POWERFUL SALESMANSHIP Elizabeth Brinton, 13-year-old Girl Scout, explaining how she sold 11,200 boxes of cookies: "You have to look people in the eye and make them feel guilty." Elizabeth was awarded as the Best Young…
Sermon Illustrations
WORST ALIBI From The Pittsburgh Press Amory quotes: "George Shamblin insisted to police that he was trying to save his wife from drowning when he threw rocks at her as she struggled in the Kanawha…
BEST ALIBI When the Police League of Indiana sponsored a Best Speeding Alibi contest, one honorable mention award went to an exasperated father who was stopped with a load of fighting, squalling children in his…
REALITY AND OTHERWISE Former NBA center and coach Johnny Kerr said his biggest test as a coach came when he coached the expansion Chicago Bulls and his biggest player was 6-8 Erwin Mueller: "We had…
REJECTION A few years back Pepper Rodgers was in the middle of a terrible season as football coach at UCLA. It even got so bad that it upset his home life. He recalls, "My dog…
THE PROCESS OF LEARNING It is remarkable how much you have to know before you realize how little you know. On the Upbeat.
LET GEORGE DO IT My eight-year-old son told me a joke one morning while I was frying eggs for the family's breakfast. "Dad, how can you eat an egg without cracking the shell?" I thought…
THE STRUGGLE FOR STRENGTH When we lived in Lexington, Kentucky, each year a local hatchery would set up an incubator display in one of the local malls around Easter. As I would observe the eggs…
HUMILITY AND LEADERSHIP I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be…
MAKING TRUTH RELEVANT In trying to explain something to others it's wise to remember this fundamental rule of communications: "One specific is worth a hundred generalities." In 1847 the great naturalist Agassiz gave an address…
WE'RE TALKING TOUGH Dad: "Son, when I was in the Army, we had a drill sergeant who was so tough he used to wear a wig." Son: "What's so tough about that?" Dad: "He used…
CLOSE SCRUTINY A prosperous young Wall Street broker met, fell in love with and was frequently seen escorting about town a rising actress of gentility and dignity. He wanted to marry her, but being a…
WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? Two pastors' wives sat mending their husbands' pants. One of them said to the other, "My poor John, he is so discouraged in his church work. He said just the other…
A MILD CASE The following lines are by Chad Walsh, from Early Christians of the 21st Century: Millions of Christians live in a sentimental haze of vague piety, with soft organ music trembling in the…
THE HEADY TASTE OF POWER Ronald Levy, a first grader in Philadelphia, was told to come directly home from school, but he arrived late almost every day. The difference in time amounted to as much…
THE STORY BEHIND THE GIFT The minister was greeted at the door of the church after Sunday morning worship by a young lad. The boy looked up at the preacher and said, "Pastor, we were…
ASSERTING LEADERSHIP The lion was proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom. One day he decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was the king of the jungle. He was so…
MIRROR IMAGE OF GOD There is a painting in a palace in Rome by Reni. It is painted into the ceiling of the dome, over 100 feet high. To stand at floor level and look…
CHRISTMAS BELLS There are sounds in the sky when the year grows old, And the winds of the winter blow -- When night and the moon are clear and cold, And the stars shine on…
CHRISTMAS EVERYWHERE Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight! Christmas in lands of the fir- tree and pine, Christmas in lands of the palm-tree and vine, Christmas where snow peaks stand solemn and white, Christmas where corn fields…
