“For Your New Years Resolutions – Look To The Past”

By Jerry Stewart

As we look forward to this new year, 2009, there is much talk as to where we will be this time next year as a people and as a nation. I believe that 2009 may very well be one of the most crucial years in our nation’s history because of the difficult decisions which lie before us. Decisions like:

Who should we chose to lead us?

What must be decided in America regarding certain issues like immigration?

Same-sex marriage?

Freedom of speech and expression?

God in our schools and public places?

Crime?

Drugs?

The list of key and crucial topics goes on and on.

But, just what should be our direction, our resolve for this New Year? How do we know the right way to go?

I believe that a big part of the answer lies not in the future, but in the past.

It was King Solomon, 4000 years ago, who said there was “nothing new under the sun”. And even though our particular problems today seem to be all new, they really aren’t. Oh yes, the faces may be new, but the issues we are confronted with today are as old as time.

Here are some powerful quotes from those before us. Quotes based on the principles and ideals which our nation, America, has been built on, causing our America to be the most successful nation ever in the history of our world. We would be well served to take these quotes to heart – and pass them on.

Regarding Responsibility

“NEVER LET YOURSELF BE PERSUADED THAT ANY ONE GREAT MAN, ANY ONE LEADER, IS NECESSARY TO THE SALVATION OF AMERICA. WHEN AMERICA CONSISTS OF ONE LEADER AND 250 MILLION FOLLOWERS, IT WILL NO LONGER BE AMERICA.” PRESIDENT DWIGHT EISENHOUWER

“NEVER PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY. NEVER TROUBLE ANOTHER WITH WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF.” THOMAS JEFFERSON

“THE PERSON WHO IS GOOD FOR EXCUSES IS GOOD FOR LITTLE ELSE". BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

“CHOP YOUR OWN WOOD...AND IT WILL WARM YOU TWICE. DON'T LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE...LEARN THE TRADE.” HENRY FORD

“DO A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU'RE PAID TO. GIVE A LITTLE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO. TRY A LITTLE HARDER THAN YOU WANT TO. AIM A LITTLE HIGHER THAN YOU THINK POSSIBLE. GIVE A LOT OF THANKS TO GOD FOR HEALTH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS.” ART LINKLETTER

“MY FELLOW AMERICANS – ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY.” JOHN F KENNEDY

“THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH AMERICA THAT THE FAITH, LOVE OF FREEDOM, INTELLIGENCE AND ENERGY OF HER CITIZENS CANNOT CURE.” DWIGHT EISENHOUWER

“THE ONLY LIMIT TO OUR REALIZATION OF TOMORROW WILL BE OUR DOUBTS OF TODAY. LET US MOVE FORWARD WITH STRONG AND ACTIVE FAITH.” FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

“WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE IS THIS: YOU TAKE YOUR KNOCKS, YOU LEARN YOUR LESSONS, THEN YOU MOVE ON.” PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN

“WITH A FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE, WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR SACRED HONOR.” THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

“OUR STRENGTH IS NOT TO BE MEASURED BY OUR MILITARY CAPACITY ALONE, OR BY OUR INDUSTRY, OUR TECHNOLOGY, OF THE POWER OF OUR WEAPONS. NO, THE STRENGTH OF OUR NATION MUST BE MEASURED BY THE POWER OF OUR COMPASSION AND OUR DEDICATION TO HUMAN WELFARE” VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT HUMPHREY

Regarding Determination

“MANY MEN FAIL BECAUSE THEY QUIT TOO SOON. THEY LOSE FAITH WHEN THE SIGNS ARE AGAINST THEM. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO HOLD ON, TO KEEP FIGHTING IN SPITE OF THAT WHICH SEEMS INSURMOUNTABLE. IF MORE OF US WOULD STRIKE OUT AND ATTEMPT THE IMPOSSIBLE, WE VERY SOON WOULD FIND THE TRUTH OF THAT OLD SAYING - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE”. DOCTOR C.E. WELCH, THE FOUNDER OF WELCH'S GRAPE JUICE

“MANY OF LIFE'S FAILURES ARE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REALIZE HOW CLOSE THEY WERE TO SUCCESS - AND THEY JUST GAVE UP.” THOMAS EDISON

“IF WE DID ALL THE THINGS WE WERE CAPABLE OF DOING, WE WOULD LITERALLY ASTOUND OURSELVES". THOMAS EDISON

“IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERY DIFFICULTY...LIES OPPORTUNITY". ALBERT EINSTEIN

“THE HILLTOP HOUR WOULD NOT BE HALF SO WONDERFUL IF THERE WERE NO DARK VALLEYS TO PASS THROUGH”. HELEN KELLER

“WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE IS THIS: YOU TAKE YOUR KNOCKS, YOU LEARN YOUR LESSONS, THEN YOU MOVE ON.” PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN

Regarding Character and Integrity

“ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH MEN OF GOOD QUALITY IF YOU ESTEEM YOUR OWN REPUTATION. FOR TIS BETTER TO BE ALONE THAN IN BAD COMPANY.” GEORGE WASHINGTON (WRITTEN AS A BOY)

“YOU CANNOT LIFT YOUR CHILDREN TO A HIGHER LEVEL THAN THAT ON WHICH YOU LIVE YOURSELF.” AUTHOR UNKNOWN

“I KNOW NOT WHAT COURSE OTHERS MAY TAKE. BUT AS FOR ME – GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH.” PATRICK HENRY

“GOD GRANTS LIBERTY ONLY TO THOSE WHO LOVE IT, AND ARE ALWAYS READY TO GUARD AND DEFEND IT.” DANIEL WEBSTER

“MY FELLOW AMERICANS – ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU. ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY.” JOHN F KENNEDY

“PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND ME TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. AND, IF WE DON’T DISAPPOINT THEM, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, THEY WON’T DISAPPOINT US.” WALT DISNEY

Regarding God in America and in Our Hearts

“SON, REMEMBER THAT GOD IS YOUR ONLY SURE TRUST.” GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOTHER

“THE BIBLE IS THE CORNERSTONE FOR AMERICAN LIBERTY.” THOMAS JEFFERSON

“IF A SPARROW CANNOT FALL WITHOUT GOD'S KNOWLEDGE, HOW CAN AN EMPIRE RISE WITHOUT HIS AID.” BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

“IT IS THE DUTY OF ALL NATIONS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROVIDENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD. TO OBEY HIS WILL, TO BE GRATEFUL FOR HIS BENEFITS, AND TO HUMBLY ASK FOR HIS PROTECTION AND HIS FAVOR.” GEORGE WASHINGTON

“THE GOD WHO GAVE US LIFE GAVE US LIBERTY AT THE SAME TIME.” THOMAS JEFFERSON

“IN GOD WE TRUST.” THE NATIONAL MOTTO OF THE UNITED STATES

“THE BIBLE IS THE ROCK ON WHICH THIS REPUBLIC RESTS.” ANDREW JACKSON

“THE HERITAGE OF THE PAST IS THE SEED THAT BRINGS FORTH THE HARVEST OF THE FUTURE.” INSCRIBED ON THE STATUE “HERITAGE” IN WASHINGTON D.C.

“RELIGION, MORALITY, AND KNOWLEDGE ARE NECESSARY TO GOOD GOVERNMENT, THE PRESERVATION OF LIBERTY, AND THE HAPPINESS OF MANKIND.” UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT

“MEN MUST CHOOSE TO BE GOVERNED BY GOD, OR CONDEMN THEMSELVES TO BE RULED BY TYRANTS.” WILLIAM PENN

What Is Your Resolution For 2009?