbows
Rainbows are just to look at, not to really understand.
~ Sun Clocks
Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun. But I have never been able to make out the numbers.
~ The Sun
Most books now say our sun is a star. But it still knows how to change back into a sun in the daytime.
The tides are a fight between the Earth and Moon. All water tends towards the moon, because there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
While the earth seems to be knowingly keeping its distance from the sun, it is really only centrificating.
~ Thunder and Lightning
You can listen to thunder after lightning and tell how close you came to getting hit. If you don't hear it you got hit, so never mind.
~ Water
In looking at a drop of water under a microscope, we find there are twice as many H's as O's.
Water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. There are 180 degrees between freezing and boiling because there are 180 degrees between north and south.
Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water.
H20 is hot water, and CO2 is cold water.
~ Clouds and Rain
I am not sure how clouds get formed. But the clouds know how to do it, and that is the important thing.
Water vapor gets together in a cloud. When it is big enough to be called a drop, it does.
Humidity is the experience of looking for air and finding water. We keep track of the humidity in the air so we won't drown when we breathe.
Rain is saved up in cloud banks.
Rain is often known as soft water, oppositely known as hail.
~ Weather
Isotherms and isobars are even more important than their names sound.
South America has cold summers and hot winters, but somehow they still manage.
A monsoon is a French gentleman.
The four seasons are salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.
~ Living Things
When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire.
The body consists of three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abominable cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o and u.
Artificial insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull.
Blood flows down one leg and up the other.
Liter: A nest of young puppies.
Before giving a blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or negative.
There are 26 vitamins in all, but some of the letters are yet to be discovered. Finding them all means living forever.
The spinal column is a long bunch of bones. The head sits on the top and you sit on the bottom.
In spring, the salmon swim upstream to spoon.
The inhabitants of Moscow are called Mosquitoes.
A census taker is man who goes from house to house increasing the population.
We do not raise silk worms in the United States, because we get our silk from rayon. He is a larger worm and gives more silk.
One by-product of raising cattle is calves.
~ Plants
Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire.
Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.
Germinate: To become a naturalized German.
The pistol of a flower is its only protections against insects.
~ Physics
Vacuum: A large, empty space where the pope lives.
One horsepower is the amount of energy it takes to drag a horse 500 feet in one second.
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions.
Someday we may discover how to make magnets that can point in any direction.
The law of gravity says no fair jumping up without coming back down
~ Astronomy
When people run around and around in circles, we say they are crazy. When planets do it, we say they are orbiting.
The moon is a planet, just like the earth, only it is even deader.
Planet: A body of Earth surrounded by sky.
~ Fossils and Dinosaurs
Many dead animals of the past changed to fossils, others preferred to become oil.
In some rocks you can find the fossil footprints of fishes.
The Big Four:
Weight Length Height
Blue Whale 120 tons 25 m (80 ft) 5 m (17 ft)
Brachiosaurus 80 tons 23 m (77 ft) 12 m (40 ft)
Mammoth 9 tons 7 m (23 ft) 4.5 m (15 ft)
African Elephant 6 tons 6 m (20 ft) 3 m (10 feet)
~ Dogs
Cyanide is so poisonous that one drop of it on a dog's tongue will kill the strongest man.
For dog bite put the dog away for several days. If he has not recovered, then kill it.
~ Genetics
Genetics explains why you look like your father and if you don't why you should.
Go to the Whole World
Go to the World
Jesus did not command the whole world to go to church. Jesus commanded his church to go to the whole world.
~ Traditional
Jesus did not command the whole world to go to church. Jesus commanded his church to go to the whole world.
~ Traditional
Some Other Cause for Prejudice
If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.
~ George Aiken
~ George Aiken
Shuffling Around on the Edge of Heaven
Garrison Keillor once said, in one of his famous Prairie Home Companion
soliloquies,
"My people are not Paradise people. We've lived in Minnesota all of our lives and it has taken a lot out of us. My people aren't sure they'll even like paradise: not sure perfection is all its cracked up to be. My people will arrive in heaven and stand just inside the gate, shuffling around. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, they might say. We'll say, "No thank you, we can't stay for eternity, we'll just sit and have a few minutes of bliss and then we have to get back!"
~ Garrison Keillor, Prairie Home Companion
soliloquies,
"My people are not Paradise people. We've lived in Minnesota all of our lives and it has taken a lot out of us. My people aren't sure they'll even like paradise: not sure perfection is all its cracked up to be. My people will arrive in heaven and stand just inside the gate, shuffling around. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, they might say. We'll say, "No thank you, we can't stay for eternity, we'll just sit and have a few minutes of bliss and then we have to get back!"
