Welcome to my eclectic journey of my life and delights. This year my theme is surrendering my writing pen to the true author, Jesus Christ, while looking forward to the future, reflecting on the past and dancing through my journey.




Friday, February 4, 2011

Wish I Could Take That Back

Just an "X" on a street?

My son is reading through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.  As he reads, he shares with me what he is learning from his reading.  The items below attracted his attention:

TOP 10  ALL-TIME STUPID QUOTES;
  1. "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home." Kenneth Olsen, President and Founder of Digital Equipment, 1977
  2. "Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."  Marshall Ferdinand Foch, French Military Strategist and Future World War I Commander in 1911
  3. "Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances." De. Lee De Forest, inventor of the audio tube and Father of radio...Feb. 25, 1967
  4. "Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months.  People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." Darryl Zanuck, Head of 20th Century-Fox, 1946
  5. "We don't like their sound.  Groups of guitars are on the way out." Decca Records, rejecting the Beatles in 1962
  6. "For the majority of people , the use of tobacco has a beneficial effect."  Dr. Ian MacDonald, Los Angeles Surgeon, as quoted to Newsweek, Nov. 18, 1969
  7. "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.  The device is inherently of no value to us." Western Union Internal Memo, 1876
  8. "The earth is the center of the universe." Ptolemy the Great Egyptian Astronomer in the Second Century
  9. "Nothing of importance happened today." Written by King George III of England on July 4, 1776
  10. "Everything that can be invented has been invented."  Charles H. Duell, U.S. Commissioner of Patents, 1899

Do you have something you have said that you wish you could take back?  Well, we all do.  How has a change in perception helped to make your words fall to the ground?  Have you had a paradigm shift lately?

PARADIGM SHIFT....I have been going through paradigm shifts generating new viewpoints on different issues in life and, therefore, taking myself out of a constrained box...that I alone had put myself in. "Paradigms are like glasses.  When you have incomplete paradigms about yourself or life in general, it's like wearing glasses with the wrong prescriptions." (Sean Covey*)
Now back to the "X" on the street....is this just another building with windows?  If I told you that these two spots are in downtown Dallas and the "X" was placed on that street in 1963, would your thoughts of that "X" change?  Now, further information....the "X" marks the spot where President Kennedy was shot.


For we know in part and prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, that which is part will disappear. I Corn. 13:9-10

 Yea! for new perspectives and paradigm shifts which correct sight for viewing our lives.  Only God can write the prescription for clear vision for each of us....my prescription won't work on your eyes.  A different point of view or more information will allow me to correct what I say and how I view my situation.


Share a funny thing you have said that you wish you could now take back! 


One that I wish I could take back, "Oh, I will never use all those things on that phone!"

*I do not endorse the religious beliefs of the Covey writers, I do, however. glean the truth  given for different disciplines  presented in their writings.

24 Joining in with more words:

Cindy said...

I love the quotes. I remember reading Covey's original book and the paradigm shift spoke the most to me as well.

Anonymous said...

Janette,

Those quotes are quite entertaining, especially number 4. LOL!

I think, as humans, all of us go through different paradigm shifts in our lives. This comes through experiences with different situations and beliefs, as well as with maturity and gaining knowledge.

Currently, I can't think of something I said that I wish I could take back.

-Lady Rose

A multi-dimensional life said...

Oh,there are plenty of things I wish I could take back.
Throughout life there were harsh things in a heated moment that I instantly regretted. I thank God for His grace that grants me a deep and true repentance!

I've said many silly things as well. As a newlywed, looking over at my husbands cute profile as the moon shined through our window one night, I said "you look so cute in the dark"!

Don't ask! There are just those moments which can't be explained!

One more...our dog was trying to get to our box of chocolates and I said "Abby, no! chocolate could poison you!" then immediately extended the box towards my mother in law, saying "Lexie would you like one?!" ...That one, I'll never live down! :)

Sandy said...

Love the quotes. I have so many
things I've said that I wish I
could take back that it would
fill a book. Thank God for His
mercy and second chances.

Farm Girl said...

Very good points and a very nice post. I think I would have to say that the more I learn the less I know. I remember meeting someone that said, the more she learned about the gospel the deeper and more profound it became. At the time I wondered what the heck she was talking about, now I sort of know. I think having grand children now has made me change a bunch in the things I thought were so important when I was a mom aren't that important as gama.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

I really love your thinking process... I GET it!! Maybe our brains are similar. :)

Right this minute I can't think of a particular one, but I know there have been some doozies along the way!

Great post! The scripture was perfect.

Debbie said...

This was great...I love the quotes...I am quite certain I have said sooo many things over the course of my life that I wish I could take back, that they would fill a whole book...but I can't think of a single one in particular. I usually said my "dumb" things in great anger. Praise God He doesn't remember them either....Have a wonderful week-end. HUGS

Crown of Beauty said...

I read Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People years ago - and I liked it. In fact his words about paradigm shift have made such an impact on the world that we have really been given a new language to shift perspectives...to our benefit.

I believe that this author is speaking from universal wisdom, and it is still God given...

