The Chatter in the Closet and Talking Doors

I have a closet full of clothes that I seldom wear anymore. Pants, shirts, jeans, suits and sport coats. Many of the items that are out of fashion I hold on to just in case they return to style. And I refuse to get rid of the pieces that are still in fashion and keep them . . . thinking that one day I’ll have more occasions to get dressed up and wear them again. I dream that someday I’ll even need them so much that I wear them all, day by day, a new outfit each day. But the day never seems to come, and they go on hanging. Not being used.

I always enjoyed the Far Side cartoons by Gary Larsen and I think it’s because I too have a tendency to personify too many things in life. Often times giving animation to fruit and furniture and even doors that open and would be people greeters . . if someone came in . . .or other doors that I imagine are the type that never seem to open. They have, to me, the personality of people who shut others out, and say . .”stay away”, and “you are not welcome within”. Of course sometimes I look at people and have a way of piercing their persona veil and I can see immediately that if they were a door, they would be locked shut, deadbolt turned, and the key was lost.

So it’s easy for me to think of the clothes in my closet as having personalities too, of their own. I imagine sometimes in my own times of hanging in loneliness that they sit in the closet and talk to each other rather than to just be left there hanging in silence. I wouldn’t want to be left hanging. But in the mornings when I’m in the closet dressing, I try to convince them all that it is better to be left hanging there unused and even unappreciated, than to be not needed and discarded. I tell the wardrobe that at least I am thinking they are still attractive and of value, and will be lovely to wear. But I suppose they think that my words are meaningless, if I don’t ever actually get around to showing them I still want them.

I know that when I’m finished dressing and leave the closet, that they must go on and on back and forth, about their own qualities of fabric and color and style. If I’m not going to show them off in public, then I think they must have a need of their own to convince themselves of their own value. I wonder if my one Armani tries to bully them and I wonder if each, in their own way feels a bit of inferior to be hanging on the same rod as he does. I want to tell him that he’s really no better than the others because his value is still the same regardless of the price tag he once carried. He is still only useful as something to wear and dress up in, and in that way each peace has its equal value. I’m sure though that because of the Armani’s upbringing that he would be certain that he’d be the last item to ever be discarded.

The other day we buried my mother. She . . being the woman who sometimes drove so many people nuts with her critical analysis of so many things. She . . being a saint though to me who never once was upset with me for failing, and her reply was always to tell me that "now that you have that obstacle out of the way, you can go on to your greatest achievement."

I didn't even cry at her funeral. I was just numb. But I was so sad. I was surrounded by family, but I still felt alone. I felt like a pair of trousers with no one to wear them, hanging in a dark and lonely closet. I kept realizing all day that I had this great need in my life to show her that I had turned out ok. And now that she wasn't there to show anymore, I felt just like the "not needed" clothes must feel.

Dance like no one is watching

I received this in an email from a friend. The message is timeless. And worth saving

Dance Like No One is Watching

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's
bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package.

"This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded
the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk,
handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price
tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8
or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a
special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion."

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other
clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered
on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the
drawer shut and turned to me.

"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion.
Every day you're alive is a special occasion.

I remembered those words through the funeral and the
days that followed when I helped him and my niece
attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected
death.

I thought about them on the plane returning to
California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family
lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen
or heard or done. I thought about the things that she
had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed
my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on
the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds
in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family
and friends and less time in committee meetings.
Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to
savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now
and cherish them. I'm not "saving" anything; we use our
good china and crystal for every special event-such as
losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first
camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My
theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one
small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good
perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and
tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my
party-going friends.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip
on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to
see and hear and do it now.

I'm not sure what my sister would've done had she known
that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for
granted. I think she would have called family members
and a few close friends. She might have called a few former
friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I
like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner,
her favorite food. I'm guessing I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I
knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good
friends whom I was going to get in touch with - someday. Angry
because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write -
one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband often
enough how much I truly love him.

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything
that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning
when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.

You've got to dance like nobody's
watching, and love like it's never
going to hurt....

People say true friends must always hold hands, but true
friends don't need to hold hands because they know theother hand will always be there

Notes to my children

This is very long. VERY long. It's sort of an collection of thoughts and quotes that I've written over the years in a journal to my children. Two years ago I printed it out and gave a copy of it to each. I'm putting it here for them to have to look at whenever they want. And maybe they'll want to pass it on to my grandchildren some day.

To: My Children
From: Poppy
Written from 1994 to 2006

Just a few things I think you should know to get through life successfully and prosperously. I’ve been writing these things down for years. I think I started this list in 1989 when Katy was a baby. And just thought that if the day ever came where I couldn’t tell you these things in person, that it would be nice if I could leave them for you. Most of the things are my own observations about life, but I’ve also included a few others that I read from time to time and thought were worth passing on. If you think there’s some chicken in here, then eat it. But if you find any bones, then just throw them away. And if there’s some life and wisdom here for you, then you save it and add to it for your own children. And I’ll hope that your children will think of your father as a good and wise man that loved you. The list is not in any order of priority or importance . . .but just as I thought of the things or came to see them in my own life experience.

