Will RogersLame ducks have been seen waddling down the halls of Congress lately. Unfortunately for these birds, there isn’t any more loot left in the National Treasury. There’s not even enough for a bridge to nowhere or a new post office building with their name on it. All the quacking and flapping around to raise the roof wouldn’t even be enough to bring home funds to widen Polecat Creek these days.
Without any money left, the hope these days is that there is a minimum amount of damage these poor rejected birds can do before they leave the Congressional pond and return to Polecat Creek back home.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will RogersSeventy seven years ago the country was in depression. The greatest economic minds were unable to come up with solutions according to Will Rogers’ quote. Not only that, but anyone making economic forecasts must be insane! Nothing was working – unemployment was high. The Roosevelt era had embarked on massive deficit spending and government work programs. Sound familiar? It should, it’s out of today’s headlines!
Today we have the benefit of hindsight that they didn’t have. They didn’t know socialism/communism would ultimately fail. They didn’t know tax cuts under John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan would produce economic growth.
It’s time to go back to the future, and end this economic insanity. It starts with a vote on election day!
Image Information: The image of Rogers is from his 1921 silent film Guile of Women. Rogers plays a Swede named Yal who travels with a friend to America to seek his fortune. After misfortunes in love and business, his girlfriend finally arrives from Sweden.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Forgiveness is in short supply in this world. It seems to be easier for some people to forgive than others. When someone spreads lies about you among friends or in the press, can you forgive them? Prominent politicians experience this regularly. What would I do in that case?
There is something deeply spiritual about being wronged or slandered. Likewise forgiveness is a spiritual experience. Can we respond with kindness borne of genuine forgiveness? Without God’s help it is impossible since it is contrary to our nature. The good news is that God understands our situation.
But it gets complicated. What about unforgiveness in families and among relatives. What about within churches or at work? My spouse hurt me deeply, and I just can’t forgive the wrong.
Whenever I think God doesn’t understand my situation, I am drawn to the cross for answers and comfort. The crucifixion was the single most unjust act in all of history. An innocent (and sinless) man was killed because of the malice and hatred of his enemies. On the cross Jesus uttered the words: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
God understands forgiveness! God can help us with forgiveness because Jesus lived it to his dying breath. As Spurgeon says, by returning kindness for evil you “heap coals of fire on the head of your foe.” Not only does forgiveness affect you, it affects others.
Dear Lord, When someone wrongs me, help me learn to forgive. Help me to be godlike, so that people may say: “He has been with Jesus.” Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Anyone passing through Oklahoma will notice the name Will Rogers. Highways, schools, counties, buildings, streets across the state bear the name, and if you look a little closer, you will probably find a Rogers’ quotes. His quotes are humorous and always carry some profound truth.
I saw one of his quotes on a chalkboard at a church in Tulsa earlier this year and thought it would be worth learning more about Will Rogers. A quick survey of the web indicated that there might be enough material for a daily quotes application. For one years worth of material it takes well over 365 images and quotes, so I contacted the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore, OK to see if they would support the research needed to gather the material.
The museum director, Steve Gragert, and his staff were wonderfully supportive and I was able to gather the hundreds of photographs needed for the project. My reading consisted of multiple volumes of Will Rogers Daily Telegrams, which supplied a treasure trove of Rogers’ quotes.
What I found was a great man who has largely been forgotten over the years. His observations and writings about life and society are as relevant today as they were then. I’ve been inspired by his life and I hope this daily quotes application will inspire you as well.
Check it out at the iTunes Store: Will Rogers. If you are ever passing through the Tulsa/Claremore area in Oklahoma, be sure to stop by the Will Rogers Memorial Museum.
Will RogersWill Rogers’ published this quote and made the observation in 1929. We might think of those days as a bit slower and relaxed, but can you imagine what Will Rogers would think if he could see us today?
Cars, trains and airplanes are faster now. We are all still rushing to get somewhere, but we can “get somewhere we have no business” 10 times faster today.
This is such an interesting quote coming from Will Rogers because he was constantly going somewhere. When Will discovered he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air.
In the picture, Will is in the back seat of an airplane carrying U.S. mail. He was one of the few people that was allowed to ride in mail planes.