~ Garrison Keillor, Prairie Home Companion
Saturday, April 15, 2006
"I made a mistake. My answer was wrong."
Ask Marilyn
Marilyn vos Savant
Published: November 27, 2005
Parade.com Magazine
Marilyn vos Savant
Published: November 27, 2005
Parade.com Magazine
Q. Not long ago, it was pointed out that one of your responses was wrong. You replied that you were "mistaken." Why didn't you just admit that you were wrong, or do you think "wrong" and "mistaken" are the same thing?
—Lewis Jones, Ruston, La.
A. I don't identify with my work, so I never say (or even think) that "I was right" or "I was wrong." Instead, I would say, "I made a mistake. My answer was wrong."
Remember
"When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.
For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it's your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.
If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget me, part of who I am will be gone.
'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,' the good thief said from his cross (Luke 23:42). There are perhaps no more human words in all of Scripture, no prayer we can pray so well."
Frederick Buechner
Whistling in the Dark, p. 100
For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it's your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.
If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget me, part of who I am will be gone.
'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,' the good thief said from his cross (Luke 23:42). There are perhaps no more human words in all of Scripture, no prayer we can pray so well."
Frederick Buechner
Whistling in the Dark, p. 100
Friday, April 14, 2006
Peace Quotes
"Go home and love someone."
Upon receiving the Nobel prize, Mother Teresa was asked:
"What can one ordinary person do to promote world peace?"
She replied: "Go home and love someone."
Love without measure, one day at a time, the one person who is before you at any one moment.
~ Mother Theresa
http://www.saintmarkpresby.org/pagepastmeditations.htm
St. Theresa's Prayer
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of you.
"Saint Theresa is known as the Saint of the Little Ways. Meaning she believed in doing the little things in life well and with great love She is also the patron Saint of flower growers and florists. She is represented by roses.”
http://www.cotwest.com/1/COTW/prayers.asp?NsID=2995
Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.
~ Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Another possible source of guidance for teenagers is television, but television's message has always been that the need for truth, wisdom and world peace pales by comparison with the need for a toothpaste that offers whiter teeth *and* fresher breath.
~ Dave Barry (1947 - ), "Kids Today: They Don't Know Dum Diddly Do"
There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.
~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
~ Moshe Dayan (1915 - 1981)
There is plenty of peace in any home where the family doesn't make the mistake of trying to get together.
~ Kin Hubbard (1868 - 1930)
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
~ John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963), In a speech at the White House, 1962
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
~ Bible, Isaiah 32:17
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace!
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
~ Saint Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226), "Prayer of St Francis" (attributed)
Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world always yields; or if it beats you sometimes, dare it again and it will succumb.
~ William Makepeace Thackeray (1811 - 1863)
He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows nor judge all he sees.
~ Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.
~ Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
~ Bible, Psalm 85:10.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
~ Bible, Proverbs 3:17.
All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field.
~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.
~ Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968), "Strength to Love"
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds. . . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.
~ Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
~ H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"
If the Prince of Peace should come to earth, one of the first things he would do would be to put psychiatrists in their place.
~ Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963)
We always prefer war on our terms to peace on someone else's.
~ Author Unknown
The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone.
~ Pope John XXIII
Every kind of peaceful cooperation among men is primarily based on mutual trust and only secondarily on institutions such as courts of justice and police.
~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
The motivation for all personal behavior is to produce a sense of "FEEL GOOD," a sense of inner peace and well being. To expect a person to go against his desire to feel good or as good as he can feel under any momentary condition is illogical and irrational. In the observation of human behavior, one will notice every human act is a response to a personal need. This is true whether one signs a million dollar contract, scratches one's nose, rolls over in bed, or just day dreams his life away. People will do things which seem contrary to this concept, but the bottom line is they perceive some kind of payoff which will make them feel good. And the payoff is almost always emotional.
When you ask people why they want to be financially independent, they might say that they could buy things without having to worry about where the money will come from. And when they worry, they don't FEEL GOOD. A drug addict, a compulsive eater, an alcoholic and anyone with a compulsive habit will continue with their habits because at the moment of action they believe and feel it will make them feel good. That is why breaking compulsive habits are so difficult.
~ Sidney Madwed
www.quotationspage.com
Upon receiving the Nobel prize, Mother Teresa was asked:
"What can one ordinary person do to promote world peace?"
She replied: "Go home and love someone."
Love without measure, one day at a time, the one person who is before you at any one moment.
