Quips & Quotes: Put first things first!
Time is short: 86,400 seconds . . . 1440 minutes . . . 24 hours . . . 1 day. This week's Quips & Quotes take a closer look at what it means to Put first things first!
Think about it: Putting first things first
- "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 NIV
- “You can’t get second things by putting them first. You get second things only by putting first things first." C.S. Lewis, God In The Dock
- "God Almighty has sent before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners." William Wilberforce, October 1787
- "The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everybody. The greatest evil is the lack of love." Mother Teresa in Something Beautiful For God.
- The heights by great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
- "When I got the rejection slip from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, I pounded a nail into the wall above the Webcore, wrote "Happy Stamps" on the rejection slip, and poked it onto the nail. Then I sat on my bed and listened to Fats sing "I'm Ready." I felt pretty good, actually. When you're still too young to shave, optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure. By the time I was fourteen (and shaving twice a week whether I needed to or not) the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing." Stephen King, in On Writing. King's books have now sold 350 million copies.
- "Posterity who are to reap the blessings will scarcely be able to conceive the hardships and sufferings of their ancestors." Abigail Adams (wife of John Adams), contemplating the future while gazing out at a bleak winter during the Revolutionary War, 1777. In John Adams by David McCullough.
- "'Tis almost 14 years since we were united, but not more than half that time we had the happiness of living together . . . . The unfeeling world may consider it in what light they please, I consider it a sacrifice to my country and one of my greatest misfortunes." At this point in time (1777), Abigail and John Adams had been separated half of their married life, due to John Adam's service to our country. In John Adams by David McCullough.
- "The successful person has the habit of doing things failures don't like to do. They don't like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose." E.M. Gray
- “The will to succeed is nothing without the will to prepare.” Dan O’Brien, Olympic Decathlete, quoted in Dare To Prepare.
- "So teach us to number our daysthat we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 ESV
Recapping the week:
This week we have been exploring the axiom, Put first things first. If you missed a post, you can click on the title to get it:
Tuesday: Put First Things First Reduced to its essence, your life is a piece of paper and you are holding the pen. Be bold. Write well! This post includes a brief, but outstanding poem by James Russell Lowell.
Wednesday: The Leader's Magic Hours Photographers make use of the magic hour, the time just after sunrise or just before sunset. It is an essential block of time. Effective leaders know and capture their own magic hours. This post will help you discover yours.
Thursday: Living With A Bigger Yes As I stood in front of my bookcase and the giants of history stared back at me, I had an “AH HA!” moment. Those leaders lived with a "Bigger Yes." This post contains 7 essential lessons about leading with priorities.
Looking ahead to next week:
A wise guy once said, "If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well and you'll be ready to stop managing and start leading." The Apostle Paul, a leader among leaders, admonished his friend Timothy, "Watch your life and doctrine closely." Next week we will be discovering more about how to do what Paul encourages. We'll hear from Samuel Plimsoll, Jim Whittaker, D.L. Moody and more.
A book worth reading:
My copy of The Call is marked and highlighted from much use. It is an outstanding book. How can we "put first things first" until we know God's call for our lives." Guinness will help.
From the publisher: This book is for anyone who hungers for a clear sense of purpose and meaning in life and who is courageous enough to pursue his or her calling, no matter what the cost.