President Gordon B. Hinckley once said: "Life is to be enjoyed, not endured." This is a blog of my favorite quotes, short stories, and general things that I enjoy. I hope you find them enjoyable too! As I find more things I will add them. Disclaimer: I am not perfect. Where possible I will provide accurate references.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Author Unknown
There is one election going on all the time—the Lord [Jesus Christ] votes for you and Satan votes against you, and you must cast the deciding vote.--Author Unknown
Author's Note:
I love this picture. I have never seen it before. I came across it on www.pinterest.com. Usually, when I type in armor of God into the search engine, it has pictures of people praying and reading scripture. I don't know who the artist is, but I thank them! This is a treat.
Author Unknown
Maybe the strait and narrow would not be so strait and narrow if more people used it.--Author Unknown
Author's Note:
The goal of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is to spread the Gospel Message to everyone who desires to hear it. I am a member of this great work. If you are reading this blog, and you would like to know more about our beliefs, please go to www.mormon.org.
Author Unknown
With God nothing is impossible, but we must reach up and take His hand.--Author Unknown
Author's Note:
All right, when I read this quote, I can't help but think of this Greg Olsen painting "Be Not Afraid." It is one of my favorite paintings of his. I got this photo off the web by going to www.gregolsen.com/artwork. 
Author Unknown
I found my treasure trove of quotes. I thought I had lost them. So now I will be adding them. Be prepared to learn and grow and be entertained! :)
I can only imagine. It is not enough to have a dream, unless you are willing to pursue it. It is not enough to know what is right, unless you are strong enough to do it. It is not enough to learn the truth, unless you also learn to live it.--Author Unknown
I can only imagine. It is not enough to have a dream, unless you are willing to pursue it. It is not enough to know what is right, unless you are strong enough to do it. It is not enough to learn the truth, unless you also learn to live it.--Author Unknown
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Mitch Albom
Here's another one from "Have A Little Faith". This on is on pages 37-39. Yup! It's long. Sorry, but I want to be this kind of teacher...someday!
"So what drew you in?"
"I wanted to be a teacher."
"A religious teacher?"
"A history teacher."
"Like in normal school?"
"Like in normal school."
"But you went to the seminary."
"I tried."
"You tried?"
"The first time, I failed."
You're kidding me.
"No. The head of the seminary, Louis Finkelstein, pulled me aside and said, "Al, while you know much, we do not feel you have what it takes to be a good and inspiring rabbi."
"What did you do?"
"What could I do? I left."
---------
Now, this stunned me. There were many things you could have said about Albert Lewis. But not having what it took to inspire and lead a congregation? Unthinkable. Maybe he was too gentle for the seminary leaders. Or too shy. Whatever the reason, the failure crushed him.
He took a summer job as a camp counselor in Port Jervis, New York. One of the campers was particularly difficult. If the other kids collected in one place, this kid went someplace else. If asked to sit, he would defiantly stand.
The kids name was Phineas, and Al spent most of the summer encouraging him, listening to his problems, smiling patiently. Al understood adolescent angst. He'd been a pudgy in a cloistered religious environment. He'd had few friends. He'd never really dated.
So Phineas found a kindred soul in his counselor. And by the end of camp, the kid had changed.
A few weeks later, Al got a call from Phineas's father, inviting him to dinner. It turned out the man was Max Kadushin, a great Jewish scholar and a major force in the Conservative movement. At the table that night, he said, "Al, I can't thank you enough. You sent back a different kid. You sent me a young man."
Al smiled.
"You have a way with people--particularly children."
Al said thank you.
"Have you ever thought about trying for the seminary?"
Al almost spit out his food.
"I did try," he said. "I didn't make it."
Max thought for a moment.
"Try again," he said.
And with Kadushin's help, Albert Lewis's second try went better than the first. He excelled. He was ordained.
Not long after that, he took a bus to New Jersey to interview for his first and only pulpit position, the one he still held more than fifty years later.
No angel? I asked. No burning bush?
"A bus," the Reb said, grinning.
I scribbled a note. The most inspirational man I knew only reached his potential by helping a child reach his.
"So what drew you in?"
"I wanted to be a teacher."
"A religious teacher?"
"A history teacher."
"Like in normal school?"
"Like in normal school."
"But you went to the seminary."
"I tried."
"You tried?"
"The first time, I failed."
You're kidding me.
"No. The head of the seminary, Louis Finkelstein, pulled me aside and said, "Al, while you know much, we do not feel you have what it takes to be a good and inspiring rabbi."
"What did you do?"
"What could I do? I left."
---------
Now, this stunned me. There were many things you could have said about Albert Lewis. But not having what it took to inspire and lead a congregation? Unthinkable. Maybe he was too gentle for the seminary leaders. Or too shy. Whatever the reason, the failure crushed him.
He took a summer job as a camp counselor in Port Jervis, New York. One of the campers was particularly difficult. If the other kids collected in one place, this kid went someplace else. If asked to sit, he would defiantly stand.
The kids name was Phineas, and Al spent most of the summer encouraging him, listening to his problems, smiling patiently. Al understood adolescent angst. He'd been a pudgy in a cloistered religious environment. He'd had few friends. He'd never really dated.
So Phineas found a kindred soul in his counselor. And by the end of camp, the kid had changed.
A few weeks later, Al got a call from Phineas's father, inviting him to dinner. It turned out the man was Max Kadushin, a great Jewish scholar and a major force in the Conservative movement. At the table that night, he said, "Al, I can't thank you enough. You sent back a different kid. You sent me a young man."
Al smiled.
"You have a way with people--particularly children."
Al said thank you.
"Have you ever thought about trying for the seminary?"
Al almost spit out his food.
"I did try," he said. "I didn't make it."
Max thought for a moment.
"Try again," he said.
And with Kadushin's help, Albert Lewis's second try went better than the first. He excelled. He was ordained.
Not long after that, he took a bus to New Jersey to interview for his first and only pulpit position, the one he still held more than fifty years later.
No angel? I asked. No burning bush?
"A bus," the Reb said, grinning.
I scribbled a note. The most inspirational man I knew only reached his potential by helping a child reach his.
Mitch Albom
This is a quote from a book I am currently reading written by Mitch Albom titled "Have A Little Faith". (It's on page 19.) I loved it! I hope you will too...
"Do you believe in God?"
"Yes, I do."
I scribbled that on my pad.
"Do you ever speak with God?"
"On a regular basis."
"What do you say?"
"These days?" He sighed, then half-sang his answer. "These days I say, 'God, I know I'm going to see you soon. And we'll have some nice conversations. But meanwhile, God, if you're gonna taaake me, take me already. And if you're gonna leave me here'"-he opened his hands and looked at the ceiling-"'maybe give me the strength to do what should be done.'"
"Do you believe in God?"
"Yes, I do."
I scribbled that on my pad.
"Do you ever speak with God?"
"On a regular basis."
"What do you say?"
"These days?" He sighed, then half-sang his answer. "These days I say, 'God, I know I'm going to see you soon. And we'll have some nice conversations. But meanwhile, God, if you're gonna taaake me, take me already. And if you're gonna leave me here'"-he opened his hands and looked at the ceiling-"'maybe give me the strength to do what should be done.'"
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