Website owner: James Miller
How much damage one can do to himself in only a couple of minutes by a single rash, foolish action!
It just isn’t fair. One stupid little mistake! That is all it takes! One can mess up one’s entire life with just one single foolish action. A person can build up something for years and then with one foolish, rash action lose everything he has built. One foolish action that perhaps only took a minute or two. And it cost him all he had built up. One little, short lapse of sense and rationality! That is all it takes! Usually the thing that caused that rash, foolish action was either arrogance, anger (temper), or lust. I can think of three people that I have known that lost good jobs (along with the associated retirement and health benefits), jobs that they had worked at for probably 20 or more years, with a single foolish, arrogant action. In the case of two of those people, I would say they never recovered from their mistake. One was unable to find another job (jobs are hard to find when you get older) and the other went into business for himself but I think did poorly in the business. The third person had other means of support but I am sure she regrets to this day all of the government retirement and health benefits she lost (she drove a school bus, worked for the county). I think that acts of arrogance or temper account for a great many of these type incidents but I think lust is the biggest offender. A person in a moment of weakness makes a sexual type mistake and it ruins his marriage. Or, depending on what it is, he goes to prison. (And then, of course, there are those people who are slaves to lust and depravity - or drugs or something else - whose entire life is one long mistake.)
Even good people can make mistakes. We all get tempted and we are all inclined toward sin. So the secret to a good, happy life is not just hard work, perseverance, and good, moral living. It is not making foolish, impetuous mistakes. I have had my foolish impulses. When I reflect on them, I shudder to think of what could have happened if I had carried them through. I do believe an angel has been watching over me over the years and has intervened on more than one occasion.
Apr 2020
Jesus Christ and His Teachings
Way of enlightenment, wisdom, and understanding
America, a corrupt, depraved, shameless country
On integrity and the lack of it
The test of a person's Christianity is what he is
Ninety five percent of the problems that most people have come from personal foolishness
Liberalism, socialism and the modern welfare state
The desire to harm, a motivation for conduct
On Self-sufficient Country Living, Homesteading
Topically Arranged Proverbs, Precepts, Quotations. Common Sayings. Poor Richard's Almanac.
Theory on the Formation of Character
People are like radio tuners --- they pick out and listen to one wavelength and ignore the rest
Cause of Character Traits --- According to Aristotle
We are what we eat --- living under the discipline of a diet
Avoiding problems and trouble in life
Role of habit in formation of character
Personal attributes of the true Christian
What determines a person's character?
Love of God and love of virtue are closely united
Intellectual disparities among people and the power in good habits
Tools of Satan. Tactics and Tricks used by the Devil.
The Natural Way -- The Unnatural Way
Wisdom, Reason and Virtue are closely related
Knowledge is one thing, wisdom is another
My views on Christianity in America
The most important thing in life is understanding
We are all examples --- for good or for bad
Television --- spiritual poison
The Prime Mover that decides "What We Are"
Where do our outlooks, attitudes and values come from?
Sin is serious business. The punishment for it is real. Hell is real.
Self-imposed discipline and regimentation
Achieving happiness in life --- a matter of the right strategies
Self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline basic to so much in life