Courage

January 24, 2015
January 24, 2015
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Turning Off The Idiot Box

Idiot Box -Turn It OffWhen I was growing up, the one order we heard most from my mom was, “Turn off the TV and go outside!” If we didn’t immediately do what she said, she would rush over to the television, turn it off, and again order us to go outside.

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December 20, 2014
December 20, 2014
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A Special Christmas Gift

Christmas PresentEarlier this month, I had a conversation with a judge who recently retired after serving as a state court judge for more than 20 years. For the purpose of this article, I’m going to call him “John.” John is in his early 60s, and during our conversation he asked me how many grandchildren I have. I told him that after adding three new grandsons last month, my wife and I have 10 grandchildren.

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December 10, 2014
December 10, 2014
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Turning Conflict Into Personal Growth

Elbert Hubbard quoteI want to share with you a very powerful technique for changing the way you respond to offensive  or critical comments.  This technique has the potential of turning what is usually a very painful and unpleasant experience into an opportunity for personal growth and wisdom.

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November 9, 2014
November 9, 2014
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Stretching Your Way To New Capabilities

Rubber BandsLast month, a 22-year-old man scheduled an appointment with my office to discuss the possibility of filing a bankruptcy.  For the purpose of this article, I’m going to call him “Jim.”  When Jim and I met, he explained to me that he had been terminated from his job earlier in the year and was drowning in debt.  He told me that he currently lives with his girlfriend in the basement of her parents’ home.

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August 16, 2014
August 16, 2014
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Sacrificing Comfort for Growth

Comfort ZoneMy mom was 19 years old when she married my dad.  She was 20 when she had the first of her 17 children.  Georgette and I were both 23 when we were married.  We had the first of our seven children the following year.

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March 22, 2014
March 22, 2014
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A Heart-Wrenching Experience

Pieta - Jesus and MaryI’ve previously shared some of my experiences in growing up in a family of 17 children.  All of my brothers and sisters are still living, except for Kathryn Mary, my parents’ 15th child.  At the time of her death, Kathryn was 13 months old.

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March 15, 2014
March 15, 2014
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The Queen of Martyrs

crucifixionAbout 15 years ago, I met a couple whose 20-year-old daughter was instantly killed when her car was hit by a train.  She died five minutes after she walked out of her parents’ home.  She was on her way to class at Illinois Central College.  When she left the house, her mother told her goodbye and told her that she looked beautiful.

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March 1, 2014
March 1, 2014
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An Unplanned Interception

InterceptionI’ve written before about how I broke my leg when I was a boy.  The events leading up to my broken leg began during the summer of 1967, when I was 10 years old.  While holding onto the end of an old rubber garden hose, I climbed the weeping willow tree in the back yard of my parents’ home.  When I got about 20 feet high, I climbed out onto a thick branch and tied the end of the hose to the branch.

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February 20, 2014
February 20, 2014
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A Legacy Worth Talking About

Veronica VeilImagine you are driving on University Street in Peoria and in the distance you see a large crowd of people gathered in a parking lot.  As you drive closer to the crowd, you see a man who you have met before tied to a telephone pole.  To your horror, you see two young, well-built men taking turns at beating the man with leather whips that have sharp pieces of metal attached to the ends of each whip.

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