Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 18 – No. 0816 Febuary 20, 2016
Thought for the week: "Only to the degree that we are made whole will our lifestyle, our actions, our behaviors, our attitudes, and our relationships be wholesome." – Dick Innes
Recently my wife and I sat charmed at an outdoor performance by young Suzuki violin students. After the concert, an instructor spoke briefly on how children as young as two, three and four years old are taught to play violin. The first thing the children learn, he said, is a proper stance. And the second thing the children learn—even before they pick up the violin—is how to take a bow. "If the children just play the violin and stop, people may forget to show their appreciation," the instructor said. "But when the children bow, the audience invariably applauds. And applause is the best motivator we've found to make children feel good about performing and want to do it well."
Adults love applause too. Being affirmed makes us feel wonderful. If you want to rekindle or keep the flame of love glowing in your marriage through the years, try showing and expressing your appreciation for your mate. Put some applause in your marriage and watch love grow.
– Dr. Ernest Mellor, in Homemade, November, 1984.
Cited in The Pastor's Story File, November 2004.
Many years ago a little boy was given a priceless possession: his deceased grandfather's gold pocket watch. How he treasured it. But one day, while playing at his father's ice plant, he lost the watch amidst all the ice and sawdust.
He searched and scratched, becoming frantic, but no watch. Then he suddenly realized what to do. He stopped scurrying around and became very still. In the silence he heard the watch ticking.
Let's face it, it's not easy to become a person of character. It takes a good heart, but it also requires wisdom to know right from wrong and the discipline to do right even when it's costly, inconvenient or difficult.
Becoming a person of character is a lifelong quest to be better.
A person of character values honesty and integrity and pays whatever price is needed to be worthy of trust, earning the pride of family and friends and self-respect.
A person of character plays fair even when others don't and values no achievement unless it was attained with honor.
A person of character has strong convictions, yet avoids self-righteousness.
A person of character believes in the inherent dignity of all people and treats everyone with respect, even those whose ideas and ideologies evoke strong disagreement.
A person of character deals with criticism constructively and is self-confident enough to take good advice, admit and learn from mistakes, feel and express genuine remorse and apologize graciously.
A person of character knows what's important, sacrifices the now for later, is in control of attitudes and actions, overcomes negative impulses and makes the best of every situation.
A person of character willingly faces fears and tackles unpleasant tasks.
A person of character is consistently and self-consciously kind and empathetic, giving generously without concern for reward.
A person of character feels and expresses gratitude freely and frequently.
A person of character is not defeated by failure or dissuaded by disappointment.
A person of character seeks true happiness in living a life of purpose and meaning, placing a higher value on significance than success.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it"1
I read about one atheist who objected strongly to teaching religion in public schools. His argument was that children should be allowed to reach maturity then decide for themselves what they choose to believe.
Coleridge the poet, who heard the atheist invited him to join him in his garden which happened to be overgrown with weeds.
"What do you see?" asked Coleridge.
"It's nothing but a patch of weeds," replied the atheist.
"Yes," said Coleridge, "I decided to let the garden decide for itself what it should grow."
To leave a child without guidance would be a disaster and if we don't want to influence his thinking, why send him to school?
To train him in the way he should go involves training in every area of life—physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually—so that he becomes well balanced in every area of life and a mature, healthy interdependent adult.
This takes a lot of wisdom, guidance, and instruction. It doesn't take care of itself. And what is the greatest teaching method? Modeling by example what we want our children to learn.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to model for my family the kind of person You want me to be so that they, seeing what You have done in my life, will want the same for themselves. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."
1. Proverbs 22:6 (NIV).
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Oprah Winfrey: "Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi." – Oprah Winfrey
Books:
Books by Dick Innes, Editor of Weekend Encounter You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing How to Mend a Broken Heart I Hate Witnessing—A Handbook for Effective Christian
Communications
Healing, Wholeness & Happiness by Dick Innes
Loving & Understanding People by Dick Innes
I Hate Witnessing by Dick Innes
God's Formula for Success by Dick Innes
Damaged Emotions by David Seamands
Healing of the Memories by David Seamands
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"Because the world is hungry,
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Because the world is filled with strife,
go with peace.
Because the world is filled with deceptions and lies,
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Because the world would die without,
go with the love of God."