Rest Assured
A Japanese composer was hailed for a time as a “modern Beethoven.” He was credited with creating hits such as “Symphony No. 1, Hiroshima.” Despite being deaf, the man once said, “If you trust your inner sense of sound, you create something that is truer. It is like communicating from the heart.” After his hearing-impaired status came into question, however, he confessed that another musician wrote his most famous music.
better than myself
Charles complained to his friend about some lower back pain. He was seeking a sympathetic ear, but his friend gave him an honest assessment. “Your back isn’t your problem,” he pointed out. “It’s your stomach. Your stomach is so big it’s pulling on your back.”
all our lives
In the early 1500s, Martin Luther said faith in Jesus justifies us. But he also stated that faith should permeate all areas of our lives, including business dealings. Two and a half centuries later, a young man named John Woolman took this to heart as he opened a tailor shop. Due to his commitment to Christian love, he chose not to purchase any cotton or dye supplies that had been produced by slaves. Then he would be able to say, with a clear conscience, that he had lived according to holiness and sincerity in all his dealings (2 Corinthians 1:12).
seller beware
Every buyer is also a seller. If I buy apples from you, then you’re selling your apples and “buying” my money, while I am “selling” my money to buy your apples. For every time you make a purchase, you must give up something to make the transaction. If you have nothing to sell, there’s nothing you can buy.
dishing dirt
Recently, I read about one woman’s struggle to stop gossiping. As the mother of a preschooler, Sandy confessed to dishing the dirt about other parents, and even spreading information about her son’s playmates. She knew it was wrong, so she tried to go “cold turkey.” When that didn’t work, she attempted to put a positive spin on other people’s business. Ultimately, she admitted that gossip’s grip would probably win out over time; she just couldn’t resist sharing one more juicy tidbit about a dad on the playground . . .
second glance
Alex Eklund likes beautiful women. He believes, however, that true beauty comes from the heart and character of a woman. In fact, he says he would “rather have a Proverbs 31 wife than a Victoria’s Secret model.” He posted this comment after noticing the fallout from the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. Watching this event prompted some of his female friends to air feelings like these on Facebook: “I’m going to have to hit the gym after this” and “I’m going to starve myself for a week.”
spin
As anyone who has ever been a parent can attest, children can be masters of the literal—especially when it comes to rules. One day, after admonishing my son to keep his hands off his sister, I looked back only to find him placing his elbows, his feet, his knees—anything but his hands—in her personal space. From his interpretation of what I had said, he was well within the boundaries I had set.
“but wait, there’s more!”
Ever watched an infomercial—a 30-minute commercial disguised as a TV program? I have! In fact, I know all about the Veg-O-Matic and the Pocket Fisherman. And who could forget the Ginsu Steak Knives? I’ve yet to be coaxed into calling and placing an order for items like these, but on occasion I’ve found watching infomercials to be the right “entertainment”…
stop fooling yourself
According to a newspaper report, the police ticketed a New Zealander man 32 times over a 5-year period. Why? For not wearing a seatbelt.
Though his violations were costing him money, he refused to buckle up. So he resorted to deception—fashioning a strap that would hang over his shoulder and make it appear he was wearing a seatbelt. He got away…
real deal
Named for its two creators, the Johari Window (named after Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham) presents the four “window panes” of our concept of self: (1) what we and others see; (2) what we see but others do not; (3) what others see but remains unseen to us; (4) what neither we nor others can see.
Although developed from a…
His standards, not ours
When I was a kid, one of my favorite board games was called “Aggravation.” I would even set up multiple players (all played by me of course) if others weren’t available to join me in a game. Playing it at my aunt and uncle’s house was a special treat. When I returned home, however, my parents would have to set…
forget the devil?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said: “I am certain that one of the main causes of the ill state of the church today is the fact that the devil is being forgotten. We have become so psychological in our attitude and thinking. We are ignorant of this great objective fact—the being, the existence of the devil, the adversary, the accuser.”
While we…
