The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to ever one in Western Illinois and all readers of "The Quill".
The warmer weather, or should I say warm weather, we has been have'n sure got rid of most of the snow.
Unfortunately, it has brought on a whole lot of mushy mud. Unless you are a mud wrestler, ya are probably look'n fer a nice shower of rain ta drive out the balance of the frost and firm up the ground a bit.
Last week's column on The Dash by Linda Ellis gave pause fer thought in which her poem of 36 lines directed ones considerations ta 10 specific areas listed as follows:
Slow Down - "Every hour of every day is an unspeakable perfect miracle" (Walt Whitman)
True and Real - "Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow" (Norman Vincent Peale)
Feelings - "The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit" (Nelson Henderson)
Anger - "Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future" (Paul Boese)
Appreciation - "What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others" (Pericles)
Love - "Love may not make the world go around but it sure makes the ride worthwhile" (Linda Ellis)
Respect - "How far you go in your life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these" (George Washington Carver)
Smile - "When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present...we experience heaven on earth" (Sarah Ban Breathnach)
Change - "When you brush your teeth every morning, look in the mirror and ask yourself..."Are there things I'd like to change?" How will you choose to live your Dash...as "the grouch' or as "the good - news girl'?" (Linda Ellis)
Making a Difference - "It's not the things we get but the hearts we touch that will determine our success in life. Making a difference in the lives of others is what The Dash is all about" (Linda Ellis)
There ya has it then...a little more on "The Dash" and making a difference with your life by Linda Ellis.
With St. Patricks Day being Tuesday, March 17, a person certainly gives credit ta this Irish lady fer the millions of lives that have been touched by her words. Thank you Linda fer yer great contribution.
Larry Louden, formerly from Terre Haute and son of Sheriff Bob Louden, retired, forwarded the follow'n information fer Barnyard on the best sermons are lived not preached.
Larry is a wonderful speaker and retired Captain of the U.S. Air Force, having served in Vietnam. His son, Ben Louden, left in January fer Saudi Arabia to refuel planes in the Middle East fer our troops.
Here ya has it then, I hope ya enjoy it:
The Best Sermons are Lived Not Preached
1. Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I'm working on for my psychology class. When I asker her to define success in her own words, she said, "Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile."
2. Today, I asked my mentor - a very successful business man in his 70s-what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, "Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing."
3. Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn't recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, "On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center."
4. Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.
5. Today at 7 a.m. I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3:00 p.m. I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.
6. Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother's hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, "I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often."
7. Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.
8. Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, "Why?" She replied, "So you can help me save the planet." I chuckled again and asked, "And why do you want to save the planet?" Because that's where I keep all my stuff," she said.
9. Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughters antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.
10. Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, "I hope you feel better soon."
11. Today, I was feeling down because the results of a biopsy came back malignant. When I got home, I opened an e-mail that said, "Thinking of you today. If you need me, I'm a phone call away." It was from a high school friend I hadn't seen in 10 years.
12. Today, I was traveling to Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn't eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thinking the man said was, "We can share it."
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
I am glad I have you to send these to.
Thank you Larry fer send'n these 12 thoughts ta Barnyard Bruke fer The Quill readers enjoyment. Larry's wife, Pat, also sent along the follow'n picture fer Barnyard readers ta enjoy. Pat is a retired nurse and they have a beautiful relationship.Thank you, Pat that is precious.
Well, that's it fer this week. I'm a hope'n everone has a good week and can brush up on their Dash.
Keep prayers for William Wood, the missionary in Russia who they found unconscious. He has, perhaps, meningitis, and pneumonia.
A brain surgeon has been flown in and is working with William.
Justin Allaman of the Rozetta area, has been keeping the Quill updated.
Wherever ya is, what ever ya be a do'n, "BE A GOOD ONE!"
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
BARNYARD BRUKE