'sweetness to the soul and health to the body'

I am amazed at the power of the kind word, the pinpoint of grace. Like many seekers I have waded through volumes of wise words, streaming out from spiritual sources I imagine must be deep wells of knowledge. But have they shaped me more than the single word of love, of recognition, of comfort, spoken just when I needed it most? We all are sages of the kind word, the holy word of simple love and caring. No great torrent of great thoughts, but just a cup of water. When we speak what we can, as humble as it may be, we lift a soul to find its light, and set it flying free. ~Steven Charleston, Episcopal Bishop, Choctaw

 old farmer’s advise www.inspire21.com

• Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.

• Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.

• Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

• A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.

• Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

• Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

• Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

• Do not corner something that would normally run from you.

• It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

• You cannot unsay a cruel word.

• Every path has a few puddles.

• When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

• The best sermons are lived, not preached.

• Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

• Don't judge folks by their relatives.

• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

• Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

• Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

• Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

• Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

• The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

• Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

• Always drink upstream from the herd.

• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

• Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.

• If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

• Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly... and leave the rest to God.

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

~Proverbs 16:23