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WITandWISDOM(tm) - August 22, 2005 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Self-respect is the root of discipline: The sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. – Abraham Joshua Heschel, 1907 – 1972 Source: The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time, Edited by John M. Shanahan, Copyright © 1999, http://isbn.nu/0060194111 ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Bill's dad and mother were Methodist missionaries in Chile many years ago. They were poor. In fact, they were very poor. Sometimes their salary for a year was not more than four hundred dollars. Every penny really counted! When Bill was about 3 he had typhoid fever, which left his eyes weak and nearsighted. When he was 5 he caught his left hand in a pulley in some farm machinery, leaving his hand crippled and almost useless. Weak eyes, crippled and useless hand. No money. A less than adequate education; he didn't even attend a regular school until he was 12! What chances did Bill have of doing something for the Lord's work? You might say, "None!" But Bill wouldn't have agreed. As he grew older he had good health and he could think. Best of all, he understood the value of learning, and knew that knowledge is power if used wisely. So he couldn't play ball like the other fellows? Well, he could still read despite his not-so-good eyes. When most boys his age were poring over adventure stories, Bill was reading history and Bible books. By the time he was 11 he knew what he wanted to be—a Bible archeologist! A person in such work learns about the life and habits of people who lived in ancient times. Bill's ambition meant long years of study in Bible lands—far from Chile—but he was determined, and he set about to realize his goal. He took one step at a time and let the Lord lead. First, he studied hard in school, particularly subjects such as history, geography, mathematics, and Latin. A Danish sailor who lived with his family for a while taught him German. When college time came, he worked all his way and taught himself two ancient languages, Hebrew and Assyrian (cuneiform). Gradually he edged toward his goal. Dr. William F. Albright—Bill in our story—became one of the greatest archeologists and probably one of the most intelligent men in modern times. When he died at the age of 80 he had received many honors. Knowledge is power if used wisely. Is this part of your growth experience? Source: Climbing Jacob's Ladder, by Jeanne Larson & Ruth McLin, © Copyright 1979 by Review and Herald Publishing Association ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Accounting is a great field for those whose idea of a good time is trying to figure out if the fourth debit on Page D41 of the ledger is supposed to be $438.43 or $484.33. Art history involves four years of looking at slides and going to museums, and 45 years of working the 3 to 11 shift at Domino's. Biology is a good major for those who aspire to be doctors. Biotechnology is a good major for those who aspire to be Dr. Frankenstein. Computer science used to be a great way to get on board the gravy train. Now it's a great way to wind up eating Gravy Train. Engineering students spend four years in agony, taking brutal math and science classes. Many would-be engineers wash out and wind up in easier fields, like Middle East peace negotiations. Geography: If you've ever thrown a handful of pocket change on the table and spent three hours staring at the patterns it formed, you may be a budding geographer. Either that or you just drank a full bottle of cough syrup. Mathematics majors find employment as teachers, statisticians, actuaries and stadium gatekeepers. Source: The Oregonian, Copyright (c) October 22, 2004, http://www.oregonian.com/ Submitted by Barbara Henry ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: When I was training to become an emergency medical technician, the physician in charge stressed the importance of using proper medical terminology. Soon after my graduation, I had to transport a boy with a head wound to the hospital, so I radioed in the description: "Ten-year-old male with ten-centimeter laceration on the left occipital region." The doctor who had instructed me met us in the emergency room. "What happened, son?" he asked the child. "Did you bop your gourd?" Contributed to "All In a Day's Work" by Arlene Shovald Source: Beliefnet Presents, http://www.beliefnet.com/user/newsletter_choose.asp ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Twenty-year-old Andrew Fischer, a Web designer from Omaha, Nebraska, offered his forehead as space for an advertising message. "People will always comment on something out of the ordinary," Fischer proclaimed in his sales pitch on eBay. "People like weird." No argument there. But it isn't as if Fischer has an especially large forehead. Nor is he one of those who will do anything - no matter how offensive or outrageous - for the right price. Fischer did stipulate some standards: no crude or tasteless messages that would be unacceptable in traditional advertising formats. Sounds reasonable enough, but who would pay good money for a single individual in Omaha, Nebraska, to wear a logo or message on his forehead? At least one company saw some merit in this idea. The company that produces SnoreStop, a snoring remedy, has paid Andrew Fischer, entrepreneur, the sum of $37,375 to advertise its product on his forehead for 30 days. "I look forward," commented SnoreStop CEO Christian de Rivel, "to an enjoyable association with Andrew - a man who clearly has a head for business in every sense of the word." Source: Adventist Review, ISSN 0161-1119, (c) March 17, 2005, http://www.adventistreview.org/ Submitted by Mary Thayne