This is a wonderful post, Janette.

Many years ago, when I was the only one without a cell phone in our family, I used to say, "I will never have any need for a cell phone." My husband and children would laugh. Until one bright day, my husband came home with a brand new Siemens mobile phone, made in Europe (not in China)... and I fell in love with the gadget. That was ten years ago.

Well, now I am a cell phone gal, iPod user, definitely I can't live without my laptop and my Sony digital camera... How things have changed for me - truly a paradigm shift!

Love
Lidj

Karen said...

Your post today reminded me of the illustration that he had in his book. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - the Old Woman
remember that one? That one is another whole blog post! But, I too wish I could take back many, many things I have said to my boys! Covey's got some great thought provokers!

myletterstoemily said...

know what? as soon as i saw that
'X' i knew it was about the kennedy
assassination! how weird is that?

and for my next act: you are sitting
in the family room reading a book.
hee hee!

i love your paradigm shift idea. here's
mine. today at the funeral of a 23 yr.
old young lady, i was watching a big
group of tough kids. all wore black,
skinny jeans and crazy hair, super
pale skin and glazed eyes.

druggies? maybe. but more importantly,
they were all broken hearted at the loss
of a dear friend. i gave one a big hug,
and we both wept.

Miss Janet said...

Awesome! I just read those quotes to my family.

God is always changing the way I think about something. One day I am a dogmatic NO! Another day, I'm a... ooops... YES! Or, vise versa.

:)

Janet

www.homeward4.blogspot.com

Sharon said...

I can't think of a particular thing I said, but I just KNOW that there were ALL sorts of things I said about parents and their misbehaving children BEFORE I had children.

Boy, did I ever have to eat some crow!!

My paradigm shift came about 5 years ago - new marriage, empty nest, God calling me back to Himself - a major shift in my definition of myself. But I can honestly say, it's all been a change for the better!!

I instantly recognized that "X" - I stood on it. It was a pretty awesome and creepy moment, all at the same time.

GOD BLESS!

Finding Joy said...

I love those quote. I heard the other days a big company saying they didn't see any need to have a on-line store, I wonder if he will regret that in a few years.

Love the new font.

Susannah said...

Interesting post Janette! LOL, earlier in the week I was thinking along similar lines... that you can't "unring the bell." It was in the context of my parents' divorce... Although everyone in the family eventually went on to live reasonably successful lives, there are still deep scars. (Better that divorce is avoided at all costs IMHO.)

In the same way, your quotes are funny now, but oh so telling.

I really enjoyed Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" book when it first came out. There was little I disagreed with, except his Mormon faith! Interesting to know his influence is still being felt in your family.
One of the big benefits of home education...

Have a blessed weekend. ღ

Shelley said...

As I read your post and those funny comments - (especially the one about people not wanting to stare at a plywood box HA!) I am sooo very thankful that God and His Word never changes. He is so rock solid and never says stupid things that He wishes He could take back or alters His course of thinking.

Goodness to relate one funny thing that I have said that I wish I could take back - I'm sure there are many they just don;t come to mind - maybe I have blocked them out so that I can go on living lol

Have a great weekend!

lioneagle said...

Hi Janette -

Thank you for this piece.

Those things on your son's list are interesting indeed. Who knew?!
GOD, of course...

Praise His holy name.

I didn't know that they had an X on the street to mark where President Kennedy was shot. That is something, indeed.

So, I Begin this Journey...... said...

I'm laughing...... I've been wanting to take things back that came flying out of my mouth MANY times! LOL!
Like saying I will never use this cell phone with a GPS! Yeah...okay so now I NEED the GPS where we live now!
And I graduated from saying "don't need" "don't want"....blah blah blah!
Loved these quotes!

Have a wonderful weekend*

partialemptynester said...

Great post!!! Love all those thoughts!

Anonymous said...

Great Quotes, Janette!
I'm still thinking...

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

How true! There are too many times I wish I could take back my words... I'm always trying to remember that I might have to eat them as my own mother did... She once clearly said;" Leslie, give up riding, you may never learn rising trot, and that's okay." I was 10 yrs old, trying to learn in a German stable and not understanding a word! But within' months, I got it, and never looked back. I've said that sweet Jack doesn't have the best balance, yet he taught himself to ride a bike w/out trainers as soon as he turned four! Really, I must trust God's plan for I clearly don't know much! Thanks for the reminder!
xo
Leslie

Simple Home said...

What a wonderful post. The stupid quotes were great to read, and I loved the explanation of the paradigm shift!
Blessings,
Marcia

A Joyful Chaos said...

Very interesting list of quotes from people who obviously didn't have a clue what the future would hold.

Thanks for sharing.

Deborah Ann said...

Very interesting! It really gets me thinking. I'm a good one for not wanting to learn something new, saying I'm happy with the old things. I bucked change at every corner..

LOVED that video above!

Debbie Petras said...

I love this Janette! The stupid things people say for sure.

Mine may be something like: "I'm so thankful that I'm retired. Now I have time to do what I want."

LOL!

Debbie

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