I was asked to see a young man who had tried to commit suicide and failed. He lamented the fact that he couldn’t even succeed at killing himself. A young lady jumped off the roof of her house in an attempt to “end it all.” She succeeded in paralyzing her body from the waist down…
Ruth Graham, the wife of evangelist Dr. Billy Graham, is quoted as having requested that her tombstone have the words, “Thank you for your patience. Construction is finished.” Someone has said, “Patience tis a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom found in a woman, never in a man.” So, what is this elusive virtue…
A young boy loved baseball. His final game of the season wasn’t going too well. He was the “catcher.” With two down, the tying run on third and the go-ahead runner on second, the tension mounted. The batter hit a line drive down the third base line. The third baseman scooped up the ball and…
There was one instrument on my brother’s plane that he called the “attitude instrument.” This device determined whether the plane was climbing or descending. It indicated whether you were gaining altitude, maintaining your altitude or headed for the ground. Attitude isn’t everything but it certainly is important. John Maxwell describes it as “the paintbrush of the…
As we neared the airport, I could see our plane on the approach to the runway. I watched in unbelief as it proceeded to take off. I went into the terminal and discovered that the plane was full and my seat had been given to a standby passenger. I had arrived at the counter 15…
Brain neurologists tell us that if “NO” is repeated emphatically 5-7 times, the signal sent from the anterior cingulate to the frontal lobes of the brain, greatly diminishes creativity and logic. HORRORS! Just think of all the creativity that I have inhibited. Now before we get too far down the guilt path, let’s stop and…
Thank you for making me a small part of your life. Your words of encouragement have been seeds of inspiration. Words of disagreement, opportunities for reflection and refinement. Working with a broad cross-section of nationalities, cultures and people groups in a variety of countries has given me a deep appreciation of the value that each person’s contribution makes to the mosaic of life. That brings…
Somebody said it couldn’t be done, But he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one Who wouldn’t say so ‘til he’d tried. So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing and he tackled…
Have you ever been to the midway and gone through the house of mirrors? I haven’t gone into a house of mirrors, but I do remember an experience that I had as an 18-year-old. I was working for my father in a hardware store and was in Calgary attending a product promotional meeting. The meeting…
There was a time when I would say “The only thing I didn’t like about school was the time between recess and lunch, lunch and recess, and recess and dismissal. I endured the classroom for the thrill of the games that filled recess and lunch breaks. As long as I could produce “B’s” on my…