Keep trying to do things better. If you have a business and don’t do this, your competition will, and they will put you out of business.
Have heroes. Emulate their successes. Can you name right now three heroes that you admire?
You can’t win a race if you don’t get off the starting line. The odds of winning the lottery may be 1 in 16,000,000, but if you don’t buy a ticket at all, your chances of winning are Zero.
It is more satisfying to win on a team effort than an individual effort. Then you have others to share the joy of success with instead of gloating over just your own victory. But often times to do this you have to take the lead and be the quarterback, because most people are afraid of attempting anything for fear of being defeated at everything. Most people are looking for a leader. Most people are followers.
You cannot win if you don’t enter.
Try to be the lead dog. It’s the only one that ever gets a change in scenery.
Sometimes, perhaps often times, you can’t win on a team, because no one wants to be in your flock. Make sure what kind of birds you pick to have on your team or in your flock. Buzzards are most likely to flock together.
You can’t change the wind, but you can adjust the sails of your boat.
Risk more than others do. Get more rewards than most others do.
Dream more than others do.
Expect more than others think is possible.
If you never dream, you’ll never have any dreams come true. If you dream a lot, you’ll have a lot of dreams come true. If you don’t every have big dreams, you won’t every have any big dreams come true.
If you wait long enough, you’ll eventually get something. But usually all you’ll get is what’s left over from the people who hustled to get what they want. Do you want life’s leftovers? Maybe not. But leftovers are still better than nothing. I want to win a race that I’m in. But I’d still rather finish last than to have not had the courage to enter at all.
The man, or woman, without a vision is always the servant of, and at the mercy of, the man or woman with a vision.
Attempt many, many small things, and several medium things, and two or three big things. But always keep a big goal in front of you. Many, many small things will give you many, many successes and a few failures. Several medium things will be pretty evenly split between success and failure. A few big things may bring you one big success. And that will be one more than most anyone else in the universe achieves.
The big goals are much more difficult and more often than not met by failure. Try them again. Even if you fail again, it’s ok. Theodore Roosevelt observed that it is better to fail while daring greatly, because your place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.
Remember what I’ve said, you can’t win if you don’t enter.
Keep trying until you realize you can’t win and can’t get the weapons or tools to win. If you’re trying to move a mountain and all you have to work with is a shovel, forget it. You’ll spend the rest of your life on one project and may still not get it done. In this case, let it be enough for you to know in your heart that you “could have” done it if you’d been willing to give up the time. Instead, find another more prosperous project that you can complete, make the money, buy a dozen bulldozers and then go back to moving that big mountain.
Make use of “drive time”. Listen to motivational tapes or books.
Once in a while when you have a really great idea, you’ll be the only one who thinks it’s great. You’ll be the only one who has the courage to attempt it. Go for it! Even if you can’t find a team to go along with you. Leaders are like eagles. They are not seen in flocks. Buzzards flock together.
Be the minority that lives above mediocrity.
It is more rewarding to serve others than to serve yourself. If you take care of others you will be taken care of. Regard money with wisdom, but give it away freely and then it will not have a grip on you. Do not be a slave to money. The more you give it away, the less power Money has over you. Do not let money have a grip on you. It will tie you up in chains if you try to hang on to it.
I have lived my life with the belief that I am blessed and I am a blessing. Both together - neither dependent on the other. I don’t give to get. I just give. And I get. The two go together because I am in convenant with God. I was in Abraham’s loins. And therefore, I am Israel. And I am heir to all the promises the God made to my father Abraham. You can be too if you just choose to be in covenant with Him. And here’s another very fundamental part of my belief and worthy of time in study if you feel so inclined. Because I am in covenant with God, one of the characteristics of covenant in Old Tesatament times, was that the two people took each others names. i.e. Joseph the husband of Mary, and Mary the wife of Joseph. And, Abraham the son of God, and God was called, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. So since I believe this, then I also believe that today, God proclaims Himself to all the angels and “the God of Bud”. That is the name He has taken for Himself. And I am Bud the Son of God. Grasp this if you can. It is life changing.
Calm seas do not produce an experienced sailor.
I saw years ago, that in the 23rd Psalm, David said that the Lord lead him beside still waters. Well . . you only find still waters at the lowest point in the valley. Otherwise the water is rushing and moving downward. When you get to the still waters, what can you do beside them? You can stand still and see a reflection of yourself.
You will reap what you sow - much later and much greater. If you plant a kernel of corn, you won’t harvest it tomorrow. But when you do harvest it, you will get a lot more than you planted.
Ideas have consequences.
Figure out the consequences and decide if the idea is worth pursuing. It might be attainable but you might not like the result. So what if you move the mountain? Do you end up with the dirt where you want it?
If you’re going off to the horizon, at some point you’ve got to be willing to loose sight of where you started from.
Find a compass for your life. Each day, or week, or month, or year, pick a spot on the horizon and with your compass go toward that point all day.
To every thing there is a season and a time. A time to let things happen, a time to watch things happen, a time to enter, and a time to make things happen.
Keep entering and you will win some.
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road you take will get you there. Variation of this idea. If you don’t know where you are, you don’t know if you’re lost.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do, is stop digging.
Perseverance overcomes almost every obstacle. Some people will tell you don’t give up. I think they’re wrong. Keep with something as long as it shows a promise of a reward and as long as you think it is attainable. But if you’re going to get in a spitting contest, then for gosh sakes make sure that it is your opponent that is spitting into the wind and not you. Keep the wind at your back. If you’re spitting and it’s coming back in your face, then you’re faced in the wrong direction. If you’re convinced that you’re pointed in the right direction, then perhaps you should stop and wait for the wind to die down.
The early bird may get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese. Of course being early didn’t turn out to be such a good deal for the worm. I have made a lot of money by being second. There are fewer bullets that hit you if you’re in the second wave of attack, but also less glory.