The next time we get ready to rush out the door, perhaps we should take Will’s advice. Do we really need to hurry to a place we have no business?
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Have you ever listened to a political speech and wondered what in the world was that guy talking about? Perhaps you fell asleep during a speech and woke up to find out you didn’t miss anything.
Will Rogers had heard his share of political speeches. He regularly attended the conventions of both parties and reported the results to his readers with his characteristic humor.
Image Information. Will was a skilled horseman and he loved to ride. When he first started his own stage act, a live horse was part of the act as he demonstrated his skill with the lasso. He even had a polo field built at his California ranch.
The equestrian statue at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum is a fitting tribute to Will, since horses were such an important part of his life. I took this picture at sunset, and you can see some of the glow in the clouds as they passed over this magnificent statue. It is the focal point of the beautiful walkway and gardens at the museum.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
In 1933 the country was in crisis as the Great Depression took its toll. The elections were over and FDR was waiting to take office when Will Rogers wrote this Daily Telegram on January 19, 1933.
From this Will Rogers quote, it seems that nobody was in charge, and nobody wanted to tackle the problems facing the country in early 1933. Would they dare try to balance the budget? Could they bring in debts owed? Would they spend money that we didn’t have?
Are we in the same situation today? Congress has been spending money like a drunken sailor. It’s worse that that! Drunken sailors eventually run out of money. Congress can print more.
Maybe this is just too simple, but suppose that I sign up for every credit card application that comes in the mail, with the thought that I can use them to spend my way out of debt and on to prosperity. Not to worry, when I die, my kids will pay for the debt.
Can we really spend our way out of debt? They couldn’t do it in the 1930s. Why does this administration think it can be done today. Let’s hope and pray that sanity will prevail with the new congress and bring some balance back into the budget.
This image is from a Will Rogers’ silent movie called An Unwilling Hero, released in 1921. Rogers plays Whistling Dick, a hobo who loves life and classical music. He loves just about everything except work.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
For many people, gazing at the heavens brings questions about the existence of a Creator to their mind. The distances are so vast that travel between planets can take multiple lifetimes at the speed of light. Looking at the stars, it becomes possible to imagine infinity – eternity.
But a vague belief in God isn’t enough. There are still questions about how we should respond to this idea of God? What does God require of us? Does God speak to us? Those answers can’t be found in the skies or nature alone.
Those answers can be found in the Bible. Quite simply, the Scriptures teach us that man’s primary purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. But, as sinful creatures we cannot please God or glorify Him.
We instinctively know that sin is a problem in our lives – when our anger gets out of control, when we hurt someone, when we lie… Scripture tells us that Jesus made the sacrifice for our sins on the cross, so that we can become one of His children. It is then that we can begin to glorify God and enjoy Him.
Dear Lord, My faith is small. Help me to believe that Jesus can take away my sin. Let me begin to glorify you and serve you as I learn more about you from reading your Word, the Bible. Let me say Oh, joy above all joys as I begin to praise you and enjoy you forever. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersIn this quote from April 23, 1933 Rogers indicates people are worried about inflation. Recently the Fed expressed its concern about inflation. With the current economy, and all the brilliant economic minds saying different things, I’m not sure what to think.
I think I’m actually both confused and worried according to Rogers. I’m worried that the current administration doesn’t appear to know what they are doing. They promise hope, but change seems to be going in the wrong direction. I’m confused about why they don’t appear to care.
Image Information: The image of Rogers is from his 1921 silent film Guile of Women. Rogers plays a Swede named Yal who travels with a friend to America to seek his fortune. After misfortunes in love and business, his girlfriend finally arrives from Sweden.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Watching various posts, tweets and other social media messages, I see quite a few motivational quotes. They come in the form of “follow your dreams,” “strive to be the best,” “never give up,” “achieve your goals,” “be a winner” and so on.
These pieces of advice can be helpful, but take quite a bit of energy and determination. I have to ask myself, “Do I put as much energy into seeking the Lord as I do other things?”
The Psalmist speaks of rejoicing and praise coming from those who seek Him. The Psalmist also says that God takes thought for the poor and needy.
