Music of the common man is everyone’s music; it comes from the heart and inspires audiences both young and old.

Lloyd D. Newell
http://www.musicandthespokenword.com/messages/display.php?
Message #474

A land that was free and brave in the past is only as strong as the free and the brave who call it home today.

Lloyd D. Newell
http://www.musicandthespokenword.com/messages/display.php?
Message 473

You and I may not be the king or queen of a royal court, but we are special in our own right. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the children in the world felt they were unique and special just because they were alive?

Denis Waitley
Seeds of Greatness
pp. 44

Habits are powerful factors in our lives. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character and produce our effectiveness . . . or ineffectiveness.

Stephen R. Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
pp. 46

He who knows much about others may be learned, but he who understands himself is more intelligent. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.

Lao-Tsu

For all practical purposes, you have inherited from the vast reservour of the past all the potential abilities and powers you need to achieve your objectives.

Nopoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 32

Sunday school today was very inspirational! One thing we learned was that, "People are more important than things!" Our teacher also read the following story:

The Three Marbles,

by W. E. Petersen

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During the waning years of the depression in a small southwestern Idaho community, I used to stop by Brother Miller's roadside stand for farm-fresh produce, as the season made it available. Food and money were still extremely scarce, and barter was used extensively.
On one particular day, as Brother Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me, I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly-picked green peas. Upon paying for my potatoes, I moved to leave, but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Brother Miller and the ragged boy next to me.

"Hello, Barry, how are you today?"
"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas - sure look good."
"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
"Fine. Gettin' stronger all the time."
"Good. Anything I can help you with?"
"No sir, jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?"
"No sir, get nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
"Well, what do you have to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize aggie - best taw around here."
"Is that right? Let me see it."
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is, this one is blue. I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?"
"Not zackley - but almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you, and next trip this way, let me look at that red taw."
"Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a sly smile, she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community - all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all, and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble, or orange, perhaps."
I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time after I moved to Utah, but never forgot the story of this man and the boys - and their bartering.
Several years went by, each more rapidly than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and, while there, learned that Brother Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening, and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.
Upon our arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased, and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in the line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore short haircuts, dark suits, and white shirts, obviously potential or returned Mormon missionaries. They approached Sister Miller, standing smiling and composed by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty, light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly, placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket, and left the mortuary awkwardly wiping his eyes.
As our turn came to meet Sister Miller, I told her who I was, and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.
"This is an amazing coincidence," she said. "Those three boys that just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how the appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about the color or size, they came to pay their debt. We've never had a great deal of wealth of this world," she continued, "but right now Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."
With loving gentleness, she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three magnificent, shiny red marbles.

- W. E. Petersen, October 1975, "Ensign".

---

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. . . a desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control.

Robert F. Bennett
Gaining Control
pp. 4

The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family. I was brought up to believe in it--and I do. Because I think a civilized world can't remain civilized for long if it's foundation is built on anything but the family.

Lee Iococca
Talking Straight
pp. 17

Some time ago a chief justice of a state supreme court made an interesting speech entitled, "What I Would Do If I Were Twenty-one Again." Among other things he said, "I would take as good care of myself as I do my automobile," and as part of himself he included his health, his appearance, his spirit, his mental attitude, and his eternal soul.

Sterling W. Sill
The Best of Sterling W. Sill
pp. 36

Someone has said that it doesn't matter very much what is behind us, or what is before us, the thing that is important is what is inside of us and what we do about it.

Sterling W. Sill
The Best of Sterling W. Sill
pp. 26-27

Anyone, even a child, can be taught to develop a positive mental attitude. The method is to repeat posotive affirmations such as: Day by day, in every way, through the grace of God, I am getting better and better.

Napoleon Hill and W. Clemont Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 54

Most individuals realize that common people have become uncommonly productive by using their creative imaginations. They have observed the biographies of individuals who have overcome enormous handicaps and roadblocks to become great. But they can't imagine it happening to themselves. They resign themselves to mediocrity and even failure, wishing and envying away their lives.

Denis Waitley
Seeds of Greatness
pp. 37

In all of life, there are sequential stages of growth and development. A child learns to turn over, to sit up, to crawl, and then to walk and run. Each step is important and each one takes time. No step can be skipped.

This is true in all phases of life, in all areas of development, whether it be learning to play the piano or communicate effectively with a working associate. It is true with individuals,with marriages, with families, and with organizations.

We know and accept this fact or principal of process in the area of physical things, but to understand it in emotional areas, in human relations, and even in the area of personal character is less common ane more difficult.

Stephen R. Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
pp. 36

For all practical purposes, you have inherited from the vast reservour of the past all the potential abilities and powers you need to achieve your objectives.

Nopoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 32

For all practical purposes, you have inherited from the vast reservour of the past all the potential abilities and powers you need to achieve your objectives.

Nopoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 32

Not to believe in God is a tragedy, but not to believe in oneself is a disaster. The human being who can have faith, who can believe in God and himself and in his work, is fortunate indeed. One of the most powerful truths known in the world centers in the literal declaration of Jesus that "all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23)

Sterling W. Sill
The Best of Sterling W. Sill
pp. 8

A friend of mine had just described his vacation experiences. "It sounds as if you had a great time in Texas," I observed. "But didn't you tell me you were planning to visit Colorado?"

"Well," he said, "we changed our plans because, uh. . .

His wife cut in, "Oh, tell him the truth, Fred!" and she continued, "You know, it's just ridiculous. Fred simply will not ask directions."

--contributed by Dean Morgan
Laughter, the Best Medicine
PP. 54

When the Lord starts out to make an oak tree, he takes a hundred years to do it in, but he can make a pumkin in ninety days. More or less, education as well as life itself is like that. And as individuals, we ourselves must choose whether we desire to become an oak tree or a pumpkin.

Sterling W. Sill
The Best of Sterling W. Sill
pp. 1

Love is natural and unconditional. Love asks no questions--neither preaching nor demanding; neither comparing nor measuring. Love is--pure and simple--the greatest value. . .

If there is no deep, internalized feeeling of value inside of us, then we have nothing to give to or share with others. We can need them, we can be dependent upon them, we can look for security in them, we can indulge them, flatter them and attempt to purchase them. But we cannot share or give an emotion to anyone else, unless we first possess that emotion inside of us.

Denis Waitley
Seeds of Greatness
pp. 32

It simply makes no difference how good the rheteric is or even how good the intentions are; if there is little or no trust, there is no foundation for permanent success. Only basic goodness gives life to technique.

Stephen R. Cuvey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
pp. 21

>Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.

>Greatness comes to those who develop a burning desire to achieve high goals.

>Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep on trying with PMA. (Positive Mental Attitude)

>To become an expert achiever in any human activity, it takes practice . . .practice . . . practice.

>Man's greatest power lies in the power of prayer.

Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 17

We talked with Andrew, a son, and his children earlier today. His birthday, and Anne's, was yesterday. Anne is my sweetheart (wife) and I am grateful for Andrew's wife's Blog entry about her. "I can't talk about my husband without saying something about his mother, too. Andrew's mom is the most Christ-like woman I've ever met. Her countenance radiates love and she spends her days in the service of others. Everything I love about Andrew is a reflection of this great woman. Happy Birthday to you too, mom, we love you!"

Like the spoonful of sugar in Mary Poppins, I believe that a bit of laughter at the right moment helps the medicine go down. After a fallen tree has landed on your car, putting a sign on it that reads COMPACT CAR may not make the car whole again, but it will help you see your misfortune a little differently.

Allen Klein
The Healing Power of Humor
Prologue pp. XXII

Total success is the continuing involvement in the pursuit of a worthy ideal, which is being realized for the benefit of others--rather than at their expense.

Denis Waitley
Seeds of Greatness
pp. 26

A Positive Mental attitude is the right mental attitude. What is the right mental attitude? It is most often comprised of the "plus" characteristics symbolized by such words as faith, integrity, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tact, kindness and good common sense. A person with positive mental attitude aims for high goals and constantly strives to achieve them.

Napoleon Hill and W. Clemont Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 13-14

Most of us Connecticut-to-New York City commuters feel that our railroad timetable is a mild form of fiction published for the amusement of the regular riders. Recently, however, one early-morning train did make it to New York on time. Where-upon the man seated in front of me turned to his seatmate and said, "The train's right on schedule this morning."

'Thank goodness!" replied the other man, looking up from his newspaper. "I thought my watch had stopped."

George Schnake (Westport,Conn.)
Laughter, the Best Medicine
pp. 1-2

When Henley wrote the poetic lines, "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul," he could have informed us that we are the masters of our fate because we are masters, first, of our attitudes. Our attitudes shape our future. This is a universal law. The poet could have told us with great emphasis that this law works whether the attitudes are destructive or constructive. The law states that we translate into physical reality the thoughts and attitudes which we hold in our minds, no matter what they are. We translate into reality thoughts of poverty just as quickly as we do thoughts of riches. But when our attitude toward ourselves is big, and our attitude towards others is generous and merciful, we attract big and generous portions of success.

Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone
Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
pp. 7-8

Don't Aim At Success

Don't aim at success--the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be persuaded; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success; you have to let it happen by not caring about it.

Victor E. Frankl
Man's Search For meaning
pp.16-17