Be an artist with your skill. Do everything as though you were going to sign your name to it for the world to see. Are you proud of what you’ve done?
There are many detours on the road to success.
Always keep checking the map to see if you’ve gotten off course and if you have, then make the quickest adjustment to get back to the correct road. If you keep going down the wrong road you might see many interesting things but they will only delay your arrival.
The symphony leader spends most of his time with his back to the crowd.
Thomas Edison said that many new ideas are simply clever adaptations of old ideas. He said that most, not some, of his many inventions were other peoples ideas that he developed. He also wrote that the benefit of all his failures in life had shown him what “not” to do again.
Learn to glean.
Leftovers are something. They’re better than nothing. There are many stews and casseroles left to make in this world out of ideas that have not been fully developed.
A friend of mine bought a farm and was saddened to find out that the soil was not good, it had too many rocks in the soil. I looked at the farm and saw miles of highway road bed. I bought the land and made a lot of money selling people gravel.
You get your most imaginative ideas just before sleep and right after you wake up. Keep a small note pad and pen handy and write your ideas down.
Keep a folder just for ideas. Start now in your life writing down things for your own children just like I’m writing this to you girls.
Take math classes for brain exercise. Learn how to solve problems.
Look at a problem from many different angles and perspectives. Find all the possible factors that will go into the solution. Be a problem solver and not a problem creator.
Strive to make things happen. Be prepared to not be a popular person among the people you’re around if you do this. Because “if” you succeed, what reason do those fools have to explain for their own lack of achievement?
Most people see things the way they are, and ask “Why”? I want to constantly see things that don’t exist and ask Why not? George Bernard Shaw
It is good to understand why, but better to figure out how. Be curious about how and why things work. Everything. Anything. You’d be amazed at how amazing the world is. And you “might” learn something that will be applicable in the future. I spend more time watching the Discovery Channel than anything else. History Channel is a close second. Dramas and comedies very little.
Before they are sixteen, have your children watch Mississippi Burning and Schindler’s List. Both are gruesome and ugly reminders of a world that was not too many years ago. They should watch the first to understand why many black people are so resentful today of white people, and they should watch the second to be reminded of exactly how inhumane men can be to other men.
Don’t spend time around lazy, ignorant, or timid people. Tell people to lead, follow, climb on your wagon, or get the hell out of your way.
Better to take the time to do it right the first time than to have to take the time to do it over.
If you own a store or a restaurant, don’t sell what you like, sell what your customers want. Better yet, sell something that you like and that your customers want. And be sure it’s something that’s fun to do. Life is too short to spend it doing something that’s not fun or joyful. If you get in a career, that you hate, then change careers.
It takes a long time and a lot of money to get a good customer. It takes one harsh word to lose one. Fire employees as quick as possible that are rude to your customers. Rude employees will put you out of business, besides putting themselves out of a job. Try to keep harmony in your life. If you have people around you that produce discord, get rid of them. Discord will breed discord.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Forgive your enemies and even pray at night to bless them. This is one of the most important things I’m writing you girls. Make a conscious decision to bless your enemies and those who have wronged you. Do it even if it’s not in your heart to bless them. The more you do it the more you’ll “want” to do it, and the more peace and blessings you’ll have in your own life. I know that God forgives me for all my sins, because He promised he would forgive me EXACTLY the same way I forgive those who have sinned against me. God can have no grievance against me. God holds nothing against me.
Always give people more than they ask for or expect. Give people more than their money’s worth. This is an idea that is contrary to the way of the world today. We are surrounded by the philosophy of “that’s all you get” or “batteries not included” or “accessories extra” or “assembly required”. Change that. Try to find ways to do more and more for people. It will shock them.
Read the directions when you open the box. Then, follow the directions.
I write this again, because I have learned it so many times, if you’re trying to move a mountain and only have a shovel, then try to get a new vision to find a way to get the money to buy a bulldozer and then come back to the mountain.
The majority of people are mediocre. Thoreau said “the mass of humanity lead lives of quiet desperation.
Black and Decker Drill Company built their business not on selling drills but on showing people that they could make holes easier.
Think about this a lot. Sell the sizzle and not the steak. Sell a mountain mover, not a bulldozer. Better yet, draw someone a picture of what it will look like with the mountain gone, and then tell them you have the tool to make that reality.
The greater the risk, the greater is the glory. It was very easy to identify the pioneers on the prairie. They were the ones with the arrows in their backs.
A kite rises against the wind, not with it.
Birds can’t fly until they spread out their wings.
Don’t sign contracts with blank spaces and never sign one when someone tells you that the small print is not important. Read all contracts even the small print.
Lawyers make a lot of money by people being stupid or greedy.
Don’t borrow money if you can help it. You will not be able to be wealthy going into debt for depreciating assets. Borrow money only if it is an appreciating asset. But still better to not borrow at all. If you do go to the bank, dress as though you don’t need any more money. Don’t trust a banker to be there to “help” you. They are there to separate you from your money someone. They have their best interest in front of your own. If they advertise, “We’re here to serve you”, don’t believe it. They are “there” to take your money from you.
When you find someone that you’d like to marry, (1) make a list of all the things about them that you’d want to change after you get married. (2) What things about them would just absolutely have to change. (3) Write down how you will feel or react if they don’t change. Now listen. Know this with almost certainty.
You must be prepared for number (3). Decide if you want to spend your life with this person as a spouse the way they are. They will almost certainly not change. (Regardless of how much they promise you they will.). People will go on being themselves. Many of the problems your mother and I ever had were over things about me that she didn’t like. And I’d always promise to change. And I might for a day or two or a week or month. But in the end, I’d just go back to being the way that I was before.
Always take a handkerchief to weddings and funerals. And several Kleenex so you can give them away freely when you see the need.