I admit, it’s easy to quit seeking God and pour my energy into something else. But I need to learn to love His salvation and praise the Lord more and more.
Dear Lord, Please honor my feeble attempts to seek you, and take thought for me. Give me strength and determination to seek you, rejoice and be glad in you, and love your salvation. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 40 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
I’m always interested in contests where we are asked to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar. I might make an attempt to count some of them through the glass, but soon give up in frustration. Usually I make a wild guess, which turns out to be nowhere the real number.
I’ve never seen a contest where the challenge was to guess the number of grains of sand in a jar. Somebody has to actually count all the grains, and even a small jar of sand has a huge number of individual grains.
As we read the scripture and listen to God’s word preached we can begin to understand some of God’s precious thoughts toward us.
There’s a lot of sand in this world, and even trying to number the grains of sand in this image is an impossible task, for the number is too great for us to comprehend.
Consider our infinite God who would bend his thoughts toward us in infinite detail. Our only response can be worship and praise!
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 139 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Have you left the church? Do you find problems with the pastor or certain people there? From this quote you might ask, “how can Christ delight in the church, and how is it beautiful?” Those people are unfriendly, hypocrites… and the list goes on!
I have to learn every day, with God’s help, that I must be humble before both God and others. My tendency is toward pride, that I am better than others, and I would naturally find some fault in them to prove the point.
If I can for a minute put aside my pride, then the church becomes a place where sinners, saved by grace, meet together to worship God. Mr. X, across the aisle hurt my feelings last week, yet I see him singing hymns and worshipping God. I need to put aside my feelings and sing along.
It’s time to return to the nest as Spurgeon says, it’s time to hasten home. As the two birds in the picture are gathered upon their nest in the picture, we need to gather together for worship.
Dear Lord, help me to hasten home to your church. Help me to overcome my pride, that I might worship together in the congregation with your people. Help me to make your church a thing of beauty. Amen.
Charles H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892, was the foremost preacher of the 19th century. His many sermons, devotions, and books bring a unique, inspiring, and spiritual significance to biblical truth. What is most surprising is that Spurgeon had no formal theological training. Even so, he became widely recognized for his insight and prowess in biblical teaching.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Have you ever wondered why fancy restaurants are so dimly lit? For me, at least, it has to be so that I won’t be embarrassed by food stains down the front of my shirt. When leaving the restaurant, however, and walking out into the light, the problem becomes visible.
It’s interesting that the Psalmist, in this passage from Psalm 27, mentions light and salvation. When God’s light is shined on our lives, we notice the stains of sin, and recognize the need for salvation. The light makes us embarrassed, ashamed and fearful – we want to know how to remove the stains. The light is so brilliant, just like in this picture of the sun and clouds, that nothing can be hidden.
Thanks be to God, that he has provided a savior – Jesus. In many placed the scriptures speak of washing and cleansing. When Jesus cleanses us, we don’t have to fear any more. He also defends our life from attacks of the devil. We are safe with Jesus. We are clean.
Dear Lord, Your light has shown me my sin. I need your salvation. Please wash away my sin, through your son Jesus, and defend me so that I don’t need to be afraid any more. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 27 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NASB iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Will RogersWill Rogers was a champion of the downtrodden and unfortunate who suffered in the aftermath of economic downturns and hardships. He tirelessly raised money for the Red Cross to help those who had been affected by natural disasters, especially farmers who suffered during the “dust bowl.”
In spite of his fame, Will Rogers was loved as a man of the people. Ironically, Rogers was friends with some of the richest and most influential men in the world, including Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. He often praised them for their achievements and generosity. Here’s an example quote: “Hurrah for Mr. Rockefeller, 96 years old today, one of the very few men that knew how to give money away so that every dollar does good. That’s more than our government can do. It’s more than anybody can do.”
I think Will Rogers had little patience with wealthy politicians of the day who bloviate about their concern for the farmer, while proposing programs that do little to help. Here’s a Will Rogers classic quote: “Farmers are learning that the relief they get from the sky beats what they get from Washington.”
Perhaps this explains Rogers’ quote. People who get rich at the expense of their fellow man or show no concern for the well-being of others were pretty low in Rogers’ estimation.
Will Rogers knew what it was like to be poor, and he also achieved a level of financial success. Through it all, Rogers lived a humble life of generosity which should inspire us all.
Image Information: Once Will Rogers discovered he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air. From open cockpit through the dawn of commercial aviation he flew coast-to-coast and everywhere in between.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Psalm 4 is a wonderful picture of the joy and peace that come from trust in God. But, how can this be in the fallen world in which we live?
We know, from other Psalms, that the Psalmist has been through great suffering and difficult trials. Yet this Psalm is amazingly upbeat. I think the joy mentioned here is much deeper than a few moments of superficial happiness that may come from wine or drink, or a brief time of pleasure. Such moments don’t fill our hearts with the joy and praise to God mentioned in this Psalm. It takes more than that to cause a person to sleep in peace.
Just like filling a cup with water takes time, so does filling our hearts with the joy and comfort that comes from knowing Christ as savior. Relationships take time to develop to a deeper level, and so does developing a relationship with the Lord. The deep joy will come in time, but you can enjoy as least some measure of it as you heart is filled day-by-day.
If you do not have a relationship with the Lord, you can pray for it right now. You can ask God for help today. If you do know the Lord, pray for a deeper relationship with Him.
Dear Lord, I want my heart filled with the joy that comes from knowing you. I want a peaceful sleep that comes from trusting you. I want to know that my sins are forgiven. Help me to look to you for salvation, and let the light of your face shine upon me. Amen.
Here are a few practical tips for deepening your relationship with the Lord. Read the Bible. It is how we get to know God. A good place to start is the Gospel of John. Seek out christian friends and a church where you can worship God in a community of other believers. May God bless you dear friend.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 4 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
Everyday Act of Valor Until I started looking through the Navy archives, I didn’t realize that burials at sea are routinely done to honor shipmates’ final requests. This image is unique in that a son has the opportunity to honor his own father, as he carries on a proud military tradition. You can see both …
Everyday Act of Valor I mentioned in an earlier post that I had the honor of meeting a former US Navy SEAL, while waiting for a flight at DFW recently. As we looked through the images in the iPhone App, we came across the one pictured here. He showed me a special emblem on his …
Devotional I had the honor of meeting a former Navy SEAL while waiting for a flight at DFW. He was 70 years old and looked every bit as fit as men half his age. Last year he was invited back to temporary active duty to assist training today’s Navy SEAL candidates, and compare it with …
Devotional When you are in the military, water is important, just like it was to the children of Israel. It is necessary to sustain life, and must be supplied for an army to move. In the Navy, water must also be controlled and used as part of everyday operations. Ships float above it, submarines travel …
Wouldn’t it make you proud to see a procession of young men and women who are all dedicated to the service of their country. Each uniform is perfectly pressed and worn with pride. Row upon row, they march in unison. Each step is directed by the leader’s commands. For love and defense of country, some may …
In this quote, Spurgeon compares us, the “jewel in the rough,” with Jesus, “the polished gem.” Looking to the example of Christ, and applying it to any situation we might face, is the best type of encouragement we can ever find. Spurgeon mentions hoping that worldly people (worldlings [I love how Spurgeon uses these arcane …
When times get tough, it seems natural to ask “Why, O Lord?” It seems natural to wonder “Where is God when I am suffering?” Why isn’t God answering my prayers? Where is God’s comfort? In Psalm 44, the Psalmist seem to express the deep feelings of our hearts with his words. His pleas echo our …
Labor Day is a funny name for a holiday. It’s a day when nobody works, or wants to work. Labor unions started observing a labor day in 1882, and Congress passed an act in 1894 making the first Monday in September a national holiday. In 1929, Will Rogers noted that: “How Congress knew anything about …
Don’t you wish you could be as happy and carefree as the sea otter in this picture? God seems to have given these playful creatures an energy and happiness above their fellow creatures. You don’t normally associate happiness with a bear, elk, tiger or walrus, do you? So it is with us. Some people just …
Will Rogers is a genius! In February of 1932 he issued this quote as an observation and warning to Congress. It’s so simple: don’t spend money, until you know where it’s coming from. Even a child can figure out that you can’t spend money you don’t have. Sad thing is, Congress never got the message. …
