MAKING THE BEST OF YOU
Steve Goodier
They say "make the best of a bad situation." But I believe the bad situation makes the best of you. Even the irritations of life can be useful. President Abraham Lincoln showed us how this is so.
One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him -- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.
Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer's horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, "Don't do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving."
Even life's many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it's easier to go nowhere.
Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?
One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him -- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.
Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer's horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, "Don't do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving."
Even life's many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it's easier to go nowhere.
Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?
Dirt Roads
( This made me smile, but it had a message, so enjoy a little extra from me today... Richard )
What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many dirt roads have been paved.
There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency, that wouldn't be remedied if we just had more dirt roads, because dirt roads give character.
People that live at the end of dirt roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.
That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it if at the end, there's home, a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.
We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a dirt road with other kids from whom they learn how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.
Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by five barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun.
And there were no drive-by shootings.
Our values were better when our roads were worse!
People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous. They didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust and bust your windshield with rocks.
Dirt roads taught patience.
Dirt roads were environmentally friendly. You didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk, you walked to the barn for your milk.
For your mail, you walked to the mailbox.
What if it rained and the dirt road got washed out? That was the best part! Then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.
At the end of dirt roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble, but dirt roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.
At the end of a dirt road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't, some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.
At the end of a dirt road, there was always extra springtime income from when city dudes would get stuck and you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.
Usually you got a dollar, always you got a new friend, at the end of a dirt road! --Paul Harvey
Sharing with you from Bonnie in Montana
What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many dirt roads have been paved.
There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency, that wouldn't be remedied if we just had more dirt roads, because dirt roads give character.
People that live at the end of dirt roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.
That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it if at the end, there's home, a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.
We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a dirt road with other kids from whom they learn how to get along.
There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.
Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by five barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun.
And there were no drive-by shootings.
Our values were better when our roads were worse!
People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous. They didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust and bust your windshield with rocks.
Dirt roads taught patience.
Dirt roads were environmentally friendly. You didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk, you walked to the barn for your milk.
For your mail, you walked to the mailbox.
What if it rained and the dirt road got washed out? That was the best part! Then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.
At the end of dirt roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.
Most paved roads lead to trouble, but dirt roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.
At the end of a dirt road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't, some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.
At the end of a dirt road, there was always extra springtime income from when city dudes would get stuck and you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.
Usually you got a dollar, always you got a new friend, at the end of a dirt road! --Paul Harvey
Sharing with you from Bonnie in Montana
Daily Smile:
TEETH VS PEARLS
A tourist was admiring the necklace worn by a local Indian.
A tourist was admiring the necklace worn by a local Indian.
"What is it made of?" she asked.
"Alligator's teeth," the Indian replied.
"I suppose," she said patronizingly, "that they mean as much to you as pearls do to us."
"Oh no," he objected. "Anybody can open an oyster."
No comments:
Post a Comment