~ Mother Theresa
http://www.saintmarkpresby.org/pagepastmeditations.htm
St. Theresa's Prayer
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of you.
"Saint Theresa is known as the Saint of the Little Ways. Meaning she believed in doing the little things in life well and with great love She is also the patron Saint of flower growers and florists. She is represented by roses.”
http://www.cotwest.com/1/COTW/prayers.asp?NsID=2995
Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.
~ Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Another possible source of guidance for teenagers is television, but television's message has always been that the need for truth, wisdom and world peace pales by comparison with the need for a toothpaste that offers whiter teeth *and* fresher breath.
~ Dave Barry (1947 - ), "Kids Today: They Don't Know Dum Diddly Do"
There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.
~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
~ Moshe Dayan (1915 - 1981)
There is plenty of peace in any home where the family doesn't make the mistake of trying to get together.
~ Kin Hubbard (1868 - 1930)
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
~ John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963), In a speech at the White House, 1962
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
~ Bible, Isaiah 32:17
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace!
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
~ Saint Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226), "Prayer of St Francis" (attributed)
Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world always yields; or if it beats you sometimes, dare it again and it will succumb.
~ William Makepeace Thackeray (1811 - 1863)
He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows nor judge all he sees.
~ Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
I do not want the peace which passeth understanding, I want the understanding which bringeth peace.
~ Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
~ Bible, Psalm 85:10.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
~ Bible, Proverbs 3:17.
All of us who are concerned for peace and triumph of reason and justice must be keenly aware how small an influence reason and honest good will exert upon events in the political field.
~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.
~ Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968), "Strength to Love"
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds. . . to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.
~ Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
~ H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"
If the Prince of Peace should come to earth, one of the first things he would do would be to put psychiatrists in their place.
~ Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963)
We always prefer war on our terms to peace on someone else's.
~ Author Unknown
The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone.
~ Pope John XXIII
Every kind of peaceful cooperation among men is primarily based on mutual trust and only secondarily on institutions such as courts of justice and police.
~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
The motivation for all personal behavior is to produce a sense of "FEEL GOOD," a sense of inner peace and well being. To expect a person to go against his desire to feel good or as good as he can feel under any momentary condition is illogical and irrational. In the observation of human behavior, one will notice every human act is a response to a personal need. This is true whether one signs a million dollar contract, scratches one's nose, rolls over in bed, or just day dreams his life away. People will do things which seem contrary to this concept, but the bottom line is they perceive some kind of payoff which will make them feel good. And the payoff is almost always emotional.
When you ask people why they want to be financially independent, they might say that they could buy things without having to worry about where the money will come from. And when they worry, they don't FEEL GOOD. A drug addict, a compulsive eater, an alcoholic and anyone with a compulsive habit will continue with their habits because at the moment of action they believe and feel it will make them feel good. That is why breaking compulsive habits are so difficult.
~ Sidney Madwed
www.quotationspage.com
Monday, April 10, 2006
Endless Follow-Up
"A onetime personal aide of President Truman once put the matter to me in this way: 'The most startling thing a new President discovers is that, in the world of the Presidency, giving an order does not end the matter. Nothing gets done except by endless follow-up, endless kissing and coaxing, endless threatening and compelling. ... And they're all testing you. How much can they get away with? How much authority can they take? How much authority do you want them to have?'"
The Making of the President: 1960
Theodore H. White
The Making of the President: 1960
Theodore H. White
Newly Married
Mr. Chips remembers his marriage to Katherine
quoted from Chapters 5 & 6:
"So clearly it lingered, that time of dizzy happiness, those evening strolls by the waterside, her cool voice and her gay laughter. She had been a very happy person, always.
They had both been so eager, planning a future together; but he had been rather serious about it, even a little awed. …
There had followed then a time of such happiness that Chips, remembering it long afterward, hardly believed it could ever have happened before or since in the world. For his marriage was a triumphant success. Katherine conquered Brookfield as she had conquered Chips; she was immensely popular with boys and masters alike. Even the wives of the masters, tempted at first to be jealous of one so young and lovely, could not long resist her charms.
But most remarkable of all was the change she made in Chips. Till his marriage he had been a dry and rather neutral sort of person; liked and thought well of by Brookfield in general, but not of the stuff that makes for great popularity or that stirs great affection. He had been at Brookfield for over a quarter of a century, long enough to have established himself as a decent fellow and a hard worker; but just too long for anyone to believe him capable of ever being much more. He had, in fact, already begun to sink into that creeping dry rot of pedagogy which is the worst and ultimate pitfall of the profession; giving the same lessons year after year had formed a groove into which the other affairs of his life adjusted themselves with insidious ease. He worked well; he was conscientious; he was a fixture that gave service, satisfaction, confidence, everything except inspiration.
