Quotes from January

Facebook has been a scourge of the blogging world. It's far more convenient to post a link on a wall, or a quote in the status bar, than it is to write an entire article.

That said, here is a summary of the activity and interest from January of 2009 on the wall, focusing on quotable quotes. I think you'll find them useful.

(the above picture will make sense with the final quote)

The first quote came out of the blue, referenced by Joshua Phillips. I found it noteworthy and insightful, from Victor Hugo, about inventiveness, reformation, and seizing the opportunities of the day.

"Thought emancipates itself in all directions at the same time as the arts. The arch-heretics of the Middle Ages had already made large incisions into Catholicism. The sixteenth century breaks religious unity. Before the invention of printing, reform would have been merely a schism; printing converted it into a revolution. Take away the press; heresy is enervated. Whether it be Providence or Fate, Gutenburg is the precursor of Luther." - Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

A few days later, in my morning reading, I found a great bit from Sydney Harris. His work 'Winners and Losers' is a book full of brief comical illustrations, and some snapshots of concise brilliance.

"A winner takes a huge problem and breaks it down into smaller parts, so that it can be more easily handled. A loser on the other hand, rolls a lot of little problems together, until they are simply unsolvable. - Sydney J. Harris, Winners and Losers"

This is the science of getting things done. Take an unsolvable problem that others are unwilling to face (there are countless numbers of such obstacles) and do the mental work of deconstructing the problem into it's smallest working parts, and then develop the necessary team to tackle them.

I really, really love that quote. The day that I read it, I wrote the following in my digi-journal.

Every great leader in history has ultimately become admired for his ability to enable and initiate others in their course of tackling seemingly insurmountable odds. Washington was known for such greatness. Help someone accomplish more than that thought possible, and they will be forever loyal, immediately at your aid in desperate times.

I think that thought quite naturally leads to this statement from master architect Daniel Burnham. Giving specific instructions to ambitious young people in his field, he said this:

"Make no little plans! They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work. Remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die." ~ Daniel Burnham, Architect.

This wasn't meant to be some flowery motivational saying. It was practical advice on drawing up plans for projects, but it applies across many fields, including film and writing. My digi-journal statement regarding Burnham's insight reads:

He couldn't be more right. Draw up a vision with gusto, and others will be excited about it. Granted, 'drawing up plans' actually means thinking through how to accomplish those plans. To consider yourself a visionary because you can pitch big ideas without actually planning, is the same as considering yourself a master painter by virtue of having eyesight. Seeing a vision, and capturing that vision for others, are entirely different.

The Institutes of Biblical Law is quite arguably the most important work of the 20th century, and mandatory reading for men in this age. A work my Dad first encouraged me to read when I was eleven years old, I've recently been reviewing this material. Opening up chapter four, he writes about the fourth commandment, and states the following:

"The sabbath is not an infringement of man's liberty, but rather the liberation of man." R.J. Rushdoony.

Picked up an old favorite last week, C.J. Mahaney's 'Humility'. The book is simple, short, and easy to read. It is, however, hard to swallow, sometimes.

"Sin- especially the sin of pride- is active, not passive. Sin doesn't wake up tired, because it hasn't been sleeping."

"Mere knowledge of scripture is not the pinnacle; it's merely the prelude to active obedience, and that's all that ultimately counts."

"I've found that there is truth to be gleaned even from an enemies critique. Humility doesn't demand mathematical precision from another's input; humility postures itself to receive God's grace from any avenue possible."

Of course, the title of the book, 'Humility' has led to some fantastic ideas for recommending the book to others. 'Hey, I've got something you could use; 'Humility'.' Or perhaps, 'Hey, I was sitting here with stacks of Humility, and I thought of you. I know you don't have it, and it turns out, I have more than I need.' My brothers endlessly list the puns possible with a book title like this.

And the latest quotable quote is from Robert E. Lee. I had heard it once before, and wrongly attributed it to Stonewall Jackson. Recently, I saw it referenced by David Botkin, and realized my error. A quote that many have heard and searched for in the past, it is without question a saying for our times.

“The truth is this: The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress is so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope." Robert E. Lee.

I hope that these have brightened your day just a little more.

Do you have any favorite quotes that you'd like to share? Please post them in a comment. They may make their way to Facebook.

~ In Christ, John.