God's Little Instruction Book

To God, From God

I have this wedding gift book, God's Little Instruction Book III, of which I thought I would share the best nuggets/pearls, of "how to live a happy and fulfilled life."

QUOTES
1. "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." Okay, I admit, I've tooted my own horn a bit. "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought." -Romans 12:3.

2. "Great thought become great acts" We shall see.

3. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matt 6:27

4. "You never saw a fish on the wall with it's mouth shut" "It is better to be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt" "The wise in heart accepts commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin" -Proverbs 10:8. That middle quote is from memory, not the book.

5. "Isolation is the worst possible counselor." "Where there is no counsel, people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." -Proverbs 11:14. Well, I'm here alone with my dogs, my computer, my radio, my tv, my books...I've been alone most of my life...I used to check out huge quantities of videos from the library...I'm not sure I agree with this. We're all so interconnected, I even feel my mind is open to outside influence; I'm not sure I'm ever alone, really. Plus, it can be good to have some time alone to clear your head.

6. "The most untutored person with passion is more persuasive than the most eloquent without". This reminds me of Anthony Robbins and his Awakening the giant within, which I never read, but surveyed in a bookstore once. It struck me as using a lot of violent metaphor... I'm sure there's a reason that the word 'passion' can means sex, violence (i.e. the passion of christ), or enthusiasm.

7. "We can be knowledgeable with another man's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with another man's wisdom" I see the point, but still: Hogwash. Bedtime stories or campfire stories or books impart actual experience, to my view.

8. "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." Good stuff.

9. "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty." -Proverbs 11:24. This reminds me of a book advertised in the Economist, available at http://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/, selected as a best book of the year, The Billionaire Who Wasn't, "The story of enigmatic billionaire Chuck Feeney and his quest to give away his whole fortune during his lifetime." Said to read like fiction.

10. "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great." -Luke 6:35. This one is rough, don't I know it. My enemy is in my fricking head. I'm not sure this means you're supposed to marry your enemy or anything... But there is the saying, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

11. "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you." -Matt 7:12 (the Golden Rule). I'm going to throw in a little cognitive dissonance, for you to work out yourself. George Bernard Shaw said, "Do not treat others as you would have them treat you; people have different tastes." Maybe it should be downgraded to a silver rule.

12. Patience is a virtue. "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." That sounds buddhist. The extinction of desire. Plus the gaining of what you need, with time. All religions overlap, you know. It's all one big bundle of wisdom.

13. Here's a mix of quotes: "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."- Proverbs 22:1. "For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to be hoped was that there should be a huge crowd of spectators, and that they should greet me with howls of execration." -Camus, the Stranger. "To be great is to be misunderstood."

14. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -think about such things." -Philippians 4:8. Well, my blog has certainly pondered the dismal and depressing. I suppose this is a clarion call to start studying my wife's art books!

15. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32 (What if the truth is that you are a slave?)

16. "There are enough targets to aim at without firing at each other." "Be kind and compassionate toward one another, forgiving each other..." -Ephesians 4:32

17. "Marriage is that relation between man and woman in which the independence is equal, the dependence mutual, and the obligation reciprocal." and "Wives, understand and support your husbands..Husbands, go all out in love for your wives."

18. "All sunshine makes a desert." "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. No pain, no gain. The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind? Global warming? Okay, sorry.

19. "Self-reform is the answer to world reform." Hmm. Maybe. Doubtful, I think, actually.

20. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil." -Romans 12:17. "In passing over revenge, a man is superior to his enemy." "Turn the other cheek." Revenge is a dish best served cold. Keep it legal, if you must. Don't start a spiral, a feud, a war. All in good fun.

21. "Happiness is a dividend on a well-invested life." Invest in happiness!

22. "Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box." -Italian proverb