Wisdom is defined as “making practical applications of truth in daily decisions,” or you may have heard it this way, “Knowledge is information; applying knowledge to live well is wisdom.” If you Google search “the wisest person who ever lived,” you will be directed to the 10th Century B.C....
Most people are familiar with these famous lyrics: “Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I’ll be there. Yes I will, you’ve got a friend.” If you’ve got a friend like that, hold on to them, because they are a great example of dependability. If you are a friend like that...
DETERMINATION: firmness of purpose; resoluteness; strength of character; single-mindedness Determination is simply not giving up. No matter how hard things get, or how badly you want to just give up, you keep on going. Sometimes you just want to let go, when it seems like what you are going for is...
Punctuality. A sometimes overlooked piece of the character puzzle, punctuality deserves our ardent attention. Theodore Roosevelt is quoted as saying “Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.” (quotationreference.com) I believe you’ll see why this is so important as we dive into...
“Skulls up!” In Baghdad, these words produced an immediate effect among the troops in our unit. The intent was clear. Watch out. Take stock of your surroundings. Be alert. Those words warned us of potential threats, as well as opportunities. The same principle applies here at home. In fact,...
We’ve all encountered this person at least one time in our life. They could even be your neighbor. Before you’ve had your morning coffee, you walk outside to take out the trash and get your newspaper, and there he is. You see him and hope that he doesn’t see you. Too late. He waves and gives you...
On the first date I ever had with the woman who would one day become my wife, we watched the movie, “The Princess Bride”. It’s a funny fantasy filled with quotable moments. To this day when my wife asks for my help I respond, “As you wish.” If you know the movie, you know what that means. There...
I think it is very fitting that the character word for December is generosity. One of the simplest definitions for generosity is the willingness to give or to share; an act of unselfish giving. The Christmas holiday is a time when we witness acts of generosity more than any other time of...
Gratefulness is demonstrating appreciation to others for what I have and how they have helped me. This means recognizing what others have done for you and showing your gratitude. This kind of positive and thankful attitude makes someone pleasant to be with—especially compared to an ungrateful...
Have you ever been the first person in a small group or crowded room to raise your hand to volunteer for something or take the lead on a project? Have you ever been the first person to speak up with a new idea or innovative solution to a problem? If so, you were showing initiative. Initiative is...
I confess I must be careful how I speak about cautiousness. Approached carelessly, I may come across as hypocritical. As a rule, I desire to be quick to act. I prefer to begin every day with a bias for action. Sometimes people confuse a bias for action as the opposite of cautiousness. However,...
Endurance is defined as “the inward strength to withstand stress and do my best.” It’s easy to think of endurance primarily as physical, something needed by long distance runners, basketball, soccer, or other athletes, but endurance is not only important for handling physical stress, but also...