I think that it’s good to cry once a month or more. Crying washes my soul.
Try to get at the end, or toward the end of any line for food. Choose to let others be satisfied before you and don’t be afraid that the pickings will be slimmer when you get to the food. Seat yourself at the end of the table and then if you are asked to move forward, you will be honored. But if you are asked to move down, you will be disgraced. This is not just my own observation and philosophy, but it’s also Biblical and Christ told it to his disciples. Humble yourselves girls, and then let God honor you. Trust me. He will. But He brings down the proud person.
The world and your city, is full of poor people. Jesus said we would always have the poor among us. Some of them are poor because they are lazy and choose to do nothing to raise themselves. Others are poor because of circumstances beyond their control. Find a poor family that is struggling to make ends meet, but doing all they can to live, and give “into” their lives. And do it face to face often, but anonymously sometimes. Try to do it in a way that will life them up. Pay for their kids medical bills or tuition for one of the parents to go to school. Something. You will be lending money to God when you give to the poor.
In a business deal or negotiation, always appear to be not as smart as your opponent, or adversary, or the other person in the deal. Always let them assume they are smarter than you and usually you’ll end up on the better end of the deal, because their own ego will cause them to make stupid mistakes. Make your enemy believe you are weak where you are strong, and strong where you are weak.
Exfoliate every week. Don’t bite your fingernails or pick your toe nails. Discipline yourself in even these small things and you’ll develop discipline in even the bigger areas. Drink a glass of wine every night. Go get a pedicure or manicure or massage often just to relax. Correct that: Drink two glasses of wine every night.
If you buy something with a warranty, keep track of it. I keep all mine in a file folder.
If you see a turtle in the middle of the road, stop and put it off to the side. You will smile for a long time and be happy with yourself. I think that God will smile at you too. The same goes for big pieces of debris and limbs and stuff in the middle of the highway that cars are swerving around. Stop and drag them over to the side. You might save someone’s life and not know it. You’ll smile even more if you go on through the day “assuming” that you’ve save someone’s life. If you are in too much of a hurry, or don’t have time to stop and do these two things, then you are too busy and in too much of a hurry. Show yourself that time does not control you.
Discipline yourself to drive 5 miles under the maximum speed limit. Show yourself, that time is not your master. You will be more relaxed when you get to where you are going. Listen to books while driving and make use of the time.
Try to always have enough time, to be able to stop the car if you want to and look at a beautiful sunset. If you are driving in such a hurry that you can’t stop and enjoy something beautiful, then you are in too big of a hurry.
The speed of the leader determines the rate of the pack. The lead dog is the only one with a good view. Use your own imagination to figure out the view of the pack.
The long distance race is not always to the swift but to those who keep on running.
No pain, no gain.
If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right. If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
If you’re not aiming your arrow for anything in particular, you’ll probably hit your goal. . . .your goal being nothing. Get specific. Shoot for the bull’s eye. I would rather miss the target trying, than to have not tried at all. I can always try again. If you use up all your arrows, don’t let that stop you. Go get some more arrows, or try to reclaim the arrows you’ve already shot.
Give away AT LEAST 10% of what you get. It will help you to not be greedy. Greedy people may not lose everything they have, but they will never have joy and thankfulness for it. Giving things away shows you people that have less than you do and will make you grateful. It also shows you to yourself, that money is not your master. On this point I disagree with orthodox religion. I believe that religious leaders teach the congregations to tithe to the church. Well . . that’s because they have sort of a “vested” interest in you giving to the church “organization”. I do believe that you should tithe to “the church”. But my point is that Christ’s definition of “the church” was people. People are His church. Give your “tithe” into people’s lives. And another point, if you give into people’s lives, then your responsibility for what they do with it ends. If they misuse your gift, that is God’s responsibility to deal with. Don’t stop giving into people just because it doesn’t produce what your opinion thinks it should produce. Big tip here girls. 10% is the MINIMUM. The more you give, the more it will flow back to you. Also, I personally think that God appreciates more a gift that is out of your substance, rather than a gift that is out of your excess. Give even when it “hurts” a little. You can still give something to the institutional church to pay for the building and the pastor’s salary etc, but that is not where your “tithe” should go. Just consider what you put in the offering plate to be sort of a “stipend”, and give your “tithe” to God’s Church, and the Church is the Body of Christ and that is people.
God says that when you give to the poor, you lend to the Lord. How fabulous is that? To have the God of all creation, indebted to you. God pays His debts and I’ve found He pays an incredible interest rate. Ponder this point a lot.
Pray this prayer a lot: Lord have mercy on Me. Forgive me my sins as I have forgiven those who sinned against me.
Save a nickel or more, out of every dollar that you get. You don’t have to save it as the nickel though. You can invest it in something that will make you another nickel that you didn’t have to earn. You should save at least as much as you spend on leisure activities.
Governments don’t produce anything. Governments are leeches and parasites. They only take and not give back. They exist to redistribute wealth. They don’t start this way, but they end up being a means to take from the “haves” and give to the “have nots.” Do not ever trust the government to be honest, sincere, or morally upright. Always doubt the government’s motives. Governments will always become corrupt. NEVER trust the government to be honest. The Government is not your friend and is not there to help you.
If you have the time, park far away from the store instead of close. The exercise is good for you.
Walk up the stairs whenever you can.
Tell friendly clerks at a store how much you appreciate their cheerfulness. Try and tell sad clerks something nice about themselves and leave them smiling. You will both feel better.
If you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will.
Never make someone wait in line if they are wanting to give you their money.
Praise people a lot. They need it just like you do. You’ll both feel better.
Smile even when sitting in a crowd listening to a speaker who is boring. It takes the edge off waiting for it to end. And it makes everyone else wonder what exactly they missed, that you picked up on. If the speaker looks at you, they’ll feel better about themselves, and might actually end up saying something worthwhile.