And then came this astonishing girl-wife whom nobody had expected--least of all Chips himself. She made him, to all appearances, a new man; though most of the newness was really a warming to life of things that were old, imprisoned, and unguessed. His eyes gained sparkle; his mind, which was adequately if not brilliantly equipped, began to move more adventurously. The one thing he had always had, a sense of humor, blossomed into a sudden richness to which his years lent maturity. He began to feel a greater sureness; his discipline improved to a point at which it could become, in a sense, less rigid; he became more popular. … Obedience he had secured, and honor had been granted him; but only now came love, the sudden love of boys for a man who was kind without being soft, who understood them well enough, but not too much, and whose private happiness linked them with their own. He began to make little jokes, the sort that schoolboys like--mnemonics and puns that raised laughs and at the same time imprinted something in the mind. …
And Kathie broadened his views and opinions, also, giving him an outlook far beyond the roofs and turrets of Brookfield, so that he saw his country as something deep and gracious to which Brookfield was but one of many feeding streams. She had a cleverer brain than his, and he could not confuse her ideas even if and when he disagreed with them; he remained, for instance, a Conservative in politics, despite all her radical-socialist talk. But even where he did not accept, he absorbed; her young idealism worked upon his maturity to produce an amalgam very gentle and wise."
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
James Hilton
1934
quoted from Chapters 5 & 6:
"So clearly it lingered, that time of dizzy happiness, those evening strolls by the waterside, her cool voice and her gay laughter. She had been a very happy person, always.
They had both been so eager, planning a future together; but he had been rather serious about it, even a little awed. …
There had followed then a time of such happiness that Chips, remembering it long afterward, hardly believed it could ever have happened before or since in the world. For his marriage was a triumphant success. Katherine conquered Brookfield as she had conquered Chips; she was immensely popular with boys and masters alike. Even the wives of the masters, tempted at first to be jealous of one so young and lovely, could not long resist her charms.
But most remarkable of all was the change she made in Chips. Till his marriage he had been a dry and rather neutral sort of person; liked and thought well of by Brookfield in general, but not of the stuff that makes for great popularity or that stirs great affection. He had been at Brookfield for over a quarter of a century, long enough to have established himself as a decent fellow and a hard worker; but just too long for anyone to believe him capable of ever being much more. He had, in fact, already begun to sink into that creeping dry rot of pedagogy which is the worst and ultimate pitfall of the profession; giving the same lessons year after year had formed a groove into which the other affairs of his life adjusted themselves with insidious ease. He worked well; he was conscientious; he was a fixture that gave service, satisfaction, confidence, everything except inspiration.
And then came this astonishing girl-wife whom nobody had expected--least of all Chips himself. She made him, to all appearances, a new man; though most of the newness was really a warming to life of things that were old, imprisoned, and unguessed. His eyes gained sparkle; his mind, which was adequately if not brilliantly equipped, began to move more adventurously. The one thing he had always had, a sense of humor, blossomed into a sudden richness to which his years lent maturity. He began to feel a greater sureness; his discipline improved to a point at which it could become, in a sense, less rigid; he became more popular. … Obedience he had secured, and honor had been granted him; but only now came love, the sudden love of boys for a man who was kind without being soft, who understood them well enough, but not too much, and whose private happiness linked them with their own. He began to make little jokes, the sort that schoolboys like--mnemonics and puns that raised laughs and at the same time imprinted something in the mind. …
And Kathie broadened his views and opinions, also, giving him an outlook far beyond the roofs and turrets of Brookfield, so that he saw his country as something deep and gracious to which Brookfield was but one of many feeding streams. She had a cleverer brain than his, and he could not confuse her ideas even if and when he disagreed with them; he remained, for instance, a Conservative in politics, despite all her radical-socialist talk. But even where he did not accept, he absorbed; her young idealism worked upon his maturity to produce an amalgam very gentle and wise."
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
James Hilton
1934
Saturday, April 08, 2006
I Am His, and He Is Mine
Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know;
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
Words: George W. Robinson, 1876.
Music: “Everlasting Love,” James Mountain, 1876, Hymns of Consecration and Faith.
Gracious Spirit from above, Thou hast taught me it is so!
O this full and perfect peace! O this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease, I am His, and He is mine.
His forever, only His; Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and earth may fade and flee, firstborn light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be, I am His, and He is mine.
