Are They Lying?

Are They Lying?

You may remember the old joke: "How do you know if a politician is lying? If he's moving his lips." It's not that funny anymore is it? Obviously, there is no certain way to know at the moment something is said. But remember this: past performance serves to reveal future behavior. A person who has exhibited a pattern of lying is a liar. I know it sounds rough, but can you think of another way to put it? This is why character in our leadership is so important.

(Andy Andrews, How Do You Kill 11 Million People? page 64)

Dick Henthorn

14 Jan 2018

Character

The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.
(John Holt, Especially For You, 31 January)
19 January 2016

Human Spirit

There is no more searching test of the human spirit than the way it behaves when fortune is adverse and it has to pass through a prolonged period of disappointing failures. Then comes the real proof of the man. Achievement, if a man has the ability, is a joy; but to take hard knocks and come up smiling, to have your mainsail blown away and then rig a sheet on the bowsprit and sail on -- this is perhaps the deepest test of character.
(Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts, found Flowers Along The Path by Esther Carls Dodgen, p. 211)
17 December 2015

Good Habits

Good habits are not made on birthdays, nor Christian character at the New Year.
The workshop of character is every-day life.
The uneventful and commonplace hour is where the battle is lost or won.
(Maltbie D. Babcock, Thoughts for Every-Day Living found in Flower Along The Path by Esther Carls Dodgen, p. 210)
15 December 2015

Perseverance

Abuse is an act where power is used to steal from another what can only be given freely.
(David Mura in The Color Of Light by Perry Tilleraas 27 November)

Life is an exercise in perseverance. If you persevere, you win.
(Charles Swindoll in 100 Days of Prayer For Women, p. 31)

Let it [perseverance], grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
(The One Year Book Of Bible Readings, 20 September)
23 June 2015

Growing Old

Growing old is one of the ways the soul nudges itself into attention to the spiritual aspect of life. The body's changes teach us about fate, time, nature, mortality, and character. Aging forces us to decide what is important in life.
(Thomas Moore, Care Of The Soul, p. 216)
30 May 2015

Character Defects

Shopping for Molas in Panama

Photo by: Melva

Defects of Character have deep roots in habit.

(After One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 20 June)

4 May 2015

Character

As someone once said, "If I got rid of my defects of character, I might find that I have no character at all."
(Harry and Emily Griffith, This Love We Share, 11 December)
16 February 2015

Time Is Passing

... time is passing and you don't have all the time in the world to accomplish what you desire.
(Thomas Moore, Dark Nights Of The Soul, p. 297)

One's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
(Luke 12:15 in Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 44, by The Christophers, 24 October)

Don't stop the flow of abundant energy by hoarding or owning what you receive. Keep it moving. Use your prosperity in the service of others, and for causes greater than your ego.
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Power Of Intention, p.185)

I urge you to simply accept the fact that you'll never get it all done and begin to live more fully in the only moment that you have - now!
(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, The Power Of Intention, p. 194)

Although I cannot expect to achieve perfection, I can observe my progress and enjoy the deep satisfactions it can bring me.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 24 June)

Your home is your castle. Keep it clean and healthful as you can.
(The Christophers, Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 44, 20 October)

Solving a problem starts with changing your viewpoint.
(The Christophers, Three Minutes A Day, Vol. 41, 19 October)

My goal will be to make myself entirely ready to let go of the negative habits of thought that have been reflected in the happenings of my life.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 20 June)

The defects of character I want to be rid of, are sure to have deep roots in habit. My daily conscious cooperation will be needed as I ... try to deal with them patiently, one by one.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 20 June)

The dark night of illness sets severe limits on what you can do. It forces you to slow down and focus on things that matter.  It keeps you in one place and on your back...
(Thomas Moore, Dark Nights Of The Soul, p. 282)

This day belongs to me. I can do wonderful things with it, creative things, including the creation of order in my surroundings and in my mind. Nobody else owns my particular segment of time, so it depends on me how well I will fill every moment to my satisfaction.
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 30 July)

The choices we make nearly always reflect our true character.
(John C. Maxwell, Leadership, 4 August)

Character isn't created in a crisis, it only comes to light. Everything you have done in the past -- and the things you have neglected to do -- come to a head when you're under pressure.
(John C. Maxwell, Leadership, 31 July)

[Often people] ... have personal patterns they are unable to change, ways of thinking, behaving, and living that defeat their best efforts.
(Cloud and Townsend, God Will Make A Way, p. 11)

Confront because you want to help solve a problem...
(Cloud and Townsend, Boundaries Face To Face, p. 228)

Positive confrontation is a sure sign that you care for a person and have their best interests at heart. Each time you build up ... [a person] and identify their problems, you give them an opportunity to grow.
(John C. Maxwell, Leadership, 28 July)

All confrontations require love so that the person you confront can metabolize the truth without feeling hated, bad, or defensive.
(Cloud and Townsend, Boundaries Face To Face, p. 226)

Finally, you may need to accept that the person ... [you are confronting] won't change. You may be dealing with a person who is ... [unable to listen or change] and confrontation may not help. At some point you may need to evaluate if you need to leave the relationship or setting because of the problem... or you may conclude that although you don't like what is going on, the advantages and good things make it worthwhile to stay. (Cloud and Townsend, Boundaries Face To Face, p. 263)

The true test of human contentedness is not wealth, but the answer to the questions, "Why am I here?" and, "What happens when I die?"
(I failed to record the source.)

Compiled by Richard E. Henthorn
20 November 2013

Character

(Photo by Mr. Dickie)

Character does not evolve by chance; it is forged by practical decisions made in mundane circumstances of everyday experiences. (Les Dahl in The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 22 September) 3 May 2013

Log-Jammed

Never is there a single instance when a lie can be justified. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 29 November)

Only misconceptions need to be supported by elaborate arguments. Truth can always stand alone. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 15 December)

Life is not a search for happiness. Happiness is a by-product of living the right kind of life, of doing the right thing. Do not search for happiness, search for right living and happiness will be your reward. (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 16 December)

Position and power never shape true character; they only reveal what is already woven in the fabric of ones being. (Les Dahl, The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 22 September)

Oliver Ellsworth [Constitutional Convention delegate], warned, "We grow more and more skeptical as we proceed. If we do not decide soon, we shall be unable to come to any decision." (David Jeremiah, Journey, 8 February)

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God, and the Bible." George Washington.
(David Jeremiah, Journey, 8 February)

[Often] ... world rulers and others in authority try to hide their true identity - their true motives and the nature of their intent. (David Jeremiah, Journey, 5 March)

A society ... needs catharsis. It can become log-jammed with ideas that have lost their liveliness. Ideas turn into prejudices, slogans, party lines, and mere opinions. People become conservative in a negative sense: self-protective, deadened and unthinking. (Thomas Moore, Dark Nights Of The Soul, p. 63)
5 March 2013

Life Story

A successful life is the result of making the assumption that you will be successful.

A focused, consistent, positively motivated and disciplined character is essential to making your life story have a happy ending. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 10 September and 8 September) 20 November 2012

Duties Done

Character is developed by the daily discipline of duties done. 

(Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 21 May) 

1 June 2012

Decision Making

Each of us has the right and the obligation to make our own decisions. It is character-destroying to usurp that right. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 11 October)

Character Defects

... we have character defects as a society and ... these defects threaten us continually. (As Bill Sees It, p. 149) 6/Jun/2010 8:42

Character Defects

Character defects ... have a way of taking hold unless uprooted early. (As We Understood, p. 65)
12/Apr/2010 10:06