If you’ve got a great idea try to follow it through. If you’re not going to do something with it though, share it. Encourage someone else to do it. You’ll at least be able to glory in knowing that you thought of it. Never mind that they, not you, may be the ones with the million dollars in the bank. Learn to bask in, rather than resent, other people’s successes.
Remember, ideas don’t make you money. It’s what you do with the idea.
Riches without joy, is poverty.
Strive only to be happy with what you have and don’t focus on just getting more. Focus on doing a good job at everything and you will naturally end up with more.
Try to buy everything on sale. It can make your money go farther. If you could buy everything at 50% off it would be like making twice as much money as you actually do. This is the meaning of “a penny saved is a penny earned”.
It’s harder to give away 10% of your income if you make $100,000.00 than it is to if you give away 10% and make $20,000.00 Think about this because it seems like it should be the other way around. Think about this girls. It is much much harder. And ponder why? Make yourself give away a higher and higher % the more you make. But give it “into” people and not into institutions.
Gideons are a good institution to give to if you want to. 100% of what you give to Gideons goes to buy Bibles and nothing goes to overhead.
The more you make, the more you should give.
The more you work to hold on to something, the more fleeting it becomes. Finally it becomes an idol to you. And an idol is anything that controls you.
If you don’t think you can live without some THING get rid of it as soon as possible.
“It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free; their passions forge their fetters.” Edmund Burke
If you are starting to like a man very much, watch very carefully how his father treats his mother. This will be an excellent indicator to you of how they will treat you. Another good indicator is how does he treat his mother?
When someone says “Well to be completely honest with you” stop them and ask if they are usually only partially honest. Partially honest to me is sort of like being ½ pregnant.
Being partly true is the same thing as not being true. True is true, period. Truth is like being pregnant. You can’t be “partly” pregnant.
If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Smile a lot.
Finding out that you’re on the wrong road? . . . progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that use the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive -C.S. Lewis
In morals, as in physics, the stream cannot rise higher than its source.
Make a lot of traditions in your families.
Dreaming is great. But your dreams don’t come true unless you stay awake and do them.
Spank your children when they disobey. But not with your hands.
Give you kids a “job” or chores to do as soon as they are old enough to follow instructions. Even if it’s going outside and picking up sticks. You all remember me doing this to you, and I’m sure you also remember that you resented it. So now that you are adults, you may say to yourself that you’re not going to make your kids do that because you don’t want them to resent you. If you fail in this, you will fail your children. I didn’t “want” you to resent me. But I wanted you to learn responsibility and a work ethic. And you all did. When your kids are 16 make them get some kind of job that pays money and requires them to work part time. They will grow into better adults.
Success is a journey and not a destination.
Five Characteristics of people of live excellently:
Never give in to excuses. Never allow failures to be fatal. They set themselves apart from the majority. They are committed to excel in whatever they do. They seek to please God rather than man.
Christianity raises men from earth, for it comes from heaven; but
human morality creeps, struts or frets upon the earth’s level, without wings to
rise. -John Henry Newman
When you lose, learn something from the loss.
People offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia; Men have forgotten God, that is why all this has happened. - Alexander Solzhenitsyn (A Russian Dissident in May 1983)
To whatever degree a society allows the teaching of the Bible to bring
forth its natural conclusions, it is able to have form and freedom in society and government. - Francis Schaeffer (1976)
The central focus of all realms of government should be the regenerating work of Jesus Christ. Institutions and civil governments are made up of people who are governed by the conditions of their hearts. - Unknown
If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ. - Unknown
Keep a well stocked first aid kit. People laugh at me because of the size of mine, but if it’s ever needed, there might not be time to go get something. I would rather have a big first aid kit and never need a single thing, than to have a small one and need the exact item that I was missing.
While I’m mentioning this, get to the point of not caring whether people are laughing at you. I have been laughed at over and over and over. And scorned and ridiculed and gossiped about. It hurts to dwell on, so just don’t dwell on it. Dwell on the pleasure you have had, and the pleasure you have given. If you’ve not given pleasure and joy and hope to others, you have failed in life.
I have learned how to amuse myself by seeing other people’s stupidity.
Edure people’s scorn and ridicule when you know you’re right.
If you have a boss, always try to make them look good. The promotions you need will come but trying to upstage your boss is a good way to not be needed anymore. If you’re ever the boss, try to hire people smarter and more capable than yourself. They will make you shine. And eventually they may eclipse you. But you will be able to bask in their success too. Read this paragraph many times. Especially about hiring people smarter than you. Most managers hire people they perceive as inferior to themselves. Ponder why that’s so, and you’ll learn a great lesson.
A person who will steal an egg will steal a chicken. If they will steal a nickel, they will steal a dollar.
Read the opinion page of the newspaper. Especially the writers that you disagree with the most. They will stimulate you to organize in your mind your own convictions. I absolutely detest John Young in the Waco paper. But his own ideas help me to crystallize my own values. And a couple of times, I’ve actually discovered that my own thinking was wrong.
If you go looking for trouble, you’ll probably find it.
Don’t yell at your spouse. Don’t say mean things. Once the words are out of your mouth you can never get them back in. And even if you say you’re sorry, the sting will be there for years. For people, it is possible to forgive, but it is very hard to forget. Try to not say things to your spouse that you’ll later wish they’d forget. Build your mate up. Do not belittle them. There is no excuse for calling your spouse a name.
A wise general only goes into an offensive battle which he is already convinced he can win. But he still has a plan of retreat in mind, in case he’s wrong. Don’t ever go into a battle without at least one plan of retreat in your mind.
There will always be people who will come up with reasons you can’t do something. Listen carefully to refine your own plans, then ignore their pessimism.
I have learned to amuse myself and I enjoy it. I do not have to have someone else to make me happy. I can do it myself. But happiness brought to me by others is more satisfying.
Avoid places that advertise Ladies welcome
Smile when you answer the telephone. It will show.