Words: George W. Robinson, 1876.
Music: “Everlasting Love,” James Mountain, 1876, Hymns of Consecration and Faith.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Find your place and your rhythm
"People do tend to flip out about [the swim portion of a triathlon] because it's the first leg, so everyone's all bunched together, and it's tough to see where you are in open water [many triathlons are held in lakes or in the ocean]. But I love it. Sure, it's chaotic--people kicking you, even swimming over you. But once you find your place and your rhythm ... it's all good. I don't mind it at all. In fact, I kinda like it."
singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin
winner of a Grammy for her song "Sunny Came Home"
diane, Spring 2006
singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin
winner of a Grammy for her song "Sunny Came Home"
diane, Spring 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
The donkey had to be untied before Jesus could use it.
About the Donkey
People often speak of donkeys in belittling terms. You may have heard the expression, "I'm just someone who has to do all the donkey work." Or "So-and-so is as stubborn as a mule" (a mule is part donkey).
These sayings overlook the contributions of a truly valuable animal. Donkeys have served the human race for thousands of years. They were once prized as symbols of humility, gentleness, and peace.
In Bible days, donkeys that had never been ridden were regarded as especially suitable for religious purposes. So it was most fitting that Jesus sent for a colt to perform the royal task of carrying Him into Jerusalem. How enviable was that donkey's mission! How like our mission as Jesus' followers!
A missionary in China calls herself "the Lord's donkey." She's a humble believer, "carrying" her Lord faithfully into town after town and training others to do likewise. The Lord has need of many such "donkeys" in today's world, humble people who will carry Him into their Jerusalem and make Him known.
The donkey had to be untied before Jesus could use it. We too must be released from worldly attachments if we are to serve Christ. Are we willing to be the Lord's donkey?
~ Our Daily Bread, March 24, 2001
People often speak of donkeys in belittling terms. You may have heard the expression, "I'm just someone who has to do all the donkey work." Or "So-and-so is as stubborn as a mule" (a mule is part donkey).
These sayings overlook the contributions of a truly valuable animal. Donkeys have served the human race for thousands of years. They were once prized as symbols of humility, gentleness, and peace.
In Bible days, donkeys that had never been ridden were regarded as especially suitable for religious purposes. So it was most fitting that Jesus sent for a colt to perform the royal task of carrying Him into Jerusalem. How enviable was that donkey's mission! How like our mission as Jesus' followers!
A missionary in China calls herself "the Lord's donkey." She's a humble believer, "carrying" her Lord faithfully into town after town and training others to do likewise. The Lord has need of many such "donkeys" in today's world, humble people who will carry Him into their Jerusalem and make Him known.
The donkey had to be untied before Jesus could use it. We too must be released from worldly attachments if we are to serve Christ. Are we willing to be the Lord's donkey?
~ Our Daily Bread, March 24, 2001
Tithe if you love Jesus
Bumper Stickers:
"Honk if you love Jesus."
"Tithe if you love Jesus. Anyone can honk."
"Honk if you love Jesus."
"Tithe if you love Jesus. Anyone can honk."
Sunday, April 02, 2006
grief, the open wound of the heart . . .
Honoré de Balzac - Beatrix
Chapter XVII - A Death: A Marriage
"Do you blame me, darling mother, for having wished to reconnoitre the extent of the grief, the open wound of the heart of which you warned me?"
http://pluckerbooks.com/works/balzachd/beatrix/chapter17.html
Chapter XVII - A Death: A Marriage
"Do you blame me, darling mother, for having wished to reconnoitre the extent of the grief, the open wound of the heart of which you warned me?"
http://pluckerbooks.com/works/balzachd/beatrix/chapter17.html
Divine Mercy from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus
Praises of The Divine Mercy (949)
The Love of God is the flower - Mercy the fruit. Let the doubting soul read these considerations of Divine Mercy and become trusting.
Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, fount gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of the Holy Church, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us at every moment of our life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God’s handiwork, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in You.
Selected Prayers from The Diary of Saint Faustina
http://www.keepsakesbyleo.com/Documents/Diary%20Prayers.htm
The Love of God is the flower - Mercy the fruit. Let the doubting soul read these considerations of Divine Mercy and become trusting.
Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, fount gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the founding of the Holy Church, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, accompanying us at every moment of our life, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of hell, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, crown of all of God’s handiwork, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in You.
Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in You.
Selected Prayers from The Diary of Saint Faustina
http://www.keepsakesbyleo.com/Documents/Diary%20Prayers.htm
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