Friday, December 31, 2010

When all is said and done

But when all is said and done, our earthly life is exposed to perpetual misery and contention! The utmost degree of peace we must expect to arrive at, does not consist in being free from injuries from others—but in bearing them with humility, and not being provoked to impatience and bitter resentments.

- A Treatise on Temper—its Use and Abuse

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

FRIENDSHIP QUOTES

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“Be slow to fall into friendship, but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.”
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“True friends are like diamonds, precious and rare; false friends are like pebbles, found everywhere.”
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“True friendship isn’t about being there when it’s convenient; it’s about being there when it’s not.”
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“One who looks for a friend without faults will have none.”
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“The best rule of friendship is to keep your heart a little softer than your head.”
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“He’s my friend that speaks well of me behind my back.” - Thomas Fuller
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“A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines.” - Benjamin Franklin
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“Don’t flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes
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Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. - Charles W. Eliot
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“Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms” - George Eliot

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Drop a pebble in the water

Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.

Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget,
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
 
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow.

Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
 
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there’s gladness still a-swelling, and there’s joy a circling yet,
And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.

by James W. Foley

Monday, December 6, 2010

Crocheted lampshade cover

I crocheted this lampshade cover for a friend and gathered the top with a teal green ribbon to match her décor. Another friend made the pretty little doily under the lamp. You can see several of Leah Sue’s doilies on her blog page: Miss Leah’s Makings. I thought the light shinning through the crocheted cover made a pretty pattern on the wall at night.


Thursday, December 2, 2010

Patience disposes a man to go on in the way of duty

“Patience is not an insensibleness of present evils, or an indifference for future good. Patience secures the possession of our souls in every circumstance that tends to discompose our minds. This is to possess our souls in any trial of patience; to continue in an even frame, and ward off all impressions which would ruffle our minds, or put us out of the temper befitting us as men and as Christians. Patience will prevent hasty and rash conclusions either from present troubles, or from the suspension of desired good. Patience will fortify against any unlawful methods for accomplishing our deliverance or desires. It is the work of patience to restrain from any sinful expedient which may seem to promise relief. The patient man resolves rather to bear any trouble, than go out of God's way to ease himself. Patience disposes a man to go on in the way of duty, whatever discouragements may arise from the pressure of his troubles, or the deferring of his hopes. Let us be solicitous to have this necessary principle daily strengthened, to exercise it upon every proper occasion, and that it may have its perfect work. The full work of patience is the highest perfection of a Christian on earth. And let there be a general exercise of this grace upon every occasion, in all the proper instances of it, however it may be tried; in great as well as in less trials, and in small exercises as well as in great; for sometimes impatience breaks out in men upon trivial occasions, after they have been signal for patience in great and shocking calamities, and in unusual trials, as well as in those to which we have been accustomed.'

“So, in common life, if a man boast of his patience, who never had it tried, he is as raw an ignoramus as he who boasts of his prowess in war, who yet never saw a field of battle. Experience is the best, and, indeed, the only school for patience. For this sentiment we have the highest authority: Paul writes expressly, 'Tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience.'“


from - A Treatise on Temper—its Use and Abuse