Start trying to “listen” on the phone to “how” people are talking. You can hear a smile. And you can hear a pain.
Never threaten someone with something, unless you’re going to do it. If you pull a gun on someone, it better be loaded.
Don’t trust a naked man who offers you the shirt off his back.
It’s easy to bet the ranch if you don’t own the ranch.
If you feel good, let it show in your face.
Smile a lot.
Be sure and find someone or something to love and do it passionately
Macy once said that all he needed to succeed over Mr. Gimble, his competitor, was a slight competitive edge. Look for the edge and seize it.
When you talk to someone, look them in the eyes. Especially when you say I’m sorry. Don’t wear sunglasses when looking at someone directly and talking to them.
Win without boasting. Don’t be hesitant to tell people of your failures. It will produce humility in you. I often tell people that numerically, I’ve had for more failures than successes. I have just learn to try and keep my failures small and my successes grand. Being willing to admit your failures will help you in life to help others when you see them fall. You can then tell them about how you fell in a particular situation, and then offer them hope about how your rose up and tried again.
Try to give as many people hope and encouragement each day as you can.
When one door closes, another usually opens.
God never closes a window without closing a door. Brooke Shields I think. Lol lol lol lol. Duh!!!!!
The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God...anarchy and tyranny commence. PROPERTY MUST BE SECURED OR LIBERTY CANNOT - Unknown
Don’t look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. - Alexander Graham Bell
Lead, follow, get on the wagon and ride, or get the hell out of my way.
Better early than late, but it’s best to just be on time.
Always be quick to apologize. The more you say the words “I’m sorry”, the happier your life will be.
Bankers and trial lawyers are among the two most greedy professions in the world. Don’t marry either. I know three lawyers and two bankers in the world that I like and trust. The rest of them rank below a catfish in the food chain of life.
There are so many lawyers in the world that if you were to take them all and stack them one on top of the other at the bottom of the ocean floor, well . . the world would be a much better place.
In a verbal confrontation, lower your voice.
Don’t think of yourself as more important than someone who makes a lot less money. You should spend time looking at hard working people who are lower in the socio economic ladder than you and appreciate them. Walk over and help a bus boy pick up some dishes off a table and you’ll both smile. When you see a waitress or waiter drop something, get up from your seat and help them pick it up. Trust me on this, you will bless them, and you will be blessed. You will be the most blessed.
If you go for a walk in the morning take time to stop and pick up people’s newspapers on the sidewalk and throw them up on the porch.
Would society hurt more if you didn’t do your job for the next 30 days or if the garbage men didn’t do theirs for the next 30 days. Get the picture? This is an important lesson girls, and will teach you humility. This is sort of my own way of expressing the idea that if you think you are so important, put your finger in a glass of water and then take it out and see how much of a hole you left.
Keep a lot of matches, candles, and hydrogen peroxide on hand. Always have some campho phenique handy for almost anything. And alcohol.
You can’t break a man who doesn’t borrow. Will Rogers
Whether its life or a horse that throws you, get back on quickly.
Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. Coach Lou Holtz
Several years ago while we were in North Carolina I started collecting quotes which I thought were worth remembering and passing on. That was when Nancy Lord worked for me and when I saw something in reading, or heard it, I would have Nancy put it in my research file. I was looking for a quote today and found several that I think are especially important. They follow for you:
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:29
The wicked shall not rule the Godly, lest the Godly be forced to do wrong. Proverbs 125:13
The good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper._ Proverbs 11:11
Please inquire of past generations, and consider the things searched out by their fathers. Will they not teach you and tell you, and bring forth words from their minds? Job 8:8,10
Governments may start with good intentions. And they do some good. Just a little. Mainly by way of preventing lawlessness. But they are leeches. They confiscate what you get. Governments take from the haves to give to the have nots. Do not ever trust the government to be for your good. Government is composed of politicians and politicians will almost always be corrupted.
Avoid when possible telling people what you have. If they have less, they’ll be envious and you’ll be proud. If they have more, you’ll be envious of them and less grateful for what you have.
If truth be not diffused, error will be; if God and His word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain ascendance; - Unknown
If you’re in an organization that makes decisions by committee then make sure that you’re on the committee. Better yet, you try to be the chair of the committee and lead it toward where you want to go.
If you are managing people, make sure it’s about six or less. If it grows more than that, you need an assistant manager. Take note of this because most managers want to have more and more and more people that report to them. It’s a way they feel important and big. For gosh sakes though, Jesus only managed twelve and He was God. I try to stick with half of what God did. It’s worked well for me. It will work well for you too.
Don’t stop the parade to pick up a dime. But stick around and pick it up after the parade has passed. Always pick up money on the ground. Even a penny. It will keep you mindful of the value of even the smallest amount.
Be as friendly to the janitor as you would be to the owner of the company.
Be very nice and polite to nerds. You may work for one someday. Bill Gates
Be quick to take advantage of an advantage.
People offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia; Men have forgotten God, that is why all this has happened. - Alexander Solzhenitsyn (A Russian Dissident in May 1983)
To whatever degree a society allows the teaching of the Bible to bring forth its natural conclusions, it is able to have form and freedom in society and
government. - Francis Schaeffer (1976)
The central focus of all realms of government should be the regenerating work of Jesus Christ. Institutions and civil governments are made up of people who are governed by the conditions of their hearts. - Unknown
If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ. - Unknown
The basic government is self-government, and only the Christian man is truly free and hence able properly to exercise self-government. A free social order rest on the premise that self-government is the basic government in the human order, and that any weakening of or decline in self-government means a decline in responsibility and the rise of tyranny and slavery. - R.J. Rushdoony in Politics of Guilt and Pity
Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battlefield is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point. - Unknown
In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. - Mark Twain


