What's in a Quote?

 

I recently happened upon a quote on a motivational speaker’s website: “When men know not what to do, they ought not to do they know not what.”- Abigail Adams. As it turns out, Abigail Adams didn’t say it, but her husband did, Second President of the United States, John Adams. In one of his love letters to Abigail dated July 2, 1774, Adams relates that his barber said that all Tories are “bribed to be a Tory,” with such goods as rum, sugar, wine and flour. John Adams wrote:

I thought the barber’s observation as just and as memorable as Parson Moody’s doctrine “that when men know not what to do, they ought not to do they know not what”

(Adams 1774).   As for “Parson Moody’s doctrine,” a letter written a few days earlier by John to Abigail identifies Parson Samuel Moody as the former revered Church Parson of York.  Adams wrote:

But the best story I have heard yet was his doctrine in a sermon from the text: “Lord, what shall we do?” The doctrine was that when a person or people are in a state of perplexity, and know not what to do, they ought never to do they know not what. This is applicable to the times. He brought his people into a remarkable submission and subjection to the spiritual rulers, which continues to this day.

(Adams 1774). Samuel Moody (not to be confused with American Evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody) graduated from Cambridge University, and lived from 1675 to 1747.  Parson Moody’s sermon “Lord, what shall we do? ” may reference 2 Kings 6:15-17:

 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, ‘Oh, Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Under 2 Kings 6:15-17, when we are surrounded by trouble, we need not be afraid. If we open our eyes in faith, we will see that we are protected by the powerful presence and love of God who is fighting for us. (Cavin 2012). 2 Kings 6:15 is about an attack by the kingdom of Aram (Syria) on Israel, whose leaders relied upon the advice of the prophet Elisha. According to historians, 2 Kings spans about 265 years and takes place at the end of the kingdom of Israel, when its capital was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

“Elisha” means “God is salvation” in Hebrew. Elisha, who was the son of Shaphat, a farmer in Galilee, lived during the reigns of Joram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash, around the last half of the 9th Century, B.C. He was the disciple of the prophet Elijah, anointed to succeed him in 1 Kings 1:16-19. (Cline 2012). Elijah lived around 865 B.C., a time of great conflict. (Keathley 2012).

Where did the prophets Elisha and Elijah obtain their wisdom?  Prophets’ words are the words of God, as God told Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-18 (Rittenbaugh 2004). :

I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

So, the quote from the Motivational Speaker in 2012, was not by Abigail Adams, but was written by her husband, President John Adams, Second President of the United States, in a love letter he wrote on July 2, 1774 to Abigail, who in turn was quoting Church Parson Samuel Moody, who was born in 1675, graduated from Cambridge in 1697, and died in 1747, from his sermon which quoted 2 Kings 6:15-17 which quoted a servant living sometime around 722 B.C., who relied upon the Prophet, Elisha of around 700-800, B.C., who was the disciple of the Prophet Elijah, of 865 B.C.  

What is in this quote?  After traveling back in time almost 3000 years, the quote was inspired by a prophet, who was speaking the words of God.

References:

Adams, John, York, 2 July, 1774, “Founding Love Letters”, available at foundingloveletters.com/category/letters/love-letters-letters/john-abigail/page/2/.

Adams, John, York, 30 June, 1774, “Founding Love Letters”, available at foundingloveletters.com/category/letters/love-letters-letters/john-abigail/page/2/.

Cavin, Daintha, “Daily Bible Journey: Angel Army,” available at www.scripturemeditations.com/journals/db0610.html

Cline, Austin. 2012. “Elisha: Profile & Biography of Elisha, Old Testament Prophet and Biblical Figure,” About.com, available at atheism.about.com/od/biblepeopleoldtestament/p/Elisha/htm.

Keathley, J. Hampton, III. 2012. “Introduction and Historical Setting for Elijah,” available at bible.org/seriespage/introduction-and-historical-setting-elijah.

Rittenbaugh, John W. 2004. “Elijah and John the Baptist,” available at http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.sr/CT/RA/k/868.

Social Media May Help You Get Fit

The social media explosion has spread to almost every sector of business.  (Lewis 2011, 44-48).  In a 2011 Study published in the American Journal of Health Education, health educators were polled to determine their acceptance of use of social media as a viable instructional method.    The study, which was based upon a random online survey of Certified Health Education Specialists, revealed that social media was regarded by the health educators as an effective means of enhancing health education, provided that it followed best practices and guidelines.  It appears now that social media may also enhance education on fitness and nutrition, including instruction on such topics as weight training, diet and supplements.  Personal trainers such as former gymnast and fitness champion Kristy Lee Wilson are now training online, and doing it in a way that allows a more frequent and consistent interaction with their clients.    Clients may receive instruction from highly qualified personal trainers at their own convenience from any location.   Virtual fitness instruction may include weight training videos which clients may play back over and over again to learn proper form, and clients may ask the trainer questions on the website and receive quick answers, rather than have to wait until their next training session.  As technology advances, it will likely help us in many aspects of our daily lives, including helping us to get fit and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Reference:  Lewis, Michael.  2011.  Social Media Leadership: How to Get Off the Bench and Into the Game.

To Tweet or Not To Tweet: That Is the Question

 
 
     Under Zuckerberg’s Law, the amount of content being posted on Facebook doubles every year.  This flood of incoming content has inevitably led us to ask “who owns what?”  Twitter is at the center of this social media thunderstorm. Companies are becoming concerned about Tweeting on the job, and may prohibit Tweeting, or may request disclosure of Tweets about work. They have not been completely successful in preventing employee Tweets.   To make matters more complicated,  some companies encourage employees to use corporate Twitter accounts, like HomeDepot and Best Buy.

