Quote of the Day: 7 December 2025 #QotD

“Like Naaman resisting the River Jordan or the children of Israel refusing to look at the serpent on the staff, how easy it is for us to dismiss the source of our redemption because the ingredients and the instruments seem embarrassingly plain.” -Jeffrey R. Holland

Quote of the Day: 6 December 2025 #QotD

“If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.” -C. S. Lewis
[Perspective is everything. And this life is only temporary.]

Quote of the Day: 5 December 2025 #QotD

“Despair has its own calms.” -Jonathan Harker, Dracula
[But they aren't enjoyable or relaxing.]

Quote of the Day: 4 December 2025 #QotD

“The prevailing vision of our era is long overdue for a critical re-examination—or, for many, a first examination.” -Thomas Sowell
[It is always worthwhile to have explored the bases for your thinking. And to abandon any that don't hold up to scrutiny.]

Quote of the Day: 3 December 2025 #QotD

“[T]here are some who exhaust themselves learning and investigating things that, once learned and investigated, do not matter in the slightest to the understanding or the memory.” -Don Quixote, Don Quixote
[I can think of many such people. Both in and out of academia, by the way. Don't think you're safe from this tendency merely because you don't toil in the fields of the mind for your support.]

Quote of the Day: 2 December 2025 #QotD

“Life is crueler than a parking meter.” -Pig, Pearls Before Swine
[Life is dynamic. A parking meter is fairly static. Of course life has harsher lows. But there are far greater highs, and many more of them as well.]

Quote of the Day: 1 December 2025 #QotD

“Destruction is finite, obstruction is infinite[.]” -G. K. Chesterton
[You can get a lot more satisfaction out of mucking things up than by entirely destroying them. Because then you get to come back and do it all again when order has been restored.]

Quote of the Day: 30 November 2025 #QotD

“Healing and forgiveness are each found in their fulness in the atoning love of Jesus Christ.” -Neil L. Andersen

Quote of the Day: 29 November 2025 #QotD

“[I]t is never a good thing when the septic tank guy knocks on the door and says ‘Sir, I’ve got some bad news.’” -Daddybear71
[As I live with a sewer connection, I've never had this exact experience. But, I have received similar news from professionals I'd rather not have heard from. Home ownership is a stream of constant 'bad news'.]

Quote of the Day: 28 November 2025 #QotD

“Parenting is a full-time job, and taking a family vacation is just working remotely.” -Henpecked Hal
[Happy travels to all those who observe the annual visits to family.]

Quote of the Day: 27 November 2025 #QotD

“Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.” -George Washington
[Happy Thanksgiving!]

Quote of the Day: 26 November 2025 #QotD

“Home is where you embrace the present and plan the future.” -Harry Dresden, Peace Talks
[I hope each of you have a place you can consider 'home'. Whether that is somewhere you reside or not.]

Quote of the Day: 25 November 2025 #QotD

“Life’s a curse, kid. Love is the cure.” -Ferius Parfax, Spellslinger
[Embrace those who love you and share your love with those you love freely. Your life will be better for it. I promise.]

Quote of the Day: 24 November 2025 #QotD

“I have to admit that people who expand their consciousness by living instead of by taking chemicals usually come back with much more interesting reports of where they’ve been.” -Ursula K. Le Guin
[This is congruent with my own experiences. Most drug users are people I'd rather avoid, and the exceptions are still outclassed by people who don't do those things.]

Quote of the Day: 23 November 2025 #QotD

“And the glorious news is He offers the same new beginning to you and to me. All of us can have a new beginning through, and because of, Jesus Christ. Even you. New beginnings are at the heart of the Father’s plan for His children. This is the church of new beginnings! This is the church of fresh starts!” -Patrick Kearon

Quote of the Day: 22 November 2025 #QotD

“Sometimes the best thing a man could hope for was to set things right.” -Earl Harbinger, Monster Hunter Alpha
[And, as a man, it is his duty to attempt to accomplish that.]

Quote of the Day: 21 November 2025 #QotD

“America doesn't need more leadership, it needs less followership” -David Burge
[Blindly following someone else's direction has never led to good outcomes. But, what if we try it this time?]

Quote of the Day: 20 November 2025 #QotD

“The best performers set goals that are not about the outcome but about the process of reaching the outcome.” -Geoff Colvin
[There are things that are within your control, and things that are outside of your control. If you focus on things that rely on things you cannot control, you will end up disappointed in proportion to how lucky you are. On the other hand, if you focus on the things within your control, you'll be happier as you realize how successful your efforts have actually been.] 

