Weekly Thought – August 8, 2023
Fred knew the value of stories. He saw life principles and illustrations, recording them on machines through the eras from large reels of tape to tiny handhelds. His family regularly heard him in his home office late at night capturing ideas. “Period. Paragraph” was the transition from thought to thought. This week you can peek into his collection.
Stories are Everywhere
1) When I was a teenager working in a service station, Louisiana politician Huey Long talked about dividing up the wealth. It struck me as an interesting survey to conduct, so I asked each customer who came in what they would do if all the national wealth were distributed. I found those without anything would quit their jobs and spend the money. Those with money would invest what they received. I thought: the cycle would turn very quickly where those with money would have it again and most of those without it would be waiting for another distribution.
2) I knew an oil man who owned a lot of big rigs. He moved around checking on them in the various locations. Doing this he came upon a young man leaning against the rail on one of his rigs. He asked the young fellow: “Who do you work for?” When the young man told him he replied, “I am he; and don’t ever stand still on my time. When there’s nothing to do, jump up and down.”
3) As I went into surgery at Mayo Clinic, my physician and longtime dear friend Dr. James Cain who had been President Johnson’s doctor and a very revered man of medicine came over to spend an hour or two before I went into the operating room. As he left the room he put his hand on my knee and said, “God bless.” I know the difference between a benediction and the Last Rites so it didn’t bother me at all. “Thanks, Jim.” I had been blessed by his touch.
4) Once during a difficult period in our plant operations we were all working unusually hard. I was in the plant with one of our employees long after the shift had ended. I felt particular gratitude for the solution of our problem said to the him, “I think we had some outside help.” He said, “We had inside help because only when the outside help gets inside is there real help.” A good lesson.
This week think about: 1) How do I capture life stories? 2) What can I do to sharpen my observation skills? 3) When can my life stories help illustrate key principles?
Words of Wisdom: “If you want information, turn to the news. If you want knowledge, turn to study. If you want wisdom, turn to divine principles.”
Wisdom from the Word: “He told them many things in parables.” (Matthew 13:3 (a) NET Bible)