Commonplace Book

A Commonplace Book. “Commonplace”, from the Latin 'locus communis', meaning “a theme or argument of general application.”  For me, it is a collection of thoughts, ideas, anecdotes, poems, observations, and quotes that stood out and caught my attention, some with comment, some without. Essentially a scrapbook, a repository of thoughts too good to just pass over and let go.

  

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities. …

“May God bless us to put [him] first and, as a result, reap peace in this life and eternal life with a fulness of joy in the life to come” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 3, 6; or Ensign, May 1988, 4, 6).

  

“God does not expect me to pray for [others] with faith that [they] will be healed; He invites me to pray for [them] with faith in Him, who is [their] Eternal Father and mine and who will, in His infinite wisdom, do what is best, though it may cause [them] and me—and Him—temporary anguish of soul. God takes the long view, and our ultimate good may mean short-term pain, confusion, or heartache.”

(Jeffrey S McClellan, Director of BYU Publications and Graphics, Thy Troubles to Bless, BYU Devotional, July 10, 2018) 

“... the exact hour at which we arise is not as important as what we do once we are up.”

(Bruce C Hafen, Love Is Not Blind: Some Thoughts for College Students on Faith and Ambiguity, BYU Devotional January 9, 1979) 

“If God be for us, who can be against us?”

(Romans 8:31) 

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!”
Benjamin Franklin 

“... the human race doesn't run on a smooth track. The route more closely resembles an obstacle course with hurdles, puddles, or snares lurking around every turn we make. Life isn't meant to be easy. The race isn't to be won by the swift or the flashy. Victory comes only to those who muster the faith to stay on the track - the strait and narrow way.”

(Russell M Nelson, Lessons from Eve, October Conference 1987) 

“On the battlefield, a moment of indecision most likely leads to one side seizing Defeat out of the Jaws of Victory.”

(Facebook comment posted by Anthony Infante, 19 July 2018) 

“Family trees get exponentially bigger as you go back in time: You have two parents, four grandparents, eight great grandparents, and so on. Eight generations back, you have hundreds of ancestors. A family tree for the Mormon pioneers is more like a tangled bush.”

(What Mormon Family Trees Tell Us About Cancer, by Sarah Zang, published in The Atlantic, 23 June 2017) 

“Old forecaster's lament:

And now among the fading embers

These in the main are my regrets;

When I am right no one remembers,

When I am wrong no one forgets.”

(Stormtrack.com, posted by Mike Johnston, 4/17/2018) 

“Life is a journey, not a destination. We should never stand still. Instead we should constantly set ourselves new challenges that take us out of our comfort zone. Life is growth.”

(Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Miles to Go Before I Sleep, Matot-Masei 5778, July 11, 2018) 

“One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.” (Thomas S. Monson, “The Will Within,” April Conference 1987) 

“As children of God, knowing of His great love and His ultimate knowledge of what is best for our eternal welfare, we trust in Him.”

(Dallin H Oaks, April Conference 2010)