Christians - By Maya Angelou

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!



The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. The miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible. - Noah Webster
...the end of the law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom...where there is no law there is no freedom. - Unknown
Clearly understood by the medical-scientific community , but not clearly understood by radical egalitarians, is the fact that biological gender distinctions affect thinking. Women are more diffuse in looking at any issue, matter, or problem, while men are more analytical. Only the person who believes that being more analytical is a supreme virtue would be troubled by this difference. The male tendency to immediately analize every issue before him is a natural characteristic. The basis for these diverse approaches to life is rooted in the chemistry of the brain.
In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to the other. - Voltaire
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. It’s inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say.





When you die, if you've got two real friends, then you've had a great life. A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.; -- Unknown


"It is not the critic who counts,
nor the man who points out
where the strong man stumbled,
or where a doer of deeds
could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man in the arena
whose face is marred by dust
and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly, who errs,
and who comes up short again and again,
who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions,
and spends himself in a worthy cause.
The man who at best knows the triumph
of high achievement and who at worst,
if he fails, fails while daring greatly,
so that his place will never be
with those cold timid souls
who never knew victory or defeat."

Teddy Roosevelt



I love this poem. Read it over and over and over. You’ll be a better person.

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Sympathy
I KNOW what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass, And the river flows like a stream of glass; When the first bird sings and the first bud opes, And the faint perfume from its chalice steals — I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing Till its blood is red on the cruel bars; For he must fly back to his perch and cling When he fain would be on the bough a-swing; And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars And they pulse again with a keener sting — I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,— When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings — I know why the caged bird sings!


A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them for a century. Montesquieu


D.H. Lawrence – Self Pity
I never saw a wild thingsorry for itself.A small bird will dropfrozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry
for itself.

The Unlimited Imaginationby Bill Staton
"What you think upon grows." - Oriental maxim"What you think you become." - Guatama Buddha"As you think, so shall you become." - Jesus of Nazareth
My religion professor in college, Dr. Bernard Boyd, was one of the most colorful people I have ever known. The wonderful stories he told brought his teachings to life in a way his students would have never believed possible. One of his best was about Albert Einstein.
While young Boyd was a seminary student at Princeton, Dr. Einstein was a professor there, well known for his absent-minded ways. On more than one occasion Boyd saw the famous theoretician and scientist wandering aimlessly in the middle of the street licking an ice cream cone, totally oblivious to traffic and the potential threat to his life.
One day, late for a class, Boyd was rushing down the library steps and accidentally bumped into Dr. Einstein, almost knocking the two of them down. Stunned, he realized who it was and hurriedly apologized. Einstein was polite and said not to worry about it.
What happened next was a complete surprise. The almost-speechless Boyd suddenly blathered, "Why don't you come to my room tonight around 8:00 and meet some of my friends." Einstein said that sounded like fun, and promised he'd be there
Boyd spend the rest of the day telling all his friends to come by his room that evening because "Big Al" was going to be there. When they asked, "Who's Big Al?" he responded vaguely, "It'll be fun. Just come." So they did. A small crowd gathered in anticipation of meeting Big Al, who as almost always was late.
Around 8:20 a few people were starting to leave when suddenly Albert Einstein appeared and asked for Bernard Boyd. At first some of the friends thought the man was an impostor, even a hired prankster, but they soon realized it really was Albert Einstein in the flesh.
Dr. Boyd related that Albert Einstein was colorful, lively and very friendly, answered lots of questions and participated in a "bull session" so typical of anyone's college days.
A few years later Einstein passed away and gave humanity and science one last great lesson. Einstein had always been widely regarded as one of the greatest minds on the planet if not the greatest of all time. Scientists had a special curiosity to study his brain after his death, so he granted their wish - under one condition. He handed the scientists a sealed envelope with specific instructions that the contents be read only after the scientists finished their research, which took place at Cornell University.
After weeks of intensive study of his brain and much debate among the scientists, they called a press conference to discuss their findings. They had indeed uncovered a major difference between Einstein's brain and everyone else's, but it was not the difference anyone had expected. Einstein's brain was about 3/4 the size of a normal human adult's. Other than that, there was absolutely no discernible distinction.
Following that incredible press announcement, the sealed envelope was opened to reveal a single sentence: "I do not consider myself to be especially smarter than any other human, but I do have a particularly vivid imagination."
"Our only limits are in our imagination." --Albert Einstein



Girls, I’ve put this story here, because I’ve always appreciated the Bible verse where the Babylonians were building the Tower of Babel. A tower so tall that they could reach up to heaven. And it says that God looked down on their work and said “Let us go down and confound their language, lest anything they can imagine they can do”. Imagine something girls. And then DO IT!!!!!!!!!

