50 For 50
By Chuck Heath
November 12, 2016
ESPN has its “30 For 30”. Well, I can do better than that. After all, I have been around longer than
ESPN, so I am older and wiser. Today, as
I turn 50 years old, I offer up my “50 For 50” – Fifty “Pearls of Wisdom” I
have learned in 50 years of living. Some
are funny, some are serious, some are inspirational, and some are silly. I will let you decide which is which. I have drawn from inspirational and famous
quotes, Scripture passages, song lyrics and my own life’s observations. There are many other pearls of wisdom I can
think of, but I feel these offer the best overall combination of perspective,
humor and grace. Enjoy and thank you for
reading. Chuck
50 Thoughts for my 50th Birthday
1.
No one ever credits their longevity to eating
vegetables or to clean living.
2.
If it were up to men to bear children, the
world’s population might be as high as 23 now.
Not 23 billion or 23 million or even 23 hundred. Just 23.
3.
The great thing about growing old is that you
only have to do it once.
4.
Above all else, guard your
heart, for
everything you do flows from it.
(Proverbs 4:23)
5.
Never lose your childlike innocence, or your
childlike wonder.
6.
Some of the greatest gifts: hugs, laughter, and thinking. Use each every day.
7.
A kind word can make someone’s day.
8.
If you want to find God, listen for the small,
still voice. God is not in the storm,
not in the great wind, not in the thunder, not in the lightning, not in the
earthquake, hurricane, or tornado. He’s
in the whisper. (1 Kings 19)
9.
Always keep your hope and dreams alive. When your hope and your dreams die, a part of
you dies.
10.
Always look for the good in someone else.
11.
The Lord is never in a hurry, but He’s always on
time. (John Shore)
12.
I’ve learned that teams are great things – to
see a team accomplish more than the assembled individuals could ever do is a
thing of beauty.
13.
People who love sausage and respect the law
should never watch either one being made.
14.
Always believe in your children. Don’t ever give up on them.
15.
You can’t always protect your children from
their mistakes. Let them make
mistakes. It’s how they learn.
16.
Pray every day.
You can change your world with prayer.
17.
Be careful what it is that you pray for. You might actually get it.
18.
The wisdom of the wise will perish, the
intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. Isaiah 29:14 Be able to think for yourself.
19.
When you are on the side of the vast majority of
popular opinion, that’s the time to pause and reflect. That’s not the time to feel comfortable.
20.
Remember that honesty is always the best
policy. Unless your wife or girlfriend
asks you if the jeans she’s wearing makes her butt look big.
21.
Always do the right thing. It will please some folks and astonish the
rest. (Mark Twain)
22.
It’s the money you spend, not the money you
save, that counts. (Dad)
23.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto
my path (Psalm 119:105)
24.
Only the greater fool wins a bidding war.
25.
The two most powerful words in the English
language are “Thank you.” Use them
liberally. You can never have too much
gratitude in your heart.
26.
The three most highly charged words are “I love
you.” Use them liberally with your
family, and very carefully with all others.
27.
“Amazing Grace” is the greatest song of all
time. Any time, any genre.
28.
You truly do not begin to live until you step
out of your comfort zone.
29.
We all have scars, mistakes and hurt in our
past. If you don’t have any baggage from
your past, you haven’t lived.
30.
One of life’s great pleasures is seeing a child
opening his or her Christmas presents.
31.
The day my ship comes in, they’ll have a dock
strike.
32.
The most expensive thing you have purchased and
own is the thing you don’t use.
33.
And what does the Lord require of you? To act
justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God. Micah 6:8
34.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such
things. Philippians 4:8
35.
In matters of style, swim with the tides, in
matters of principle, stand firm as a rock.
36.
If a man appears to be lost in deep thought,
he’s either thinking about his next meal, his favorite team’s next game, why
his car isn’t running right, or sex.
37.
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
38.
Minor surgery is when they operate on someone
else. Major surgery is when they operate
on you.
39.
Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.
40.
Common sense isn’t so common anymore.
41.
If you can grab a man by his balls (figuratively
speaking), his heart and mind will soon follow.
42.
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your
mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27)
43.
Work hard, play hard.
44.
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten (Benjamin Franklin) The words “value” and “inexpensive” are not
necessarily synonymous.
45.
If it suddenly ended tomorrow, I could somehow
adjust to the fall. Good times and
riches and son-of-a-bitches, I’ve seen more than I can recall. (Jimmy Buffett)
46.
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, “It
is well, it is well, with my soul.” (Horatio Spafford)
47.
Now that I’m 50, I don’t worry about avoiding
temptation anymore. I’m more worried
that temptation will avoid me.
48.
My doctor says that I should exercise regularly
and that it’s important because it will add years to my life. He’s right.
Every time I exercise, I feel 10 years older.
49.
The people with truly great power never have to
use it.
50.
Husbands love your wives… (Ephesians 5:25). Men, treat all women with dignity and
respect. And treat children with gentleness and kindness. These are some of the
greatest things a man can ever do.
51.
And just because I can, I’m adding a bonus pearl
of wisdom…stay thirsty my friends!