Quote of the Day: 19 November 2025 #QotD

“We’re simply trying to survive—and the first principle of survival is not to worry about the impossible and concentrate on what’s possible.” -Patricia “Peewee” Reisfeld, Have Space Suit – Will Travel_
[It's a good thing to keep in mind in general. But is especially applicable when in a life-or-death situation.]

Quote of the Day: 18 November 2025 #QotD

“Some people build model ships. Some pop bubble wrap. I’m more into dueling gibbons.” -Jason Walker, Chasing the Prophecy
[Everyone has a hobby of some kind. Just a matter of what it is.]

Quote of the Day: 17 November 2025 #QotD

“It came to me suddenly that evil was, perhaps, necessarily always more impressive than good. It had to make a show! It had to startle and challenge! It was instability attacking stability. And in the end, I thought, stability will always win.” -Mark Easterbrook, The Pale Horse
[I think this is true in the long run, however, in any individual instance evil may overpower good. You still have to strive for the good anyway. It will make a difference for you (your soul, at least.) So, strive on. Endure and triumph.]

Quote of the Day: 16 November 2025 #QotD

“The Lord is truly hastening His work in our time. We should be profoundly grateful for the hastening, which has occurred and is occurring despite these challenging times. We live in a day when the Lord’s followers are privileged to hear His voice and respond with open hearts and minds.” -Quentin L. Cook

Quote of the Day: 15 November 2025 #QotD

“A characteristic of all crises is their predictability, in retrospect. They seem to have a certain inevitability, they seem predestined.” -Michael Crichton
[The key part of this being the word 'retrospect'. In hindsight, almost anything can seem predictable. But there are plenty of things you do not know you are ignorant of. Those things make the world unpredictable.]

Quote of the Day: 14 November 2025

“The majority of the human race cannot or will not see beyond their own desires for more wealth, more pleasure, more status, and less work. They must be restrained even by the most libertarian of civilizations, because without that restraint, there is no civilization, and without civilization, no liberty.” -Devon Eriksen
[Selfishness is part of human nature. It would be foolish to expect most of the population to ignore that pull and vote in such a way that will result in the most good for the most people. We have done that anyway with universal suffrage. I don't know how best to determine who should be eligible to vote, but I do know that what we are doing now is not working well.]

Quote of the Day: 12 November 2025 #QotD

“[M]ost who are trying to put an end to injustice only think of injustices they believe they themselves have suffered. Which means that they are concerned not really with injustice but with themselves. They hide their focus on themselves behind the righteousness of their outward cause.” -Yusuf al-Falah, The Anatomy of Peace
[I probably do this sometimes. But I know I've encountered others who definitely do this.]

Quote of the Day: 12 November 2025 #QotD

“The human need to self-present is powerful. We craft our appearances to influence how people perceive us all the time.” -Ethan Kross
[Oft times we care too much about what other people think about us. Instead, we ought to care what we think of ourselves. And then let others take care of themselves.]

Quote of the Day: 11 November 2025 #QotD

“History is written by the victors, but the truth has a way of revealing itself.” -Ferius Parfax, Spellslinger
[It is Veterans Day, and my appreciation for the veterans who have served in keeping this country safe and prosperous cannot be understated. But, I am not a fool who doesn't realize that not every veteran is the same. Those who have forgotten their oaths still receive my thanks for their service, but do not receive any ongoing gratitude.]

Quote of the Day: 10 November 2025 #QotD

“Don’t you know anything? Bodies aren’t just handy things for storing your mind in. Your shape affects how you think.” -Om, Small Gods
[As amusing as this is stated, it loses nothing in its veracity.]

Quote of the Day: 9 November 2025 #QotD

“I think we all have moments when we feel our ingredients are not good enough, or we struggle to follow the directions, or perhaps we do something out of order, or something happens that is out of our control, and so on.

“What’s the remedy? It’s simply to add more of what invites Jesus Christ into your life.

“So, what might it look like to add more Jesus Christ into your life?” -John D. Amos

Quote of the Day: 8 November 2025 #QotD

“Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” -Jim Collins
[I mean, it'll make a difference. But not enough of one. A great vision implemented by inadequate people still has some value. But it's better to have great people and find the vision later.]

Quote of the Day: 7 November 2025 #QotD

“Never before in the history of celebrity has there been so much supply for so little demand” -David Burge
[And supply seems to continue to grow, while my interest (and demand) has never been lower.]

Quote of the Day: 6 November 2025 #QotD

 

“The most hopelessly stupid man is he who is not aware that he is wise.” -The First Speaker, Second Foundation

[I guess it's true that he won't be able to benefit from his wisdom. Does that actually make him stupid, though?]