Success is not counted by how high you have climbed but by how many you have brought with you.
Will Rose (1927 - )

"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into." Jonathan Swift
"It takes a whole village to raise a child only when the child's parents lack the concept of individual responsibility for that child's welfare and education."Megan A. Wagnerin a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2004, obliquely slamming Hillary Clinton




"The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake: America remains engaged in the world by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the values that gave our nation birth... an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm."George W. BushInaugural Address, January, 2001


"...we will not permit the triumph of violence in the affairs of men; free people will set the course of history."George W. BushJanuary 28, 2003
"...either [Jesus] was what he said he was or he was the world's greatest liar. It is impossible for me to believe a liar or charlatan could have had the effect on mankind that he has had for 2000 years. We could ask, would even the greatest of liars carry his lie through the crucifixion, when a simple confession would have saved him? ... Did he allow us the choice... to believe in his teaching but reject his statements about his own identity?"Ronald Reagan, (on the divinity of Jesus,in a 1978 letter to a California pastor)
"We believe half-instinctively that evil always defeats itself in the long run. Pacifism is founded largely on this belief. Don't resist evil, and it will somehow destroy itself. But why should it? What evidence is there that it does... unless conquered from the outside by military force?"George OrwellAutumn 1942
"This is not the end of the tale. The stars in their courses proclaim the deliverance of mankind. Not so easily shall the onward progress of the peoples be barred. Not so easily shall the lights of freedom die.... United we stand. Divided we fall. Divided, the Dark Ages return. United, we can save and guide the world." Winston ChurchillJune 16, 1941
"Still, if you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed ; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves." Winston Churchillin The Gathering Storm

"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."- Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato
"A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in an argument." - Robert Frost
"Will someone please explain to me the logic that says we can trust someone with a Boeing 747 in bad weather, but not with a Glock nine-millimeter?"- Senator Zell Miller (D, Georgia)


Who controls the present controls the past. Who controls the past controls the future. - George Orwell
Americans will not permit their freedoms to be taken all at once. Americans are much like the frogs. You can’t cook a frog by putting him in boiling water. The frog’s reflexes are so quick that as soon as his foot hits the boiling water he jumps out. You have to put the frog in cool water and turn up the temperature slowly.
The philosopher John Locke reasons that all men in the state of nature have the God-given right to self-preservation. The sole purpose, Locke points out, that men enter into government is to protect their life, their liberty and their property from the evildoer and to provide impartial judges to settle disputes. - John Adams
Government is instituted to protect property of every sort....This being the end of government, that is not a just government, ...nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has...is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest. - James Madison
Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest. Mark Twain
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can exist only until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury - with the result that democracy always collapses.
Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions. - G.K. Chesterton
Girls, this is very important piece of history that is now written “out” of history. But in years to come you need to be able to teach it to your children. The complete title of Darwin’s famous Bible was The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. Darwin clearly believed that some races (blacks) were inferior to others. Although Darwin opposed slavery, he did feel that one of the strongest evidences for evolution was the existence of the living primitive races which he believed were evolutionary in-between humans and monkeys. The Theory of Evolution was developed by a racial bigot. And by the way, avoid bigots. You will become one. If you stand around a corral or barn long enough, you’ll start to smell like manure.
The Lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math.
.
The Window

A great note for you to read. It will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it.. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved over to the bed of the former patient. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Moral: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.

If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. "Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

People will forget what you said...
People will forget what you did...
But people will never forget how you made them feel...



Every job is a self portrait of those who do it.
Cut your losses and let your profits run. I have had numerically far more failure in my lifetime, than successes. But I have tried to keep the failures small and when I do something right, I’ve tried to stay with it and let it grow.
Send someone some flowers once a month. Pick different people. And just put in a note, that tells them you appreciate something about them.
Do it right the first time. You’ll find that usually if the job is not done right it is because we did not have the time. But it’s interesting that we can usually find the time needed to redo the job if needed to correct our mistakes.
Make no excuses for losing.
Don’t talk to someone with your sunglasses on.
Show extra respect for people whose jobs put dirt under their fingernails.
If you eat at a nice place and the table was clean, and dry, and nice, and you see the busboy, tip him (or her) in a restaurant and tell him how much you appreciate the good job that they did to prepare the place for you to eat. I promise you that you will feel joy at making someone else feel special and appreciated. Go back to the kitchen and tip the cook and the dishwasher too. They will smile very big, and you will to.
Hold your child’s hand as much as possible. There may come a day when they will not want you to. I can remember holding all of your hands a lot. And having you sit on my lap and hug you. But I regret two things with each of you girls. One that I didn’t hold you more and that I didn’t say I love you more.
But now you can hear it. I do love you. So much. I love you more than you will ever love me, and when you have children of your own, then you will understand how deep my love is for you. Each one of you is my favorite daughter. I love you.
I am proud of each of you.
Make your mark on life and do it in a style that you can smile at the end and say “I did it! . . . while others didn’t!” I hope you will raise up my grand children, and their children, to believe that I was a good man with a few flaws.

Poppy