Learning

College doesn’t make fools; it develops them. It doesn’t make bright men; it develops them. A fool will turn out a fool, whether he goes to college or not, though he’ll probably turn out a different sort of a fool. And a good, strong boy will turn out a bright, strong man.

Some men learn the value of truth by having to do business with liars; and some by going to Sunday School. Some men learn the cussedness of whiskey by having a drunken father; and some by having a good mother. Some men get an education from other men and newspapers and public libraries; and some get it from professors and parchments.

There are times when it’s safest to be lonesome. Use a little common-sense, caution and conscience. You can stock a store with those three commodities, when you get enough of them. But you’ve got to begin getting them young. They ain’t catching after you toughen up a bit.

Finding the Good

My Dearest Children,

found this in a book by Marcus Aurelius:

"Say this to yourself in the morning: Today I shall have to do with meddlers, with the ungrateful, with the insolent, with the crafty, with the envious and the selfish. All these vices have beset them, because they know not what is good and what is evil. But I have considered the nature of the good, and found it beautiful: I have beheld the nature of the bad, and found it ugly. I also understand the nature of the evil-doer, and know that he is my brother, not because he shares with me the same blood or the same seed, but because he is a partaker of the same mind and of the same portion of immortality. I therefore cannot be hurt by any of these, since none of them can involve me in any negative thoughts or actions.

I cannot be angry with my brother, or sever myself from him, for we are made by nature for mutual assistance, like the feet, the hands, the eyelids, the upper and lower rows of teeth. It is against nature for men to oppose each other; and what else is anger and aversion?

Waste not what remains of life in consideration about others, when it makes not for the common good. "

As you go about your day, please try to avoid thinking ill of or judging others. Its a total waste of time. Try to find some goodness in everyone you meet.

Daily Gratitude

Dear Children,

   I'm so grateful for the amazing Love you have opened up in my Life. I hope you will take a few moments each day to give thanks for all the Blessings  we have. For laughter... and healthy(ish) bodies... and the food we are blessed with... for our humble little home. 

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Ephesians 5: 18-20

Common Sense

Dear Son,  I often wonder if you are a bit intimidated by the prospect of going to college. Please try to remember those classic words of wisdom we've read from your Bible - "Be anxious for nothing".  Always strive to trust your instincts and use the common sense you are blessed with. Your life will be filled with opportunities to choose. I pray you will choose wisely what makes the best sense for you.

Here's some advice a very successful man shared with his son over a hundred years ago:

I’m anxious that you should be a good scholar, but I’m more anxious that you should be a good clean man. And if you graduate with a sound conscience, I shan’t care so much if there are a few holes in your Latin. There are two parts of a college education—the part that you get in the schoolroom from the professors, and the part that you get outside of it from the boys. That’s the really important part. For the first can only make you a scholar, while the second can make you a man.

John Graham circa 1900

The Light

walk as children of light:

 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

from Ephesians 5

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you

John 14

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