Some words of wisdom... (29 quotes for 29 years of living)
Here are some encouragements for the coming year of your life and mine too...
In honor of the anniversary of God granting me life, a family friend and personal spiritual mentor of my Father (and his lovely wife), sent me some thoughts/ words of wisdom (otherwise known as paraprosdokians) that I’d like to share with you. Thanks to Wayne and Pat Becker for the permission!
Hi, Nathanael!
Most calendars just tell us that "today is August 14th" – but our calendar tells us that "TODAY IS NATHANAEL MOSHER'S BIRTHDAY!"
Here are some thoughts for you to ponder as you reflect on your birthday today:
Birthdays are good for you! Statistics show that those who have the most live the longest!
People may doubt what you say but they almost always believe what you do.
Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.
Urgent things are seldom important and important things are seldom urgent.
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of anyone else. – Charles Dickens
Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy.
What a great difference there is between giving advice and lending a hand!
People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing. – Will Rogers
If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just try putting off doing it.
The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.
One reason a dog has so many friends: He wags his tail instead of his tongue.
Two things are bad for the heart: running up stairs and running down people. – Bernard Baruch
If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet their water bill is higher.
In honor of the words of wisdom shared so kindly by Wayne and Pat, I decided to try and distill my 29 years into 29 of my most important guiding principles/ axioms of living (otherwise known as “Paraprosdokians”. Here they are:
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. - Jesus
I write today so that tomorrow I remember yesterday. - Anonymous
Life is about learning to love despite the limitations of being painfully human.
Repentance is at the bottom of resentment and acceptance is at the bottom of repentance.
Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful. - John Wooden
Who said this?
It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds. - Viktor Emil Frankl,
It is on the healthy in you that you must live, it is the healthy that becomes great. - JP Jacobsen
The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either -- but right through every human heart -- and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
True friends must not only be available, but reliable. Make sure you don’t settle for one without the other.
If you don’t want your life then give it to someone who does. - Bryce Crawford
It’s important to get triggered because you need to find out where you’ve been hiding the bullets.
Self-discipline does not come from the Self, for there is no discipline without discipleship.
It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. - CS Lewis
A testimony is only as compelling as the harshness of the sentence one was sentenced.
You must tell the truth of what you think and that does not mean that what you think is true. - Jordan Petersen
The difference between a toy and a weapon is the way you use it.
I used to pray that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now I pray that he will guide me to do whatever I’m supposed to do, what I can do. I used to pray for answers, btu now I’m praying for strength. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things. - Mother Teresa
Teach those who are willing to listen and listen to those who are willing to teach.
Work to deserve rest and rest such that the work may bear fruit.
Don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens. The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away. - John Steinbeck
Some people give up on their dreams, some people keep going but give up on themselves. Promise me you’ll never do either. - Richard Rosales
In the end, I went to hell and back so I could pass out maps. Better yet, guided tours.
God is good the great I am/ Got through the dog fits without a CAT scan/ It can rain cats and dogs without a pot and pan/ But I’ll be back by popular demand/ Shut up and DANCE” - Justin Simmons
If he’s demanding your money or your property, it is not worth it. You must go only to that place where they are demanding your life. - Sadhguru
“Pray for me, that I will grow in my faith and that I won’t step on too many toes as I learn to dance with the Bridegroom.” - Mosab Hassan Yousef
Growth happens anyway. Your only choice is to grow willingly or unwillingly. If you are willing, it’s love. If you’re not, it’s rape. - Sadhguru
A wolf in sheep’s clothing seeks to devour the sheep by appearing as one of them. A sheep in wolf’s clothing seeks to survive the wolves who have devoured their flock by appearing as one of them. And yet, as a wolf in sheep’s clothing shall be slaughtered by the shepherd as sacrifice to the Father, so shall a sheep in wolf’s clothing be devoured into darkness. k
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. - Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians
FINALLY:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. - The Proverbs
This year I learned that fear of God leads to wisdom and knowledge of God leads to understanding… and yet… “the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The peace of God passes all understanding and keeps my heart and mind through Christ Jesus. This year I learned what the peace of God looks like, feels like, and sounds like.
I’ve been attempting to put my fear in the right place and impart the peace I’ve been given freely despite my undeserving flesh and thought I will always fall short of the glory of God, even small glimpses of eternity are worth all the suffering the world has to offer.
There’s beauty in the attempt, watch it here:
