Celebrity Quotes

Do you ever wonder where all those quotes come from?  Where did Mark Twain go when he penned a particularly pithy phrase?  What about Benjamin Franklin?  Did he just print a section of his own quotes with his annual farmer's almanac?  Perhaps a modern example: Vince Lombardi.  He probably did interviews--that might account for some quotes.  But I've always wondered how these people get their quotes out there.

I've decided that I want to have some good quotes ready, and maybe someday I will be famous enough for them to mean something.  I don't know how others do it, but I'll just start out by sharing mine here.  The other day I was pondering what I want to do with my life, and this gem came to me:

"I may not know what I want, but that sure isn't going to stop me from getting it."

I think it explains quite well a part of my personality--I can be very determined and driven towards a goal--but so often I have a hard time deciding which goals I really want.  So there's my oh-so-clever celebrity-to-be quote of the day.

"The Weight of Glory"

"The Weight of Glory" was originally a sermon, but C.S. Lewis later published it.  I first heard of it a couple years ago when two people independently mentioned it to me within a week of each other.  I thought that was a good sign I ought to read it.  Since then I've looked for it in libraries and online a few times.  Each time I've been unable to find it, or it fades into the background of my never-ending to-do list.  But today I finally found a PDF copy online.  Here it is:

"The Weight of Glory"

It's an excellent essay on what "glory" really means to Christians.  His views are quite close to LDS views.  He talks about some of the different definitions of glory and what they mean for us now and in the afterlife.  The last section in particular is fraught with great material.  I just posted a quote on facebook from that section.  The whole thing is only nine pages, but read carefully.  It's good stuff.  Enjoy!

Your New Favorite App: OverDrive

I know you all like reading, so this post is very good news for you.  There is an app called OverDrive that lets you connect to your public library both on the computer and on a mobile device.  Download the app, then put in your library card number (I think you also need to create an OverDrive account).  It will give you access to Southfield Library's collection, which you can get for free!  Once you check a book out, you can download it a few different formats.  I have the Kindle app for my phone and for Google Chrome, so I download the Kindle version of the e-book.  Then I can read on my phone or on my computer.

I still prefer a tangible book to a screen, but there are undeniable benefits to this.  You don't have to go anywhere, and you can access a large selection of books.  It's easy and convenient.  Let me know if it works for you.

"Be Ye Separate"

A week or two ago I was reading through Alma 5 copying down all of the questions Alma asks the reader.  I hadn't finished yet, but Mom's email today reminded me to finish up.  As I was reading this morning I came across a phrase I like in verse 57:

And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate

The phrase "be ye separate" stuck out to me.  Especially as one who doesn't enjoy being different or being the center of attention, that can be hard.  Of course, I'm a lot better at it now than when I was in high school.  At least, I think I am.  It's been a long time since I've lived in a largely non-LDS community.  I like to think I would do a better job of being separate now.

But what does separate really mean in this context?  Is it an exhortation to physically be separate from wickedness?  In some cases, I think so.  There are places and settings where we ought not to be, and the best thing to do is to physically separate ourselves from those environments, should we find ourselves in them.  But I think it's also a state of mind.  We need to see ourselves as above the wickedness of the world*.  We need to separate ourselves spiritually as well.  We can't be afraid to be different.  That's far easier said than done, but it's important.

*Above the wickedness does not mean above the wicked.  God loves loves sinners too, and it's a good thing, because we are all sinners.  Just because our sins may not be as severe or as public doesn't mean we're any better.

Note: For those of you who use Windows 8--it can do some cool things.  You can download the Gospel Library app for Windows, and then you can do a split-screen thing.  I was just using it to type up the questions from Alma 5 as I read, and now I'm using it for this blog post.  It's nice because I don't have to keep switching windows.