Quote of the Day: 5 November 2025 #QotD

“There’s an inverse relationship between how good something is for you, and how much fun it is.” -Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes
[Well, we tend to think so, anyway. I'm not so sure it's true. I think we get immense benefit from things that are fun. But we also need to do some things that aren't all that fun as well.]

Quote of the Day: 4 November 2025 #QotD

“[H]umans are not great at estimating the time required for cognitive endeavors. We’re wired to understand the demands of tangible efforts, like crafting a hand ax, or gathering edible plants.” -Cal Newport
[The best way to estimate the length of time required to complete a job has often been said to be to double what you think it will take and add a fudge factor. This will not give you an accurate estimate, but it ought to be closer than what you started at. The reason is stated above.]

Quote of the Day: 3 November 2025 #QotD

“[H]ere’s the thing: art doesn’t need to be good to be valuable.” -Hoid, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
[But, in those cases, the value usually isn't monetary or transferable.]

Quote of the Day: 2 November 2025 #QotD

“The peace of Jesus Christ is meant for us personally.” -Gerrit W. Gong

Quote of the Day: 1 November 2025 #QotD

“For a very brief period I was happy, and, an even rarer gift, I knew I was happy.” -FitzChivalry Farseer, Assassin’s Apprentice
[The distinction between being happy and being aware of being happy is interesting. The happiness matters, but being aware of it allows a deeper enjoyment than its mere presence.]

Quote of the Day: 31 October 2025 #QotD

“What was to be done? To turn and fly was now too late; and besides, what chance was there of escaping ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon the wings of the wind?” -Washington Irving
[Happy Halloween! I hope you enjoy your celebrations of the holiday, and find some safe fun in being a bit scared.]

Quote of the Day: 30 October 2025 #QotD

“Sometimes we'd rather slay a dragon than exit our comfort zones.

“And sometimes the comfort zone is the dragon that needs slain.” -@Straffos

[Probably more than sometimes. At least for me, it's probably most of the time. So, go slay one of your personal dragons today.]

Quote of the Day: 29 October 2025 #QotD

“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” -C. S. Lewis
[One of the tragedies of our age is that so few people actually understand love. Yet so many think that they do. When you love someone, you want things for him that he may not want for himself. And those who don't understand call this hate.]

Quote of the Day: 28 October 2025 #QotD

“Placing my attention on outcomes rather than on problems has made a world of difference.” -Sophia, The Power of TED
[Focusing on outcomes puts your focus on what you want to achieve and allows you to track if your actions are making progress toward that outcome or not.]

Quote of the Day: 27 October 2025 #QotD

“The family is inherently an obstacle to schemes for central control of social processes.” -Thomas Sowell
[That it is also the source of man's greatest joys is just a further commendation of the family as an institution. Not that it needed more to recommend it to us.]

Quote of the Day: 26 October 2025 #QotD

“When we live with our eyes single to the glory of God, we respect one another and support one another. Those divine patterns of righteousness lead to stability in our individual lives, our families, and society.” -Ronald A. Rasband

Quote of the Day: 25 October 2025 #QotD

“[P]eople who look for adventures don’t always find good ones.” -Tomé Cecial, Don Quixote
[It is always possible that things are going to turn out worse than you thought. Sometimes far worse.]

Quote of the Day: 24 October 2025 #QotD

“Life is so darn tricky.” -Pig, Pearls Before Swine
[And it hasn't gotten any easier to decipher as I have gotten older. When is it that I'm supposed to gain wisdom?]

Quote of the Day: 23 October 2025 #QotD

“You can only knock off the King's head once. But you can knock off the King's hat any number of times.” -G. K. Chesterton
[Disruption is more sustainable than revolution. And then you have the messy bit of actually implementing a new society afterwards. Ugh. Who needs all that hard work?]

Quote of the Day: 22 October 2025 #QotD

“Fascist and antifascist are apparently like flammable and inflammable.” -Frank J. Fleming
[Only if you actually engage your brain about the matter. If you only let the labels inform your opinion you will come to a different conclusion.]

Quote of the Day: 21 October 2025 #QotD

“If you haven't stormed out of a restaurant swearing to never eat out again, are you even a parent?” -Henpecked Hal
[I know I have, and it hasn't gotten a lot better since the last time I swore I wouldn't go out to eat with children again.]

Quote of the Day: 20 October 2025 #QotD

“The only way to go beyond redemption is to choose to take yourself there. The only way to do it is to stop caring.” -Michael Carpenter, Skin Game
[Redemption is possible as long as you are willing to seek it. Only you can make yourself irredeemable.]

Quote of the Day: 19 October 2025 #QotD

“The fire of yesterday’s testimony can warm us for only so long. It needs constant nourishment to keep burning brightly.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf