Sydney Scothon > Sydney's Quotes

“Wrong Way” is a blunt verbal instrument, waking us up to the fact that we are ignoring something—missing it, as we would say. And that is just what I affirm with regard to our culture’s agenda for aging. I think it is one of the huge follies of our time, about which some frank speaking is in order and indeed overdue. I ask you to bear with me now as I share what I see with regard to the advice that I crystallized in the preceding paragraphs. I see this agenda, well meant as it is, as wrongheaded in the extreme.”
― J.I. Packer, Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging

“John Wesley at eighty-five wrote in his journal that the only sign of deterioration that he could see in himself was that he could not run as fast as he used to. With all due deference to that wonderful, seemingly tireless little man, we may reasonably suspect that he was overlooking some things at this point, just as some do when they assure us that they never had a day’s illness in their life. We cannot stop our bodies aging, any more than King Canute’s say-so could stop the tide coming in.”
― J.I. Packer, Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging

“God seems always to have intended that the life of humans in this world should be probationary and temporary, and should lead in due course to some form of transformation and transition for a richer life elsewhere”
― J.I. Packer, Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging

“A British professor of theology once described to me the world to which believers will go as “an unknown country with a well-known inhabitant.” When Jesus Christ the courier has already become well known to us through the Gospels and Pastoral Letters of the New Testament, the prospect of transitioning with him into a world in which we shall see him as he is and be constantly in his company will be something we find alluring rather than alarming.”
― J.I. Packer, Finishing Our Course with Joy: Guidance from God for Engaging with Our Aging

“Paulette told me she thinks Sylvia isn’t hooking any more, and I finally figured out what that means. I’ve also learned why several of my housemates have perpetual runny, and sometimes bloody noses. Paul demonstrated how he arranges the white powder on a mirror laid on the kitchen table, but I declined his invitation to try it out. Too scary.”
― Diane Winger, The Abandoned Girl

“Never talk with any man, or undertake any trifling employment, merely to pass the time away; for every day well spent may become a “day of salvation,” and time rightly employed is an “acceptable time.” And remember, that the time thou triflest away, was given thee to repent in, to pray for pardon of sins, to work out thy salvation, to do the work of grace, to lay up against the day of judgment a treasure of good works, that thy time may be crowned with eternity.”
― Jeremy Taylor, Holy Living and Dying with Prayers

“It all must have cost a fortune, guessed Lucy, who had lost track of the actual total sometime around December 18. Oh, sure, it had been great fun for the hour or two it took to open all the presents, but those credit card balances would linger for months. And what was she going to do about the letter? It was from the financial aid office at Chamberlain College advising her that they had reviewed the family’s finances and had cut Elizabeth’s aid package by ten thousand dollars. That meant they had to come up with the money or Elizabeth would have to leave school. She guiltily fingered the diamond studs Bill had surprised her with, saying they were a reward for all the Christmases he was only able to give her a handmade coupon book of promises after they finished buying presents for the kids. It was a lovely gesture, but she knew they couldn’t really afford it. She wasn’t even sure he had work lined up for the winter.”
― Leslie Meier, New Year's Eve Murder

“William Faulkner was once asked how he went about writing a book. His answer: “It’s like building a chicken coop in a high wind. You grab any board or shingle flying by or loose on the ground and nail it down fast.” Like becoming a pastor.”
― Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir

“He pauses at my first button and searches my face. Touching him was never a part of the deal, and he must be wondering why I’m doing it willingly. I don’t know if he hates or loves it, but I don’t give him or myself time to think about it. I lift my knee and hit him in the crotch. Hard. As hard as I can. His face contorts and his hands shoot out for me, but I duck and run past him. A huge grin pulls on my face. I just kneed Aiden fucking King in the balls!”
― Rina Kent, Deviant King

“Never give up on your friends. Never give up your faith in them. It's when everything is worse than you could ever imagine it could be, that you'll need your friends the most.”
― Graeme Rodaughan, The Dragon's Den

“If you love others, life will of necessity be tragic, beautiful, but tragic.”
― Graeme Rodaughan, A Subtle Agency

“Mouthy bitch.” My middle name.”
― Ilona Andrews, Blood Heir

“Genuine leadership occurs as an act of service to empower others to be their best.”
― Graeme Rodaughan, The Metaframe Adept