      Therefore,  whether Tweets are happening behind office doors,  or are an encouraged part of the job description, employees are Tweeting.   They are Tweeting for themselves and for corporate America. The consequence is inevitable-a  tug of war between the corporate desire to protect its proprietary interests and employees’ rights to own their Tweets and followers.
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      But, we may have to take a step back and reframe the question.  As one attorney so aptly explains, no one actually has the right to “own” Twitter followers.  (Gabe 2009).  Followers are people and people cannot be owned.  A better and more salient question is: (1) who owns the right to access and maintain the list of Twitter followers; and (2) who owns the content of the Tweets.  (Gabe 2009).  Although the courts are just beginning to address the subject, it may take years to come up with a workable solution.  Twitter rights may rise or fall according to the following brainteasers:

1.     Did the employee have the Twitter account before the date of hire?

2.     Were the Tweets during work hours?

3.     Did the employee use the Twitter account to Tweet about work or personal matters?

4.     Is the employee required to disclose the corporate Twitter account user name and password, and if not, are the employee’s Tweets about work open to review by the company?

5.     Did the employee read and acknowledge acceptance of a corporate Twitter policy?

6.     Does the corporate Twitter policy discuss in detail what happens to the employee’s user name and password, list of Twitter followers and Tweets if employment is severed?

7.     Was there a corporate Twitter policy in place and did the employee review it and sign it prior to using the Twitter account?

We do not know what kind of Twitter standard will ultimately be established by the courts.  In the meantime,  detailed Twitter policies (along with other social media use policies) can educate employees on company expectations and the rules of engagement.  (Solis 2011, 136-137). Likewise, employees may want to think about what they are Tweeting, when they are Tweeting and ask their employer if it has a Twitter policy.

References

: 

Gabe, Glenn.  2012.  “Lawyers, Guns and Twitter-Who Owns Your Twitter Account.” Search Engine Journal. Available at http://www.searchenginejournal.com/lawyers-guns-and-twitter-who-owns-your-twitter-account/10612/ (accessed May 29, 2012).

Solis, Brian.  Engage. 2011.  Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

"Why Do You Blog?"

  The other day a friend of mine asked me “why do you blog?” At first, the answer seemed so simple. Because I just do, I thought.  This was like asking “why do you get up and get dressed in the morning?” But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that not only was it a good question, but it really was an absolutely critical one for me to answer.  In order to do so, I knew that I first must define blogging. Not the dictionary definition, but my personal one. Blogging, to me, is:


Writing. Blogging is not just writing, but writing online in order to communicate effectively, by selecting words carefully to talk to my audience.

Concisely. I want to say it in as few words as possible. I tend to want to write too much, explain way too much and analyze things into oblivion.  So, I have to develop a blogger's consciousness.  I have to remind myself that you are extremely busy, and do not have the time to read a dissertation. I have to capture your attention in a few precious seconds.

To You. This may sound trite, but you may be from another county, another state, another nation, or another country.  You are part of today’s world audience, diverse in culture, religion, perspectives, views and visions. You are from all walks of life, earn a paycheck in countless ways, and have an infinite number of life experiences which have molded you and made you who you are today. You collectively are a potential giant, powerful and fierce in your shared vision. Yet, at the same time, each one of you is unique with something different and important to share.

About What You Care About. My blog is not a private journal locked away somewhere for my children to muse over after I am gone. It is writing to you about something which you care about. How do I figure out what is meaningful to you? I admit that I am often guilty of choosing my own topics. I do take the liberty of pimarily staying within the boundaries of health care law, policy and ethics, and fitness.  But, at the end of the day, this really is about you. I must figure out what you are thinking, saying to each other, and feeling. What gets under your skin or sticks in your craw. What either sinks you into darkness or lifts you up into a better place.

That is Happening Right Now. In one of my favorite books, the Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Rinpoche tells us that we must live in the present,  Otherwise, he explains, we become prisoners of the “tyranny of time” with our thoughts about the past and future dominating our existence.   I love the way Rinpoche jolts us into this reality by saying "You can break down the present into smaller and smaller increments, but between the instant of  present experience and the instant you identify that instant as “now,” the moment has already passed. It’s then."  (Rinpoche 2007, 87). What is on our minds as people today may be old news tomorrow. I need to find the present and stay there. I must steep in the “now,” so that I can discover what is dynamic, raw and fresh.

With effective visual tools. I have at my fingertips hundreds of blogging techno delights: widgets, gadgets, buttons and high tech multi-media effects. It is like picking a color out of a virtual Crayola Big Box of Crayons with the built in sharpener. If you will indulge me for a moment, I decided to do a little research on the history of Crayola Crayons.  Crayola started out with 30 colors in 1905, 64 colors in 1958, with fluorescent colors added in 1972 to make 72, and now has 120 Colors, with “specialty sets” of Silver Swirls, Gem Tones, Magic Scent and Silly Scents. Even so, when I was a child, I remember filling in my coloring books with a few favorites like "burnt sienna", "midnight blue", "sunset orange" or "peach".   Today, Im the same way.  I will probably not discover, or even know how to use, most of the ever expanding list of gizmos in the blogosphere. Hopefully, however, I will choose a few which speak to you, rather than overwhelm you.

So, here is my answer to “why do you blog.” I want to talk to you about something which you care about. I hope to do more than create the proverbial echo in cyberspace canyon. I would like to start a conversation.   I am glad that my friend asked me this question. I hope that this is a step toward better blogging.
Over 120 Crayola Crayon Colors