Attitudes and Motives

Attitudes and Motives

Speculating on other people's attitudes and motives is a waste of time and effort.

(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 December)

Dick Henthorn

2 June 2020

I Am Not Powerless

I am not powerless over my attitudes.
I am not powerless over negativity.
I am not powerless over assuming responsibility for my own ... [action or lack thereof].
I have the power to exert a positive influence on myself, my loved ones, and the world in which I live.
(Daily Reflections, 3 January)
5 July 2015

The Unique Gift

This bright new day, complete with twenty-four hours of opportunities, choices, and attitudes comes with a perfectly matched set of 1,440 minutes. This unique gift, this one day, cannot be exchanged, replaced, or refunded. Handle with care. Make the most of it. There is only one per customer!
(Whispers Of Blessing, Day 253)
1 Apil 2015

Stand Up

Not our Amaryllis

The problem with most of us is that we are afraid to stand up for what we believe, to be witnesses for what is true and right. We want to do the right thing, but we are troubled by fears. So we sit back, and the world drifts about us, and society increasingly adopts attitudes and standards of behavior of which most of us do not approve.
(Gordon B. Hinckley, Stand A Little Taller, 28 June)

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Melva has two amaryllis blooming in the north basement window.  She bought these plants several years ago.  One is wine colored and has two blooms and the other is red-orange and has four blooms. They are spectacular.

Dick Henthorn

4 February 2015

I Am In Tune

There are many things in my life I can't control, but I do have choices about my attitudes and behaviors.
(Hope For Today, 31 May)

I love and accept myself just the way I am. I honor and respect my limits. I am in tune to the rhythm of my life.
(Perry Tilleraas, The Color Of Light, 29 May)
31 January 2015

Understanding

Understanding is the key to right principles and attitudes, and right action is the key to good living.
(Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 125 found in Daily Reflections, 16 February)

Melva, Cyndi and I went to the huge multi-family yard sale in the University Park community today.  I hit the CD Jackpot.  At one house I bought 15 CDs for $15.00.  I got some country, some Bluegrass, some jazz and many latin discs.
10 May 2014

Lifestyle

[There are] ... direct ties between lifestyle and sickness.

(Thomas Moore, Dark Nights Of The Soul, p. 282)

I must be completely honest with myself in uncovering the faults which hamper my spiritual growth. One by one, watchfully and painstakingly I will replace them with constructive attitudes.

(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 6 October)

A person's good habits as well as their poor choices - the addictions, bad attitudes, and wrong mindsets - are all passed down.

(Joel Osteen, Become A Better You, p. 59)

30 April 2014

Understanding

Understanding begins when we discover how we became the people we are -- how we formulated the ideas, beliefs, and attitudes that govern how we act.
(The Twelve Steps For Christians, p. 69)
7 March 2014

Power

Redi-Kilowat

I am not powerless over myself, and the way I act and react. This is, in itself, a power that can work miracles in changing the attitudes of others.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 25 July)
20 February 2014

Making Room

If we try to add in something new while still holding on to our old prejudices, attitudes, and illusions, there just isn't room for the new without affecting the old. Something has to give. The new idea, must be accepted in its entirety, not just tacked or sewn onto the old point of view.
(Harry & Emily Griffith, This Love We Share, 13 September)


Mr. Dickie's Flickr Slideshow
Created with flickr slideshow. 4 January 2014

Until You Know Better

Until you know better, assume a person is innocent of bad motives or intents, and approach him accordingly. (Cloud & Townsend, Boundaries Face To Face, p. 100)

If you want to establish and maintain peaceful relationships with other people, surrender all judgments of who they are and who they are not. If you want your relationships with other people to be healthy and fulfilling, surrender your expectations and set clear boundaries. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today!, 15 December)

Speculating on other people's attitudes and motives is a waste of time and effort. To search out the reasons for your own is a voyage of discovery. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 December)

11 March 2013

Present Possibilities

Photo: Melva at the Community College Quilt Show

... life has a bitter side, and you have to be prepared to deal with it. (Thomas Moore, Dark Nights Of The Soul, p. 75)

... how do the people who are often undervalued by society find the hope, direction and encouragement they need to fulfill their God-given destinies? (John C. Maxwell, Leadership, 26 January)

The perfectionist, clinging stubbornly to ideas of what life ought to be, often has difficulty grasping the concepts of acceptance and detachment. (after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 23 December)

I will examine my own attitudes and activities and face the fact that much of what I do or leave undone - contributes to my distress. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 4 February)

Many people procrastinate making life changes because of fears of disapproval from others. (Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., I'd Change My Life If I Had More Time, p. 77)

Look for fears and limiting beliefs as you'd seek weeds in a garden. Observe them, and then yank them out by the roots! (Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., I'd Change My Life If I Had More Time, p. 80-1)

... honor people and their process even when it looks dysfunctional by your standards. ... Rather than allowing indifference to close your heart and mind to situations and people, learn how to be detached. In this way you will be available to offer what you can, when you can. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 16 December)

... focus on present possibilities, and be content with today. ( A Gentle Spirit, 19 December)

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This morning I inadvertently altered the appearance of my Chrome browser's bookmark bar. At first I was upset. After thinking about what happened for a few minutes I came up with a "fix" that will probably prove better. I created a folder that I labeled, Access which will thus be the left-most (first) folder to appear on the Bookmarks bar. In the Access folder I stored the links to the pages I frequently access like:

• Arrow Prayers
• Mr. Dickie's Blog
• HenthornFamily Wiki
• Facebook
• Gmail
• Wonderpage
• Delicious
• Google Reader

Mr. Dickie

17 February 2013

Crisis

Crises can be averted by making some changes. Change is seldom easy, especially when we deal with deep-rooted habits, long-standing associations, and entrenched attitudes. Drastic situations demand decisive action. Whatever causes you to stumble, tear it out or cut it off! (Les Dahl in The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 27 September) 12 February 2013

Economic Reality

... some of our casual attitudes toward the economic reality in which we live may need revision as we responsibly consider the ripple effects of our actions that we have not imagined. (The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 5 September) 1 February 2013

Guilt Trip?

As I look back over this year, I will consider calmly my actions and attitudes, just as though I were evaluating the progress of someone else. I will not make it an occasion for guilt and regret. I will blame no one else for anything that happened ... [or didn't happen]. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 1 December) 16 December 2012

Jump Up & Down

[Get up, get on your feet, jump up and down.] While you are jumping shake off bad habits, bad feelings, bad attitudes, and don't forget [to include] people who may have a bad influence. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 11 November) 19 November 2012

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On Sunday night, 18 November 2012 I watched the first two-hour episode of the Ken Burns PBS program - The Dust Bowl.  The rest of the program will be shown in another two-hour segment on Monday night.  I thought the program was excellent, shocking and very moving. I always enjoy anything that Peter Coyote narrates.  During the years of the Dust Bowl my parents were in their thirties and living in central and eastern Nebraska.  My maternal grandfather, John Carlson, was the owner of a hardware store in the little town of Mead in Saunders county.  During the Great Depression he suffered business losses from which he never recovered and which impacted all of us.

Mr. Dickie

19 November 2012

The Prophets

... The prophets taught that adherence to God's will would bring divine favor whereas disobedience would lead to hardship -- and surely obedience would be better for everyone involved, especially the poor, needy, and weak.  The prophets, in short, were concerned about issues of real life - poverty, homelessness, injustice, oppression, the uneven distribution of wealth, the apathetic attitudes of those who have it good toward those who are poor, helpless, and outcast. ... (Bart D. Ehrman, God's Problem, p. 54)

[Mr. Dickie's comment: The issues of real life haven't changed in thousands of years.]
23 July 2012
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Attitudes

Learn to face things as they come, and when they come, with calm deliberation.  We may not be able to control events, but we can control our attitudes toward them.  (I failed to record where I found this.  REH) 31 October 2011